Keynote Speakers
- Our keynote speakers, experts at the forefront of water security, climate change, and sustainable development, will share their perspectives on the complex interplay of these critical issues. Their presentations will stimulate thought-provoking discussions and encourage collaborations that can drive innovative solutions for a water- and food-secure future. Learn more about this year's keynote speakers or watch videos from last year's presenters below.
- Prof. Dr. Dieter Gerten
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Image: © PIK/Klemens Karkow (2020) Dieter Gerten is geographer and hydrologist and works as research group leader of the group “Terrestrial Safe Operating Space” (TESS) at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). He is also Professor for Global Change Climatology and Hydrology at the Humboldt University Berlin.
His research focuses on global water resources, particularly on agricultural water scarcity as well as on the impacts of climate change and human activities on water cycles and ecosystems. His team primarily investigates interlinkages between planetary boundaries and the role of the freshwater cycle in the Earth system, based on a terrestrial biosphere model that simulates the key underlying processes and dynamics.
Throughout his career, Gerten has published >150 peer-reviewed papers and books and contributed to the 5th IPCC Assessment Report. In addition, he is in the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal Detritus and served as Associate or Guest Editor of several journals, amongst others of Hydrological Sciences Journal, Earth Perspectives, and PNAS. Furthermore, since 2020 he is co-speaker of the Leibniz Research Network “Earth & Societies”, and member of the Advisory Board of the European Forum for the Study of Religion & Environment.
- Prof. Dr. Mariele Evers
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Image: © Mariele Evers, private Mariele Evers is Professor for Geography with a focus on Ecohydrology and Water Resources Management at the Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University Bonn, Germany. She also holds the UNESCO Chair on Human-Water-Systems since 2021. She studied Geography at the Universities of Münster, Bonn and Montpellier and obtained her doctoral degree at Hannover University in 2008 and was guest professor in Sweden and Thailand.
Evers research concentrates on water resources management and ecohydrology in general and focuses particularly on hydrological extremes (droughts and floods), disaster risk management as well as on climate, water and food systems’ interactions. In the context of the UNESCO Chair on Human-Water-Systems, Mariele Evers and her colleagues explore intersectoral integration approaches for river basin management and study collaborative, informed decision-making processes. This also includes the development of web-based tools to foster participatory decision-making. Her research regions are mainly Germany, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Moreover, Evers has published widely in numerous papers and is Specialty Chief Editor for water and human systems of the journal Frontiers in Water. She also serves as peer reviewer of various journals, amongst others of Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, and Water Resources Management. In addition, she chaired the German Scientific Advisory Board for the water research programs of UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for eight years and is member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Natural Climate Protection (WBNK) since 2023.
- Dr. Johannes Cullmann
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Image: © J. Cullmann / Rick Bajornas / United Nations Photo Johannes Cullmann is a German water scientist. He has worked for German universities and holds a PhD and a Habilitation in hydrology. His early career was focused on hydrological modelling and flood forecasting. Later he was responsible for international water cooperation for the German Federal Institute for Hydrology. He has supported various international commissions for transboundary water cooperation and presided UNESCO´s water program from 2012 to 2014. From 2015 to 2022, Johannes served as a senior director for water and climate in the World Meteorological Organization. He was the chief Scientist of the President of the UN General Assembly in 2022 and 2023. At present Johannes works for both the German Water Administration and the Institute for Water Education in Delft, the Netherlands.
- Dr. Elena López-Gunn
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Image: © Ivan Boll Dr. Elena López-Gunn founded the research company ICATALIST, which is primarily focused on sustainability and climate change adaptation research. She currently works as director of ICATALIST and as Senior Research Fellow at the Royal Elcano Institute. She is a member of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABCC). She is an EU Climate Pact ambassador, and part of the UNESCO Task Force on a Science Based Water Assessment.
Elena participated in Spain’s latest national climate change impact assessment leading the chapter on water and is currently involved in the expert panel for the new Risk assessment for the future Spanish national Adaptation plan. She serves as expert member in the Citizen Climate Assembly in Spain and contributed to the 6th IPCC Assessment Report. She has a PhD from King's College, concluded her PhD in Geography at the King’s College, London, and was research fellow at the University of Leeds, the Botin Foundation Water Observatory and at the London School of Economics. She also has a Masters from the University of Cambridge and a Master in Investigative Journalism data and Visualization from Juan Carlos I University. Besides, she also worked as Associate Professor at IE Business school in Madrid (Spain).
- Keynotes 2023
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Keynotes 2023
Get a sneak peek into the thought-provoking discussions and potential collaborations you can expect by watching these insightful talks from last year's conference.
- Wouter Buytaert
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Co-producing climate adaptation strategies for mountain water security
Mountains are among the most at risk of global climate change. They combine highly complex and variable biogeochemical processes with vulnerable populations and development challenges. The high complexity of such systems is a challenge to the design and implementation of adaptation strategies. They need to be adapted to the local environment, but also with the socio-cultural setting and specific human and environmental needs. A co-production approach can help ensuring that the multi-faceted needs and preferences of vulnerable communities are accounted for. Using experiences of projects in South America, Africa, and South Asia, my talk elaborates the challenges and opportunities of co-producing adaptation strategies for water security, and highlights some success stories using novel approaches and technologies for data collection, analysis, and knowledge production.
- Jami Nelson-Nuñez
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Confronting the Politics of Water Security
Increasing access to drinking water was one of the success stories of the Millennium Development Goals. Yet, eight years into the Sustainable Development Goals, there is reason to believe that we are increasingly off target. To address the challenge of water security, we need to contend with misconceptions about why people lack access to water and recognize the institutional roots of water inequities. Because institutions serve to create clarity and regulate behavior, they protect the status quo and become obstacles in responding to rapidly changing water landscapes. In this talk, I draw from what communities have taught me about institutional arrangements that can increase local water security as well as what lessons political science can offer regarding our shared challenge ahead to reshape institutions to address water security at national and global levels.
- Aluísio Granato de Andrade
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Climate-Smart Agriculture in Brazil: Soil, Water&Resilience
Brazilian agriculture, a cornerstone of the national economy, faces significant challenges due to widespread land degradation and the escalating impacts of climate change. Erosion, extreme weather events, and shifting rainfall patterns threaten both crop yields and the quality of agricultural products. These environmental stresses have far-reaching consequences, affecting food security, ecological balance, and various economic sectors. To address these challenges, a multifaceted approach is required. Adaptation strategies, such as the implementation of integrated agricultural production systems, offer promising solutions for sustainable land management and increased resilience to climate change. These systems can enhance productivity without further deforestation, while also contributing to carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emission reduction. By embracing innovative technologies and sustainable practices, Brazil can not only protect its agricultural sector but also contribute to global efforts to combat climate change.