The GOVAQUA 2024 Seminar will be a central feature of the upcoming INBO General Assembly, held on October 7, 2024, at the Cité Mondiale Congress Center in Bordeaux, France. This seminar will focus on “Innovative Water Governance Practices,” offering a platform for discussing pioneering approaches in water management and drawing on insights from various Horizon Europe-funded projects, including GOVAQUA and InnWater. RETOUCH NEXUS is a sister project to GOVAQUA and a key contributor to the Water Governance Synergy Group 2027.
Event Program Overview
Explore the detailed program of the World General Assembly of INBO, focusing on critical water management issues at the river basin level.
Date: October 7, 2024, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Venue: Cité Mondiale Congress Center, Room “Brasilia”, Bordeaux, France
Chair: Suvi Sojamo, SYKE
Key Speakers: Joanne Vinke-de Kruijf (University of Twente), Virginie Keller, Francois-Xavier Imbert, Yannick Pochon, Josselin Rouillard, Julie Magnier, Joana Diaz-Pont
Suvi Sojamo from SYKE will chair the seminar, providing a space to explore cutting-edge water governance practices supported by projects like RETOUCH NEXUS, which emphasizes horizontal and vertical integration in water management. The seminar will feature interactive sessions, including a WooClap engagement to encourage real-time participation.
Agenda Highlights
09:30 – 09:40: Welcome and Introduction
-
- Seminar introduction by Suvi Sojamo, outlining key aims and introducing the three Horizon Europe projects that are driving innovative water governance solutions.
- Kick-off of an interactive WooClap session to engage participants.
09:40 – 09:50: Reflecting on the Valencia Event
Led by Francois-Xavier Imbert and Yannick Pochon, this session encourages participants to exchange best practices and reflect on progress made since the Valencia seminar, leveraging a real-time interactive Wooclap session.
09:50 – 10:55: Insights from Horizon Europe Projects
-
- Presentation of water governance innovations linked to the EU water resilience initiative and the newly introduced policy brief “Water resilience is built with better water governance” by Suvi Sojamo.
- Presentations will explore themes like:
- Horizontal and vertical integration (Retouch Nexus)
- Water allocation and environmental flows (Josselin Rouillard, GOVAQUA)
- Economic instruments (Retouch Nexus)
- Social innovation and citizen engagement (Julie Magnier and Joana Diaz-Pont, InnWater)
- Digital solutions for water management (Virginie Keller, GOVAQUA)
- Two interactive Q&A sessions will offer participants the chance to validate and provide feedback on the results shared by the project teams.
10:55 – 11:10: Coffee Break
11:10 – 11:50: GOVAQUA Assessment Tool This segment will introduce the innovative GOVAQUA assessment tool, designed to evaluate water governance practices. Joanne Vinke-de Kruijf will present the tool, while Suvi Sojamo will share lessons learned from its application in Finland.
-
- A final WooClap session will gather input from participants on the tool’s practical applications.
11:55 – 12:00: Closing Remarks Suvi Sojamo will conclude the seminar by summarizing the key takeaways and outlining next steps for participants and the wider water governance community.
Conclusion
As a sister project to GOVAQUA, RETOUCH NEXUS plays a pivotal role in advancing innovative water governance practices across Europe. The GOVQUA 2024 seminar at the INBO General Assembly will serve as a key platform for sharing insights, fostering collaboration, and exploring solutions to enhance water management and resilience.