Submit an abstract – WSSP Extreme Weather Conference in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 6–7 April 2017
Invitation to submit an abstract – WSSP Extreme Weather Conference in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 6–7 April 2017
Aim and scope
The symposium aims to provide a platform for sharing information, presenting research and exchanging experiences on dealing with climate-change-induced extreme weather events and the effects on – and options for – water and waste water service providers in the pan-European region on how to effectively manage systems in light of these pressures. The focus will be on the relation between extreme weather events and water services, and their affiliated health implications. Specifically, the following key topics will be covered.
- Regulatory requirements for effective preparedness planning in relation to extreme weather events: what do operators need from their governments in order to provide safe and efficient (extreme event resilient) water and sanitation services?
- Climate resilient water safety planning in the pan-European region
- Sanitation safety planning in the pan-European region
- Effects of heavy precipitation and flooding on water supply (source-to-tap) and sanitation systems (waste water sewerage, waste water treatment plants) and adaptation strategies
- Effects of droughts on water quality and availability, especially for drinking water purposes, and adaptation strategies
- Spatial planning and sustainable ’green’ infrastructure for resilient water and sanitation services and urban water system resilience
- Holistic risk assessment/ risk management approaches and tools; interactions of drinking water supply and sanitation sector with other sectors as part of the adaptation strategies (eg agriculture, industry, energy)
- Climate change and health, water-related emerging infectious diseases
- Integrated asset management for water and sanitation services and extreme weather events
- Leapfrogging technologies for resilient water and sanitation services in transitioning countries
- Investment and financing for climate resilient water and sanitation services
- Cost versus benefits of adaptive planning to deal with droughts and floods
Abstract submission
Papers and posters within the scope of the conference are welcome. Authors should submit an abstract of about 1,000 words (2 pages) to the Conference Secretariat (wssp@iwcconferences.com), before December 1st, 2016. The contributions should focus on the topics mentioned. Send also a photograph and a short text about yourself with your abstract.
2nd Stakeholders workshop in Rethymno, Crete 7 & 8 June 2016 “Preparing coastal regions for extreme and rare events”
NTUA implements the 2nd stakeholders’ workshop in the case study area of Rethymno in Crete, Greece.
The workshop is organised with the support of Municipality of Rethymno and will be held at the Centre of Social Welfare of Rethymno. Members from all identified stakeholders groups will participate and interact during the two day participatory event.
Aim of the workshop is to continue the work started during the 1st event (Oct 2015) , further promote the involvement of local stakeholders in a participatory procedure for flood risk management and continue the process of establishment of the local LAA.
Representatives from local and regional authorities, NGOs and private stakeholders groups will have the chance to interact with PEARL outcomes and with each other.
Through learning games, round tables and live demonstration of PEARL tools the researchers will attempt to further involve stakeholders and promote local LAA’s future action.
More specifically workshop’s activities will be :
- Presentation of the household survey conducted in Rethymno city regarding risk perception. Comparative analysis with 1st workshop’s results.
- Working groups for the identification of potential LAA action related to awareness raising and local society preparedness towards flood risks.
- Presentation of PEARL platform and working groups for the formation and assessment of extreme scenarios & Qualitative Risk Analysis
- Live demonstration of PEARL Knowledge base – Training activity for the utilization of KB by local authorities and stakeholders
- Live demonstration of Agent Based Modelling – Game activity to introduce the philosophy of ABM to stakeholders
Download the agenda of the workshop (in Greek).
PEARL presentation at the Final Meeting of the Thalis project
A presentation about the PEARL project and, in particular, the Case Study in Rethymno, Greece was given at the Final Meeting of the Thalis project, which took place in Thessaloniki, Greece on 13 November 2015. The Talis project aimed to assess the effects of climate change on the marine climate of the Aegean Sea and one of its case studies focused on the Northern area of the island of Crete, Greece, where Rethymno is also situated. Prof. Vicky Tsoukala from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), who is responsible for the coastal methodology developed within PEARL, explained how this has been applied to the local case study.
Download the Agenda of the meeting (in Greek).
Marbella, Spain: one city, two successes
Marbella revealed itself to be an extraordinarily prolific city for the PEARL project. Not only it gathered over 60 local stakeholders for the establishment of the Learning & Action Alliance (LAA). It also allowed good discussions among members of the Consortium during the 5th Project Committee Meeting.
From 12 to 15 January 2016 the Spanish partners CETAQUA and HYDS hosted the two events back-to-back in the Andalusian city. Being Marbella one of the case studies’ site, a first workshop was organised to provide authorities, civil society, and the private sector with a forum where to exchange views about the impacts of coastal flooding on the municipality. In this sense, the kick-off meeting was very successful, both in terms of attendance and outcomes: the numerous participants were finally able to create a cooperative environment and outline a local action plan to deal with this kind of extreme events in the future.
In the wake of this accomplishment, the PEARL 5th Project Committee Meeting debated the way forward for the project in the next six months. After reviewing progress achieved since June 2015 in the Case Studies and Work Packages, the further development of e-learning platforms and tools captured most of the discussions. The meeting provided as well an occasion to gain an insight of the investigations carried out by Young Researchers. A very pleasant field trip in the mild Spanish climate to the areas previously affected by floods and subject matter of the analysis of the local case study concluded the meeting.
Photos of the event are available in the Gallery.
PEARL Taiwan Workshop 2015
From 25 to 28 November 2015, the PEARL partners National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) organized the “PEARL Taiwan Workshop 2015” at NCKU premises in Tainan, Taiwan. The event was chaired by Prof. D.J. Doong and supported by the Ministry of Science of Technology of Taiwan together with project PEARL.
Prof. Zoran Vojinovic, PEARL coordinator, opened the workshop with an introductory lecture about the project. He was followed by Prof. Peter Froehle and his colleagues Angelika Grühn and Sandra Hellmers from the Technical University of Hamburg (TUHH), who gave presentations related to the case study in Hamburg, Germany. In addition to this, Prof. Doong illustrated the pilot study research at Yilan, Taiwan, while his colleague Prof. Wang presented field experiences about the combination of science and local 
wisdom for decision making in flood-prone area. Thanks to the fact that the workshop was open to all public, more than 80 people attended, including students and staff from universities, research institutions, consultancy companies, as well as central and local governments.
After class lessons, the panellists had the opportunity to visit two Tainan coastal protection areas, the Coastal Ocean Monitoring Center at NCKU and the Taipei Flood Control System located at the River Management Office of the Water Resources Agency (WRA), Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The project received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for Research
Technological Development and Demonstration under Grant Agreement No 603663