event 01 mars 2021 time 08:00 04 mars 2021 time 13:00 GMT+7

Conference // Water Security and Climate Change Conference - Virtual

The Water Security and Climate Change conference (WSCC) is an annual event where scientists, policy makers and stakeholders from various sectors discuss the diverse facets of water security and its relation to climate variability and change. The WSCC is an initiative of the ‘Higher Education Excellence in Development Cooperation – exceed’ program, and is implemented by the Centers for Natural Resources and Development (CNRD) and the Sustainable Water Management in Developing Countries (SWINDON) network.

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About

The Water Security and Climate Change conference (WSCC) is an annual event where scientists, policy makers and stakeholders from various sectors discuss the diverse facets of water security and its relation to climate variability and change.

The WSCC strives to go beyond science and build bridges between various disciplines and sectors as well as different groups of stakeholders. Serving as a platform for discussions about water and food secure societies, by providing a stimulating environment with the intention of yielding innovative ideas and grounds for implementation, the WSCC is continuing a series of successful conferences in Thailand, Germany, Kenya and Mexico.

The WSCC is an initiative of the ‘Higher Education Excellence in Development Cooperation – exceed’ program, and has been implemented since 2016 under the auspices of the Centers for Natural Resources and Development (CNRD) and the Sustainable Water Management in Developing Countries (SWINDON) network. The scientific committee includes the Food Security Center (FSC) as well as the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).

In 2021, WSCC is convened by the Vietnam Academy for Water Resources (VAWR) in Hanoi. Due to the currently uncertain situation, they have decided to implement the Water Security and Climate Change (WSCC) conference in a virtual format. Participation will be free of charge and open to the public.

Topics and Sessions

The WSCC 2021 will focus on internationally agreed upon themes that are reflected in international agendas, including:

  1. The sustainable management of water and the mitigation of climate change corresponding to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030;
  2. The Paris Agreement and to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support of countries of the Global South to do so;
  3. Strategies for Disaster Risk Reduction in terms of water as outlined in the Sendai Framework;
  4. The development, function and sustainable design of cities in terms of water as indicated in the New Urban Agenda;
  5. The water-related benefits of ecosystems and biodiversity addressed in the Convention on Biological Diversity.

For a better overview, we have identified seven main topics, which will structure the WSCC agenda. Each topic has corresponding Sessions thus building our Conference. Read more about each topic and its sessions:

Topic 1: Water and Land for Agriculture and Food

Water scarcity and Climate Change are placing unprecedented pressure on water availability. There is a need to optimize water use practices to strive towards water and food security. The major focus of this topic is to bring together scientists and stakeholders to improve the evidence-based decision making for improving the co-management of water and land for sustainable food systems.

  • Water Scarcity, Water Productivity and Food Security
  • Sustainable Intensification of Rainfed and Irrigated Agriculture
  • Water and Land Degradation / Desertification
  • Socio-economic Aspects of Water and Food Security

Topic 2: Water Security and Climate Change Adaptation

Water scarcity reduces the adaptive capacities of society and ecosystems. Additionally, Climate Change is already placing unprecedented pressure on global water resources availability. This topic aims to strive towards adaptation policies and nature-based solutions to increase the resilience of the affected areas by bringing together diverse stakeholders to address water insecurity against anthropogenic and environmental challenges.

  • Nature-based Solutions and Ecosystem-based Adaptation
  • Coping Mechanism, Resilience and Responses
  • Adaptation Policies, Practices and Economics

Topic 3: Urban Water Management

Two-thirds of the global population will be living in urban areas by 2050. Therefore, the water-related challenges over urban areas will be pivotal for future urban sustainability. This topic aims to understand the present and future challenges and transformative pathways of urban water security.

  • Water Sensitive Cities / Blue-Green Infrastructure
  • Circular Design-built Strategies for Climate-friendly and Citizen-driven Urban Water and Food Systems
  • Urban Water Security and Governance
  • Sustainable Urban Water Management

Topic 4: Water Security Hazards and Risks

Climatic extremes events have socio-ecological, economic, and environmental impacts. Their analysis is crucial to shift towards proactive management practices that reduce economical losses. This topic invites scientific contributions for solutions and management-oriented climatic risk reduction practices and policies for the most vulnerable communities.

  • Vulnerability and Risk Assessment and Disaster Risk Reduction
  • Coping with Climate Extremes (Floods, Droughts, Storms, Coastal Resilience, Pollution Control)
  • Water Risk Management and Policy
  • Water and Health

Topic 5: Water Knowledge and the Data Revolution

Data is essential for striving towards informed-based decision-making. Thanks to technological development, there are multiple sources of information that can be used to assess the past, present and future status of diverse regions. Therefore, this topic intends to develop pathways for data-driven decision-making for sustainability.

  • Novel Remote Sensing, Monitoring, Tracer and Model Techniques
  • Generation, Access and Utilization of Big Data for Water Development
  • Open Science and Open Innovation
  • Novel Water Curricular and Educational Networks
  • Capacity Development and Blended Learning for Water Security

Topic 6: International Water Management

One-third of the global population lives in internationally shared river basins. These river basins are vital for economic development, reducing poverty and contributing to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. This topic intends to address the complexities of international and shared river basins through management policies while improving ecological sustainability.

  • International Water Initiatives
  • Water Footprint, Virtual Water and Transboundary Cooperation
  • Transboundary Water Management
  • Water Diplomacy

Topic 7: Connecting the Dots: Nexus Themes & Transformation Strategies

Water security and climate change automatically include a wide range of cross-cutting issues to be addressed in this thread. For example, water, energy, and food security are closely linked to each other. An analysis of how these sectors interact with each other is crucial to enhance informed-based decision-making. The focus of the topic is to foster sustainable transformation using the Nexus framework as well as addressing social challenges and strategies for this transformation.

  • Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus
  • Water Decision Analysis, Cost Benefit Analysis, Multiple-criteria Decision-making
  • Ecosystem Services for Nexus Solutions
  • Integrating Nexus Policies for Sustainability
  • Water in National Sustainable Development Strategies
  • Water Innovation, Societal Challenges and Transformation

Visit the Conference Website to view topics and their related sessions

Registration

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