IWRM – a crucial approach for sustainable development
The ICWRS (International Commission on Water Resources Systems) of IAHS has, since many years, embraced Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) as the main topic for its research agenda. The need for integrated approaches to deal with the complex water management issues in both the developed and developing world is recognised throughout the world.
However, in many places IWRM is still merely a concept and not yet an established approach with practical applications. As a result, the ICWRS has organised regular symposia on Integrated Water Resources Management, each focussing on a topical aspect of IWRM.
In 2006, the third symposium of the series will be hosted by the Ruhr-University in Bochum, Germany. It will address the very important subject of how to cope with water-related vulnerability of societies. This vulnerability relates to many aspects of water resources: environmental risks, floods, droughts, pollution, water logging and options to create resilience against these risks. The subject is highly relevant and it involves considerable scientific challenges to develop practical tools for quantifying and dealing with vulnerability. Considering the challenges of a fast changing world, joint activities to reduce vulnerability against water related risks are a very important point on the international agenda.
This symposium in Bochum will make a special contribution by providing a platform for the international exchange of research results that relate to IWRM. You are cordially invited to bring your scientific expertise to this symposium and to make this symposium with your personal contribution an outstanding scientific event, which will appropriately address the emerging needs in Integrated Water Resources Management over the next decades.
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Andreas Schumann |
Hubert H.G. Savenije |
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Secretary of ICWRS |
President of ICWRS |
