Onewater: young people putting water at the centre
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Rivers and Lakes
Translated from this article.
The Alps are a great water reservoir, threatened by global warming. Scholars, experts, activists, professionals, discussed this topic at the first Alpine Rivers Symposium in Burghausen (Germany). The driving force behind the international event is Onewater, a network of young people from all over the world, eager to commit themselves to a participatory and conscious management of water.
The idea of setting up a two-day conference on rivers in the middle of August in Germany could only have come from a group of courageous and passionate young people. And only they could turn it into a success, with the participation of dozens of scholars, experts, activists, people eager to discuss the future of watercourses in the Alps, one of the areas of the world most affected by climate change.
The first International Symposium on Alpine Rivers has just ended in Burghausen, a charming Bavarian village on the banks of the Salzbach. The event was promoted, with the support of the municipality, by Onewater, a German non-profit social enterprise with a network of contacts in many countries. The symposium was attended by our Freshwater team Paul Brotherton and Irene Duque, who gave talks on the value of ecological restoration of natural sponges as Natural based Solutions, and on our work on transboundary river basin management in the Iberian peninsula.
We continued to advocate for the restoration of free-flowing rivers, a crucial element in preserving Europe’s natural heritage and biodiversity. The event provided a unique opportunity to engage with key stakeholders and civil society organisations, fostering collaborative dialogue on shaping EU policies that prioritize ecological restoration.
Our members CIRF and EuroNatur also attended to share best practices, collaborate on strategies to influence policymaking at the European level, and ensure that the voices of those committed to sustainable water management are heard and integrated into the legislative process.
