River resilience is the capacity of rivers and communities to recover from disturbances, like extreme weather events, to a healthy state. The road to resilience can be a complex journey with the interdependence of environmental, social and economic outcomes. Within four days, river managers, policy developers, scientists, consultants, students, NGOs, indigenous and community organizations and business and industry representatives will join the global forum to collaborate to improve the sustainable management of river basins all over the world.
Keynote speakers are Prof. Peter Batey, Emeritus Professor of Town and Regional Planning at the University of Liverpool in the UK, Marcella D’Souza, Director of the WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS), India, and Mara Bún, President of the Australian Conservation Foundation. Peter Batey had a significant role in the 25-year campaign focused on restoring the River Mersey and estuary. The campaign’s achievements in river restoration and stakeholder engagement led to the River Mersey winning the very first International Riverprize back in 1999. Marcella D’Souza is a medical doctor by training and a Takemi Fellow of the Harvard School of Public Health. Mara Bún chairs the Board of Gold Coast Waterways Authority, a Queensland Government agency managing 160 kilometers of magnificent waterways that are vulnerable to climate impacts.
In addition to a large variety of sessions covering all aspects of river management to achieve resilient rivers, the Riverprize will be awarded during a festive evening event. Riverprize is a prominent environmental award giving recognition to those who have developed and implemented outstanding, visionary and sustainable programs in river management and restoration.
As part of the holistic program, a number of optional study tours are available for attendees and delegates.
Further information is given here.