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President Csaba Korosi of the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) led a delegation to IWHR on February 3 to meet with water scientists and engineers, during his official visit to China at the beginning of February.
The UNGA Delegation met with IWHR scientists
The President's visit was conducted amid the current global challenges, such as climate change and water crisis, the latter becoming a severe issue as about 400 million people are likely to be forced to leave their homes due to flood and drought disasters in the next twenty years, introduced by the President in his remarks.
In response to the ongoing water challenges, the United Nations will convene the UN 2023 Water Conference, the second in its history since 1977, from March 22 to 24 to call on solidarity for sustainable water management among stakeholders worldwide.
To meet the challenges, science-based evidence is a must and full participation of the science community is required, said the President. The entire Sustainable Development Agenda will benefit from the solutions worked out by the water science community of China and other UN member states, he noted.
President Korosi talked with President Kuang
IWHR President Dr. Kuang Shangfu introduced the part that IWHR, as China's top water think tank, has been playing in speeding up the country's progress in water-related science and technology and thus expediting the achievement of SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation).
IWHR Vice President Dr. Peng Jing provided a deeper look into the institute's theoretical and practical achievements in tackling the water challenges through scientific tools such as innovative hydrological theories, integrated ecological restoration measures and intelligent river basin management based on modern technologies including big data, cloud platform, artificial intelligence, digital twinning, etc., as well as boosting global cooperation through exchange activities and water science education abroad.
Professor Chen Houqun, an Academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, specified China's exploration in enhancing flood control and carbon emission reduction and fueling socio-economic development through large-scale water projects, such as the Three Gorges Project and the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
President Korosi and his Scientific Advisor also exchanged ideas on how to boost the game changers in water resources management in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through free discussion.
The two sides exchanged ideas
