中欧社会论坛 - China Europa Forum

launched

Workshop presentation

The China-Europa Forum and the Chongqing Science & Technology Commission (CSTC) organise a joint workshop addressing the topic of “Healthy Rivers and the Implementation of Sustainable Water Resource Management”, with the participation of the Estuarine and Coastal Ecohydrology Group, operating within the framework of UNESCO IHP/MAB, and the University of Chongqing, China.

Ecohydrology is the science of the interplay between hydrology and biota. Therefore, as a new integrative science Ecohydrology involves finding solutions to issues surrounding water, people, and the environment. Ecohydrology considers the functional interrelations between hydrology and aquatic ecosystems and their biota at the catchment (watershed) scale. It considers the use of ecosystem processes as tools to meet freshwater resource management goals, such as enhancing natural processes of nutrient retention to avoid harmful algal blooms. In effect, it proposes a ’dual regulation’ of the system by simultaneously using ecological and hydrological processes to enhance the overall integrity of aquatic ecosystems in the face of human-mediated alterations. Ecohydrology does not specify the method of incorporating ecosystem processes into management programs, as that is site-specific. As part of the strategy, it focuses on understanding useful ecosystem processes and communicating that understanding to water managers in a way that enables incorporation into planned and existing programmes.

The Workshop is expected to:
 demonstrate the application of the ecohydrology approach to solve issues surrounding water, environment and people;
 contribute to the development of research on ecohy­drology, increasing scientific knowledge to implement integrated watershed management and identifying solutions for sustainable development in ecological and social systems in which water acts as a main driver; and
 provide qualitative and quantitative validation of the effectiveness of the ecohydrological approach in practice.
 provide the basis for the launching of a platform for decentralized cooperation between Europe and China which will aim to support focused projects and promote best practices through the use and coordination of available financial instruments .
 prepare the 2011 workshop in Europe

Topics for debates

1 - Dam Impact on river and drainage basin ecosystem - Addressing positive and negative impacts of river damming
2 - Human activities influencing the water quality and sediments transport in rivers, lagoons and coasts, altering the quality of life.
3 - Dam reservoir management in terms of eutrophication problem and algae proliferation control in the context of climate change and water levels variability.
4 - Natural and constructed wetlands as water and wastewater management techniques.
5 - Water management of Trans-boundary river basins, based on EU 2000/60 Water Framework Directive.
6. - How can we ensure the development of a pipeline of projects.
7. - Discussion of possible themes of the 2011 European workshop.

About us

The Chinese Prime movers

Dr. Guo Jingsong 郭劲松, Professor, Deputy Dean of Urban Construction and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University

Mrs. Li Liu, 刘莉, Assistant to Dr. Guo, Urban Construction and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China

The European Prime movers

Mr. Menelaos Hatziapostolidis, Adviser to the President of the Prefectural Local Authority of Drama-Kavala-Xanthi, Greece

Dr. Georgios Sylaios, Assistant Professor at Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece

Workshop’s news

A physical workshop for the Third Biennial meeting of the Forum will be held at Chongqing university, on October, 21-25, 2009.
>> More in the program. (pdf, 459 ko)