Date & Venue

June 11-14 , 2019
Bucharest, Romania

Report / Newsletter

Newsletter: Newsletter 19

Presentations / Abstracts

The 2019 Annual Meeting of the Commission was titled: “Water sustainability in a changing world” and was hosted by the Faculty of Geography of the University of Bucharest. It was jointly supported by the Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), the Research Centre “Water resources and water-related risk management (GRARH) and the Institute of Geography of the Romanian Academy (IGAR).
The conference was organised under the leadership of Prof. Liliana Zaharia supported by colleagues and post-graduate student volunteers from the Department of Meteorology – Hydrology of the Faculty of Geography. The international scientific committee and local organising committee comprised members of the Commission, the Academy of Romania, Romanian universities and research institutes and, importantly, practioners from various organisations such as the National Administration of Romanian Waters and the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management adding applied aspects to the meeting.
Prof. Zaharia also succeeded in soliciting support by the Vice Rector of the Bucharest University and the Vice Dean delivering opening addresses. The conference was also honoured by Prof. Fu addressing the participants in his capacity as member of the IGU Executive Council and President of the Geographical Society of China.
The Chair, in his opening address, elaborating on the justification for a geographical water commission stressed the need for an integrated approach to complex water issues employing the specific strengths of Geographers in adopting insights and tools of neighbouring sciences to arrive at new and holistic views rather than further increasing compartmentalisation of water sciences. In doing so the Commission actively encourages membership of non-Geographers working on water and its sustainable use as well as of practioners as ultimate recipients of scientific solutions.

In addition to the thematic sessions on day one and two an excursion on urban hydrological engineering and a two-day field trip on Carpathian mountain hydrology formed part of the conference programme.
All participants received a comprehensive collection of supporting documents including printed and digital versions of the conference programme, a book of abstracts as well as two most informative guides on the two field trips indicating thoroughness and attention to detail of the organisers.

Prof. Zaharia also managed to attract local financial support of the conference to supplement accommodation costs, providing additional material for the conference bag and keeping fees at a minimum. The good quality of the catering and the grand location of the gala dinner deserve special recognition in this context.
In summary, the Chair and the members of the SC of the Commission would like to express their sincere gratitude towards all involved in preparing and hosting a scientifically sound and professionally organised meeting that was most enjoyable. We especially wish to thank Prof. Zaharia for providing members with such a memorable event.

Photos

Programme / Links