STARS4Water

WMO-IDMP Drought Resilience +10 Conference
2024-09-30 - 2024-10-02 | World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 7bis, avenue de la Paix, Geneva, CH-1211
Following up on the first High-level meeting on National Drought Policies in 2013, the Drought Resilience +10 Conference aims to scale up and accelerate drought action on the ground. It will bring together countries, experts, and practitioners to review progress and lessons learned in drought management to explore and define a joint way forward toward a more drought-resilient world.
Goals of the conference:

Reflect on successes and challenges of the past 10 years of drought risk management to learn how to achieve drought resilience in the next decade;
Consolidate and plan jointly how drought resilience can be brought to scale to respond to the accelerating impacts of climate change in the next decade;
Work with political leaders to strengthen awareness, mobilize resources, prioritize drought, and increase commitments to building drought resilience and implementing Integrated Drought Management.

The STARS4Water will participate and present a Poster on “Shared strategic drought risk management in the transboundary Rhine River basin” (Monday 30th September – Poster board no. 28)
The event will be held in hybrid format. For more information visit the Conference website
The Conference Programme can be downloaded here

12th World General Assembly of INBO 2024 - Thematic Session "4.B. Data and information for climate change adaptation in basins"
2024-10-09 11:15 - 13:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | Centre de Congrès Cité Mondiale, 18 Parvis des Chartrons, Bordeaux, France
STARS4Water in collaboration with INBO is organizing session 4B on “Data and information for climate change adaptation in basins”
Session Description

According to IPCC, worldwide freshwater resources are under increasing pressures of rapidly intensifying climate change effects putting the availability and quality of water resources and socio-economic developments at risk. Adequate management of these resources is important for human well-being, ecosystem health and water-related economic sectors. Conflicting interests and competing demands (sectoral water uses -agriculture, industry, domestic uses, etc. but also water needs of the ecosystems) can lead to tensions and disputes. To face this and identify solutions, better data for quantitative assessments and information on the projected impacts of climate change on the water resources availability and water-related risks for society, ecology and economic sectors are needed.
At the same time new data services and digital tools become rapidly available that can support this endeavor. However, many of the new data sources and digital tools are still in the scientific domain, while they can be useful in the daily operations of RBOs to fulfill their task and mandates.
This session will present the interest and potential of new data services and digital tools to meet the challenges of basin organizations (included those provided by the STARS4Water project and its Metadataportal). It will also be an opportunity to survey basin management stakeholders on the data required, according to them, for water resources assessment and planning

29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), Baku Azerbaijan
2024-11-11 - 2024-11-22 | Baku Stadium, Heydar Aliyev 323, Baku, Azerbaijan
The Conference of the Parties (COP), is held annually, with the Presidency rotating between the five recognised UN regions. This year, Azerbaijan has been selected as the Presidency of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), to be hosted in Baku this November. Azerbaijan has a strong track record of hosting international events and has chosen Baku Stadium as the venue for COP29. To deliver a process that is transparent, impartial and inclusive, the COP29 Presidency has developed a plan based on two mutually reinforcing pillars to enhance ambition and enable action.
The UNFCCC website provides more details explaining what COP is, the COP process, the issues under discussion and the multilateral efforts already underway. Further details are available on the UNFCCC website.

STARS4Water Stakeholders Workshop on the Seine hub
2024-11-25 | EPTB Seine Grands Lacs, 12 rue Villiot, Paris, 75012, France
STARS4Water (INRAE) organizes its 2nd Workshop with the EPTB Seine Grands Lacs, stakeholders in the Seine River Basin, in Paris (FR) on the 25th of November 2024.
Issues to be discussed:

The calibration/validation of the semi-distributed hydrological model of the Seine river basin with inclusion of the reservoirs (inflows/outflows).
The next steps to evaluating their first what-if question from the narrative analysis for climate change scenarios.

ESA Hydrology Science Cluster collocation meeting
2024-11-25 - 2024-11-27 | ESA-ESRIN (Magellan Room), Largo Galileo Galilei 1, Frascati (Rome), 00044, Italy
STARS4Water will be presented during the “Session 1: ESA and EC Hydrology Science projects – Lightning talks” on Monday 25 November 2024, at the Hydrology Science Cluster Meeting, which will take place from 25-27 November 2024 at ESA-ESRIN, Frascati (Rome), Italy.
To register please use this link: Registration Portal (by 20 November 2024).
Please take a moment to consult the Event Agenda, for an overview of the sessions and activities planned.

Virtual Exchange on "Artificial Intelligence for Integrated Drought Risk Management"
2024-11-26 13:00 - 14:30 (Europe/Paris) | Virtual
The Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP), in collaboration with the Earth Observation Training, Education, and Capacity Development Network (EOTEC DevNet), will host a Virtual Exchange focusing on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Integrated Drought Risk Management. This Virtual Exchange will introduce experiences from several partners who are applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support Integrated Drought Risk Management, highlighting both current uses and future opportunities. The exchange will also explore how IDMP can strengthen its role in promoting the adoption of AI for drought management practices.
As part of the event, a Marketplace segment will be hosted, offering participants the chance to present their projects and initiatives.
Pedro Martínez Santos, Teaching and Research Staff at the Complutense University of Madrid and member of STARS4Water team, will present the STARS4Water project with a presentation entitled “MLMapper, a versatile IA tool for spatial mapping in water sciences”.
You can find the detailed agenda here.

Water Knowledge Europe 2024, Brussels Belgium
2024-12-10 09:00 - 2024-12-12 14:30 (Europe/Paris) | BluePoint Brussels, Bd A. Reyers 80, Brussels, 1030, Belgium
Water Knowledge Europe is the specialized brokerage event of Water Europe that allows you to network, to exchange knowledge and experiences, and to collaborate with key actors from across the water value chain. Combining expertise and brainpower, Water Knowledge Europe features a range of EU officials and experts who present the future funding opportunities offered by Horizon Europe for the water sector and providing guidance for the successful preparation of project consortia. This facilitates the setup of project consortia and the development of new project ideas at a European and international level. Participants have the opportunity to present their project ideas and discuss about them with potential partners in face-to-face meetings.
You can click here to register.

STARS4Water Stakeholders Online Meeting
2025-03-13 14:00 - 15:30 (Europe/Paris)
In the framework of the STARS4Water project, stakeholders play an active role in co-creating new tools and data services to address water management challenges at river basin scale. Their engagement is very valuable, while their needs and requirements are the main drivers of research and innovation activities within the project. The project scope has already been achieved in its 7 targeted river basin hubs, and it is currently in the phase of demonstrating the tools and services developed in assessing future water resources availability and of defining the “safe operating space”.
For this reason, STARS4Water invites all related stakeholders to an online meeting of 1.5 hours to update them about the results of the project and to collect their feedback before the STARS4Water team dives into applying the new tools and services in assessing the future water resources at river basin scale. Also, the stakeholders will be informed about the way forward and future meetings.
The online meeting will take place on Thursday March 13 from 14:00 to 15:30 CET.

STARS4Water Stakeholders Online Meeting Agenda

14:00 – 14:10 (10 min)
Welcome and introduction to the program

14:10 – 14:30 (20 min)
Data services and Metadata Portal

14:30 – 14:50 (20 min)
Exploring future water resources: dashboard and narratives​

14:50 – 15:10 (20 min)
Exploring safe operation space at river basin scale​

15:10 – 15:30 (20 min)
Discussions and next steps

To join the meeting, please click here.
For any question, you can contact the STARS4Water team via email at info@stars4water.eu.

STARS4Water Stakeholders Workshop on the Rhine hub
2025-03-19 - 2025-03-20 | Arnhem, Netherlands
STARS4Water will hold a workshop with the stakeholders of the Rhine River Basin in Arnhem (NL) on the 19th-20th of March 2025. The main topic of the upcoming Climate Adaption workshop is updating the Adaptation Strategy 2015 of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR). During the workshop, the progress and main outcomes of the STARS4Water project will be presented to the International Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine Basin (CHR) and to the Central Commission for Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR).

STARS4Water Steering Group XL Meeting
2025-04-22 - 2025-04-24 | University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, Warsaw, 02-787, Poland
STARS4Water will hold its Steering Group XL Meeting in Warsaw on the 22-24th of April 2025. The meeting is organized by Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS). During this all partners’ meeting will we discuss the up-to-date project progress and will interact across teams and work packages. A field trip to Biebrza National Park is also planned.

XIII Iberian Congress on Water Management and Planning, Salamanca Spain
2025-04-24 - 2025-04-26
“ From scarcity to the social and environmental reallocation of water ” is the motto of this new edition of the Iberian Congress, the thirteenth that will bring together researchers, professionals and social agents from all over the Iberian Peninsula and the world who contribute to achieving a paradigm shift in water management. You will learn about the latest advances and innovative work carried out on the urban water cycle, governance models in times of scarcity, the pending challenges we have with water landscapes and ecosystems and the dialogues on the interdependence between water and agricultural socio-ecosystems that lead us towards a fair water transition.
STARS4Water partners will participate and present their project research activities.

EGU25 General Assembly, Vienna Austria
2025-04-27 - 2025-05-02 | Austria Center Vienna, Bruno-Kreisky-Platz 1, Vienna, 1220, Austria
The General Assembly 2025 of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) is held at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV) in Vienna, Austria and online, from 27 April–2 May 2025. The assembly is open to the scientists of all nations. The congress centre is wheelchair accessible.
The EGU General Assembly 2025 brings together geoscientists from all over the world to one meeting covering all disciplines of the Earth, planetary, and space sciences. The EGU aims to provide a forum where scientists, especially early career researchers, can present their work and discuss their ideas with experts in all fields of geoscience.
STARS4Water partners will participate and present their project research activities.
For more information visit the EGU 2025 website.

22nd Europe-INBO International Conference, Parma Italy
2025-05-19 - 2025-05-23 | Paganini Congressi, Via Toscana, 5/a, Parma, Italy
The 22nd Europe-INBO International Conference will be held in Parma (Italy) in a face-to-face format from Monday 19th May to Friday 23rd May 2025.
This EURO-INBO International Conference 2025 will be held at the invitation of the hosts, the Po River District Basin Authority and the Municipality of Parma, and in partnership with French Biodiversity Agency.
Representatives of EU Member States, national, regional and local water directorates and administrations, hydrographic district authorities and basin organizations and more broadly stakeholders involved in basin management will exchange experiences about the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), its “Daughter Directives” and other related policies, directives and regulations.
The conference will be open to delegates from EU candidate countries, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and neighboring countries interested in EU policies, tools and methodologies for integrated water resources management (IWRM) planning at basin level.
STARS4Water partners will participate and present their project research activities.

Citizen Science for Water (CS4Water) Conference, Delft Netherlands
2025-06-03 - 2025-06-05 | Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Postbus 5, Delft, 2600 AA, Netherlands
The inaugural CS4Water conference will focus on freshwater systems, diving into engaging workshop sessions, exploring innovative research, and connecting international water and citizen science experts. Also, the conference will focus on the crucial role citizen science plays within water resource monitoring, management and governance as well as community-led actions. The conference will bring together experienced citizen science practitioners and newcomers from both the Global North and Global South who are interested in exploring how citizen science can contribute to water management.
Contributions can be submitted by using the submissions form from 31 October 2024 until 15 December 2024 (no extension).

Nordic Hydrological Conference on "Water and Climate Change: Impacts and Adaptation", Reykjavik Iceland
2025-06-03 - 2025-06-05 | Askja Building, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, Reykjavik, Iceland
The Nordic Hydrological Conference on “Water and Climate Change: Impacts and Adaptation” is scheduled for June 3 to 5, 2025, in beautiful Reykjavík, Iceland. Furthermore, optional fieldtrips are scheduled for June 6th for those who are interested.
The program will feature keynote speakers, oral and poster presentations, and a short field trip that explore the latest research, case studies, and best practices in hydrology and related fields. While impacts and adaptation to climate change are central themes of the conference, we invite contributions from all disciplines related to the hydrological cycle and water management. The conference aims to bring together leading experts, researchers, and practitioners to discuss the environmental changes, critical challenges, and innovative solutions related to water resources in the context of climate change.
STARS4Water partners will participate and present their project research activities.

IMPORTANT DATES

November 2024
Abstract submission is open
December 2024
Registration is open
February 15, 2025
Abstract deadline
March 15, 2025
Notification of abstract acceptance
April 15, 2025
Deadline for early-bird registration
May 1, 2025
Final program published

14th Symposium for European Freshwater Sciences (SEFS 14), Bolu Turkey
2025-07-21 - 2025-07-25 | Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, University Campus, Bolu, 14030, Turkey
The 14th Symposium for European Freshwater Sciences (SEFS 14), with the motto “Preserve Freshwater, Advance Science, and Leave Hope for Tomorrow!” will be held in Bolu, Turkey from July 21 to 25, 2025.
All scientists who can participate for this exciting symposium on different scientific topics in freshwaters and related subjects are invited. The symposium array is wide and welcome to cover all colleagues not only from Europe but also the other parts of the world.
SEFS 14 will increase the knowledge about the freshwater ecosystems along with enriching the collaboration potentials amid researchers, academics and scientists. This would provide improvements and innovations for the future studies while conservation issues of the freshwater systems are among the hot topics.
SEFS 14 promises to be an outstanding event, where there will be the opportunity to hear from world-renowned plenary speakers but also engage with fellow attendees who will share their latest research and insights.
The symposium offers the following:

Talks by esteemed plenary speakers recognised globally
Diverse range of regular and special sessions
Poster sessions, industry exhibition and the unique Aqua-Photos exhibition
A series of initiatives dedicated to early-career researchers which include workshops, network opportunities, a dedicated special session, poster and presentation awards
Exciting mid-conference excursion options
An Ice-Breaking Party and a spectacular Gala Dinner

World Water Week 2025: Water for Climate Action, Stockholm Sweden
2025-08-24 - 2025-08-28
World Water Week is the leading conference on global water issues, held every year since 1991. A non-profit event, co-created with leading organizations, World Water Week attracts a diverse mix of participants from many professional backgrounds and every corner of the world.
Water plays a pivotal role in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to build resilience safeguarding ecosystems and communities. World Water Week 2025 will focus on addressing the linked emergencies of climate change, environment degradation and biodiversity loss, emphasizing both mitigation and adaptation, alongside the broader goal of enhancing resilience.

STARS4Water Annual General Assembly & Stakeholders' Meetings
2025-09-22 - 2025-09-26 | Union scene, Grønland 60, 3045 Drammen & DNT Finsehytta, Rallarvegen 2612, 5719 Finse, Drammen & Finse, Norway
STARS4Water will hold its annual General Assembly meeting in Drammen and Finse, Norway, on the 22-26th of September 2025. The meeting is organized by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) and Deltares. During this all partners’ meeting we will discuss the up-to-date project progress, will interact across teams and work packages, and will plan ahead for the 4th year of our project. Stakeholders meetings are foreseen back-to-back to collect feedback from our stakeholder partners on the STARS4Water results so far, the developed products, and the plans for the next year.

STARS4Water Online Stakeholders’ Workshop "Applying stakeholder-driven tools for climate-resilient river basin management"
2026-02-24 13:00 - 14:30 UTC | Online
This online Stakeholders’ Workshop, organised by the STARS4Water project, brings together river basin authorities, practitioners, and scientists to exchange experiences on applying stakeholder-driven tools and processes for climate-resilient water management.
Building on the co-creation approach of STARS4Water, the workshop will showcase how scientific methods, data services, and participatory processes have been applied in real river-basin contexts. A central focus will be on learning from practice: how climate risks are assessed, how tools are embedded into decision processes, and what lessons can be transferred across basins.
The workshop will also provide direct input into the STARS4Water Synthesis Report and the roadmap towards the Final Conference in 2026.
Workshop Objectives

Share concrete experiences from river basin stakeholders applying STARS4Water methods
Reflect on climate-risk contexts, applications, and uptake pathways
Identify best practices, lessons learned, and remaining challenges
Gather stakeholder feedback to shape the STARS4Water Synthesis Report and future outreach

Please save the date and join us in shaping the next steps for water resilience in Europe and beyond.
The program is available here: STARS4Water Stakeholders Workshop_program_24Feb2026.

EGU26 General Assembly, Vienna Austria
2026-05-03 - 2026-05-08 | Austria Center Vienna, Bruno-Kreisky-Platz 1, Vienna, 1220, Austria
The European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2026 is one of the largest international conferences in the geosciences, bringing together thousands of researchers from across the world to present and discuss the latest advances in Earth, climate and environmental sciences. The annual meeting provides an important platform for interdisciplinary exchange and science–policy dialogue.
STARS4Water partners will participate and present their project research activities:
Engeland, K., Gelati, E., Hegdahl, T. J., Huang, S., and Veie, C. A.: Climate change impacts on water availability and hydropower production – a case study from Drammen river basin in Norway , EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-20631, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-20631, 2026.
Avila, L., Engeland, K., Jahr, T., and Kollet, S.: A ConvLSTM surrogate model to predict high-resolution daily snow water equivalent in Norway, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8502, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8502, 2026.
Purnamasari, D., Weiland, F. S., Teuling, A., and Weerts, A.: Quantifying future water demand in the Rhine river basin under climate and socioeconomic change, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-16143, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-16143, 2026.

Joint Policy Event of the Horizon Europe projects SOS-Water & STARS4Water
2026-06-22 14:00 - 17:00 UTC | The Polish National Centre for Research and Development Office in Brussels, Rue Belliard 40, Brussels, 1040, Belgium
Joint Policy Event of the Horizon Europe projects SOS-Water & STARS4Water
“Navigating Europe’s Water Challenges: Building Resilience through Science and Policy – Scientific insights supporting a Water-Resilient Europe”
22 June 2026, Brussels, Belgium
About the Event
This high-level policy event brings together science, policy, and practice to explore how Europe can strengthen water resilience through evidence-based and forward-looking approaches. Organised by the Horizon Europe projects SOS-Water and STARS4Water, the event will showcase innovative tools, scientific insights, and stakeholder-driven approaches that support sustainable and climate-resilient water management across Europe and beyond.
Why Attend?

Gain insights into cutting-edge scientific results on water resilience and climate adaptation
Explore how research and innovation can better support European water policy and decision-making
Engage directly with policymakers, river basin organisations, researchers, and stakeholders
Exchange experiences on practical approaches for resilient water management
Contribute to discussions shaping future policy recommendations for sustainable water governance

Key Topics – What Will Be Covered?

Water resilience under climate change
Safe Operating Space for water systems
Water system modelling and Earth Observation
Data-driven tools and services for water management
Climate impacts on water availability and ecosystems
Science-policy dialogue and stakeholder engagement
Strategies for adaptive and resilient river basin management

River Basin Case Studies
Danube • Rhine • Seine • Júcar • Duero • Drammen • East Anglia • Messara • Mekong
Event Format

Hybrid event: participate in Brussels or online
Interactive panel discussions with policymakers and experts
Networking opportunities with the European water community
Limited on-site participation — registration required

Registration
Participation is free, but registration is mandatory.
👉 Register here:
Event Registration Form
Download the full Event Programme (including speakers and panelists).

Conference: "Developing stakeholder-driven solutions for a water resilient river basin management: Connecting Science to Practice"
2026-09-15 - 2026-09-16 | Deltares, Boussinesqweg 1, Delft, 2629 HV, Netherlands
15-16 th September 2026, Delft, Netherlands
This Conference, organised by the STARS4Water project will bring together river basin authorities, policy makers, scientific institutions, and European actors to reflect on advancing climate-resilient water management across Europe.
The Conference will focus on the implementation of the EU Water Resilience Strategy, looking into the practical challenges countries and basins face in strengthening preparedness, reducing vulnerability, and building adaptive capacity. A core focus will be on co-creation with stakeholders – demonstrating how linking advanced scientific methods with local knowledge bridges the persistent gap between research communities and basin practitioners. Sessions will illustrate how scientific tools, modelling frameworks, and scenario analyses can be tailored to stakeholder needs through an iterative process, embedded into basin-level decision processes, and used directly by water managers.
Learn more and Register here
