European Cooperation for Water Security
The event, organised by the Department of UNESCO Chair on Ecohydrology and Applied Ecology at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, brought together representatives of eight projects funded under the European Water4All partnership, as well as representatives of research funding organisations, the Ministry of Infrastructure and UNESCO.
Water4All is Europe’s largest funding mechanism for research and innovation in water management. The programme brings together national research funding agencies – in Poland, this role is fulfilled by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) – to support international projects addressing the most pressing challenges related to the protection and sustainable use of water resources.
Directions for the Development of Water Research
The University of Lodz hosted members of the Water4All management board, including Benjamin Lopez (CEO), Stefano Fazi and Enrique Navarro, who presented the partnership’s future development priorities. A key element of the meeting was a discussion on the future of European research programmes and ways to increase the impact of ongoing projects on public policy, water management practices, the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the objectives of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme.
Working Together for Climate Resilience
The meeting was opened by a keynote lecture delivered by Prof. dr hab. Maciej Zalewski, founder of the UNESCO Chair of Ecohydrology at the University of Lodz and Vice-Chair of the Council of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme. Among the eight projects presented during the meeting were two projects carried out at the University of Lodz: SPRINGINESS, led by dr hab. Tomasz Jurczak, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz, and SentinelSprings, headed by dr hab. Marcin Kiedrzyński, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz.
Ecohydrology in Practice – Study Visit to Radom
On the second day, participants visited the UNESCO Ecohydrological Demonstration Site in Radom, established through the LIFE RadomKlima project carried out by the Department of UNESCO Chair on Ecohydrology and Applied Ecology together with its partners. Visitors were introduced to ecohydrological solutions designed to increase the city’s resilience to climate change, including the Sequential Sedimentation-Biofiltration System, which protects the Borki recreational reservoir from pollution flowing from urbanised areas, and a multifunctional flood-control polder on the Cerekwianka River, reducing the risk of flooding in the city centre.
The study visit also formed part of the celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the ecohydrology programme at UNESCO and the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Global Network of Ecohydrological Demonstration Sites – a worldwide network comprising 66 demonstration sites in 37 countries, showcasing the practical implementation of ecohydrological solutions in water management.
The Power of Cooperation
The role of transdisciplinarity in contemporary research was one of the most important topics discussed during the meeting. Participants emphasised that effectively addressing water-related challenges requires not only high-quality research but also close cooperation between scientists, public administration bodies, businesses, non-governmental organisations, and society at large. Only such an approach can ensure the successful implementation of research findings in practice and maximise their contribution to socio-economic development.
As a result of the meeting, a report for UNESCO and the Water4All partnership will be prepared, focusing on the contribution of the projects to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, a special issue of the journal Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology will be published, presenting the latest achievements of projects funded under the Water4All programme.
The event was held with the participation of the Ministry of Infrastructure. Guests were welcomed by Tomasz Wenecki, Deputy Director of the Department of Water Management, who read a letter from Dariusz Klimczak, Minister of Infrastructure, highlighting the importance of cooperation between science, public administration, and international partners in building resilience to water-related challenges.
The meeting was moderated by Dr Paweł Jarosiewicz from the Department of UNESCO Chair on Ecohydrology and Applied Ecology, University of Lodz.
Source: Dr Paweł Jarosiewicz (Department of UNESCO Chair on Ecohydrology and Applied Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz)
Edit: Kamila Knol-Michałowska (Promotion Centre, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz)
Photos: Kamila Knol-Michałowska, Dr Paweł Jarosiewicz
