“25 years of research and competence at the service of European water management”.

EurAqua has marked its 25 anniversary with a celebratory event that took place in Brussels on the 11th June 2019. This event gathered around 40 people, including representatives from the European Commission (DG Research and Innovation), the Water JPI and the Water Europe technology platform. Representatives from the vast majority of EurAqua’s members were present.

Almost a hundred European funded projects carry EurAqua’s signature and the network is also at the origin of highly relevant peer-reviewed papers and strategic documents. The organisation of the 25th anniversary event responded to the willingness of members to enhance the visibility of EurAqua’s activities at the European level and to present a number of topics for which collaboration will be boosted in the future in order to address urgent water-related challenges.

Antonio Lo Porto (IRSA and current President of EurAqua) gave initially an overview of EurAqua’s activities since its launch (participation in European projects, lobbying activities, and the provision of advice in the development of European water research agendas).

Based upon the contents of its recent strategic research and innovation agenda Pdf, 2.8 MB. and building upon the voluntary participation of its members, EurAqua has launched 4 thematic working groups in the areas of Water Framework Directive (WFD) implementation, natural capital, droughts and plastics. The main part of the event was therefore devoted to the presentations of these working groups and the activities conducted so far.

These presentations were followed by a round table that counted the participation of Panos Balabanis (DG Research and Innovation), Dominique Darmendrail (Water JPI) and Durk Krol (Water Europe). Panelists provided their feedback on the different presentations of the day, prominent research and innovation needs in the field of water, the possible role of EurAqua in the definition of European agendas, and water research infrastructures. Anna-Stiina Heiskanen (SYKE and upcoming President of EurAqua) made the concluding remarks by focusing on the list of priority actions that will be undertaken by the network during SYKE’s Presidency.

Presentations:

• Introduction - 25 Years of Research and Competence at the service of European Freshwater Pdf, 1 MB.
• Solutions for Stressed Out Waters: Science for Implementing the WFD Pdf, 3.8 MB.
• Fresh water resources under changing climate: recent research and future challenges Pdf, 2.6 MB.
• Plastics in freshwater ecosystems: Research priorities and possible solutions Pdf, 434.1 kB.
• Aquatic Research and Social Sciences: EurAqua Group in Action on Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital Pdf, 2.1 MB.