Newsletter 4 - 2024

The Water JPI has made important strides in the second half of the year with the initiation of transformative initiatives within Horizon Europe, alongside the conclusion of pivotal projects. These advancements are further strengthened by the monthly publication of thematic articles, offering valuable insights into the activities and achievements of the Water JPI.

As part of the SD-WISHEES (Supporting and Developing Widening Strategies to Tackle Hydroclimatic Extreme Events) project, partnering several members of the Water JPI with organizations from across Europe, major steps forward have been taken for the launch of a Thematic Annual Programming (TAP) action at the beginning of 2025. The TAP action is designed to streamline collaborative efforts through the networking of projects funded by national participating countries. France, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Romania will be joining these collaborative efforts, which may translate into scientific publications, white papers on the topic of cultural heritage and hydroclimatic extreme events, or even the development of a consortium in response to calls for proposals.

The end of the year was marked by the final conference of the AquaticPollutants project. Held in October in Frankfurt, the conference brought together researchers, policymakers, and water management experts to address aquatic pollution and showcase the achievements of the project. The event featured engaging presentations, interactive exhibits, an award ceremony, and lively discussions on aquatic ecosystem protection. As the AquaticPollutants Era-Net concludes, the conference laid a strong foundation for ongoing innovation, emphasizing the importance of translating research into real-world impact to ensure healthier aquatic environments. You can find more detailed information on the final conference within this newsletter.

Complementing these initiatives is the publication of thematic articles that synthesize ongoing activities and key findings of the Water JPI. These publications, available on the Water JPI website, aim to better communicate with policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and the general public. Communication efforts this year have been enhanced by the publication of a video that summarizes the main features and success stories of the Water JPI since its inception in 2011. The video was shown during the World Water Forum in May 2024 and widely disseminated through our website and social networks.

This is the last Water JPI newsletter for 2024, a year marked by exciting opportunities for water research but also significant challenges. The devastating flooding episodes in Spain serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for collaborative, policy-driven research to build resilient water management systems and safeguard communities against global threats.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Water JPI community remains committed to advancing these efforts and to addressing the growing complexities of water-related challenges.

On behalf of the entire Water JPI community, I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

- Esther Diez Cebollero, WaterJPI coordinator

The Aquatic Pollutants Final Conference, held on October 22-23, 2024, in Frankfurt, Germany, was an engaging gathering of researchers, policymakers, and water management experts, all united in their commitment to addressing aquatic pollution. Hosted by DECHEMA, the event highlighted a series of interesting research results, lively discussions, and interactive exhibits designed to showcase the program’s achievements and foster dialogue around the future of aquatic ecosystem protection.

The conference opened with a warm welcome and set the stage for a packed agenda. Throughout both days, participants explored the latest findings from Aquatic Pollutants projects. In the common area, the Knowledge Transfer Booth offered an interactive space that brought science to life with engaging tools like the TransNet Viewer and games that shared “creepy facts” about pollutants. Attendees could also enjoy hands-on activities, from playing educational games to discovering podcasts and character cards—all aimed at enhancing knowledge transfer and public engagement in water research.

A key highlight of the conference was Naomi Timmer’s presentation of H2O People’s winning project in the AquaticPollutants Innovation Challenge. Her insights into the role of science communication in bridging knowledge gaps sparked valuable discussions. The event also celebrated outstanding research, with the ARENA project receiving the Best Poster Award for its work on rapid bacteria detection in aquaculture—a promising innovation with significant environmental implications.

The momentum continued into the second day, which focused on actionable solutions for water management and featured a panel discussion that brought together diverse perspectives on emerging challenges and future needs. From networking opportunities to the interactive Knowledge Transfer Booth, the conference offered an inspiring forum for exploring new ways to translate research into impact. As the event closed, the European Commission, JPI Oceans, and Water4All presented future research opportunities, setting the stage for continued collaboration and innovation.

As the Aquatic Pollutants ERA-NET draws to a close, the insights and connections made at this final event signal a strong foundation for future work. Together, we are shaping a healthier aquatic environment and advancing solutions that bridge research with real-world actions.

Download the brochure of projects for the conference

We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of the TAP (Thematic Annual Programming) action within the framework of the SD-WISHEES project. The launch event will be held in Paris in early 2025 (exact date to be confirmed), bringing together representatives from funded projects across France, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Romania.

The TAP action aims to foster networking among nationally funded projects to help them expand their international contacts, exchange knowledge, and explore collaborative opportunities. This initiative is intended to enhance cross-border cooperation and foster innovation through shared expertise.

What sets the SD-WISHEES TAP action apart is its inclusive approach, uniting both widening and non-widening countries. This alignment with the European Research Area (ERA) expansion strategy promotes balanced participation and integration across Europe’s research landscape.

UN-Water held it’s 40^th Meeting in New York on 3-4^th November.  The main agenda items were to discuss the preparatory work for the 2026 UN-Water Conference, and the development of the Collaborative Implementation Plans (CIP). The 2026 Conference will be co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates on 2-4^th December 2026. The CIP process builds on the commitments from the 2023 UN-Water conference to accelerate the implementation of SDG 6 whereby hundreds of organisations committed to a Water Action Plan. Other current items included activities from the various Expert Groups, in particular the preparations for World Toilet Day, and the forthcoming COP29 in Baku.

There were active discussions about the learnings from the 2023 event, suggestions for how to define success, and how to move the needle for the global agenda. The conversation centred on suggestions to advance efforts around the five areas encompassed in the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework - financing, data and information, capacity development, innovation and governance.

Amanda Loeffen from Human Right 2 Water, UN-Water Partner, attended this meeting, and she also had an opportunity to represent the EU project SD-WISHEES, concerning the effects of hydroclimatic extreme events on cultural heritage. It was tabled when the Expert Group on Climate presented the Water Analytical Brief on the Water Dependencies of Climate Mitigation as prepared for release at COP29.  The Expert Group is looking for further opportunities to build on their work, and Amanda noted that it would be impactful to also consider how climate mitigation can support the protection of cultural heritage.