ÖWAV/EWA Joint Conference: Water Resources subject to Climate Change Challenges in managing Extremes

On October, 19th and 20th the EWA-ÖWAV Joint Conference "Water Resources subject to Climate Change Challenges in managing Extremes" was held at the House of Engineers in Vienna. Johann WIEDNER (ÖWAV Honorary President), Wendy FRANCKEN (President of the EWA) and Günter LIEBEL (Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management) welcomed around 150 participants to the two-day conference with international participation.

On the first day, the current findings of climate research were first reported on and then the focus was placed on recognisable effects and requirements for action and analysed together with the numerous actors in water management in the form of keynote speeches and implementation options for adaptation in water management were identified. This was followed by the presentation of the Dunbar Medal, which was awarded by the EWA to the Norwegian Hallvard Odegaard, before the evening reception.

With the presentation of concrete adaptation measures and projects from Europe, the second day of the conference focussed in particular on the extreme challenges posed by heavy rainfall events and drought.