Wednesday 2nd of july – 8:30
08:30
New urban water landscape as a catalyst for societal transition HARBORS: From citizen boatyard to River Assembly
AUTHORS
GUIMAS Vincent, BARONE Laurence
France
Short Abstract: To change our perception of the major issues of our time, we need catalysts that bring together all the dynamics we need to embrace in order to pivot towards a responsible world and involve citizens in this movement. Semaphores of our societies in the climate upheaval, new urban waterscapes (rivers, canals, waterfronts or lakes, etc.) can play this role and could be re-considered as outposts of a new dialogue with Nature. We need to question our ability to support this dialogue and design what these forms of invitation to renew contact with the river could look like. HARBORS (Highlight Actions Reconnecting citizens with the Beauty Of Rivers and Seas) is an on-going European project dedicated to re-examine and experiment a renewed relationship with urban water landscape as a catalysts for societal transition. Since 2022, we’ve been experimenting and building a community of players in France and abroad to unfold together a diverse narrative for a shared vision. In Paris, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Budapest, Chișinău or Palermo, organizations and citizens are coming together to reweave a happy, sustainable relationship with their aquatic environment. We hope that this article will provide an insight into the field of experimentation and open up the possibility of future collaboration or participation.
08:50
The alluvial plain of the Bassée: how can the stakeholders rethink solidarity through water and biodiversity?
AUTHORS
GOBERT Julie, DEROUBAIX José-Frédéric
France
Short Abstract: La Bassée is a flood plain of the Seine River located in two départements (Aube and Seine-et-Marne), comprising several conurbations and stretching from the Aube-Seine confluence upstream (Romilly sur Seine) to the Seine-Yonne confluence downstream (near Montereau-Fault-sur-Yonne). This area, where the hydrogeological functioning of the river’s major bed has been heavily impacted by the development projects, is at the crossroads of a number of issues (alluvial deposits exploitation, drinking water supply of the Paris metropolitan area, flood prevention for downstream areas, etc.). La Bassée is therefore an area contributing to the resilience of other areas downstream.
This independency raises questions about the capacity of this territory and the related stakeholders to develop their own strategy and to build a a territorial project that could be more autonomous. The aim of our research was therefore to explore the logics of solidarity and negotiation between stakeholders and their vision of the desired biodiversity (through different objects: water, preservation of species, creation of a new nature reserve). The question of solidarity within the Bassée-Voulzie area, and between it and downstream areas (particularly the Paris metropolis), has long been a source of frustration linked to the exploitation of water and sediment resources and the subsequent development of aquatic environments. In this paper, we examine some of the scenes in which a variety of stakeholders meet and compare their visions of the territory. We highlight how projects are negotiated at scales ranging from the upstream Seine basin to river branches or water reservoirs, and to what extent these multiple negotiations offer a perspective for joint and environmental management of the river.
09:10
Community-based river management: Challenging the way we produce, exchange and apply knowledge for improving river health
AUTHORS
VALL-CASAS Pere, JUÁREZ-BOURKE Alba, GARCIA-ACOSTA Xavier, BENAGES-ALBERT Marta, GERMAINE Marie-Anne
Spain
Short Abstract: Background: Community engagement is crucial for adaptive river management, yet systematic approaches to promote it are lacking. Objectives: To develop a conceptual framework of community-based river management and synthesize pathways conducive to engagement. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies (2000–2021) describing governance context, mobilization values, and engagement pathways. Iterative categorization was used to analyze 51 eligible records from 153. Results: Three governance contexts emerged: top-down, bottom-up, and hybrid. Environmental, economic, safety, scenic, cultural, and social values drove community action, with rivers often seen as eco-social systems. Seven engagement pathways were identified: community perception assessment, knowledge co-production, community science, vision building, environmental education, community groups, and pro-environmental action. These informed a conceptual framework linking values, governance, and pathways. Conclusion: Community-based river management is multi-faceted and dynamic. The proposed framework supports systematically engaging communities across river management stages, from diagnosis to implementation.
09:30
The Magdalena River Think Tank: new ways to make collaborative research
AUTHORS
BEUF Alice, LECOMTE Flora, HERNÁNDEZ Carolina
Colombia
Short Abstract: The management of the Magdalena River, the most important in Colombia, is deeply fragmented and does not make it possible to respond to a profound ecological and social crisis of the river. This fragmentation is conceptual (division of the river into sub-basins, and various collisions defined by the sectoral structure of the State) and physical, due to the construction of infrastructure and hydroelectric dams. We posit that this type of development and management of the river has resulted in the alteration of social, ecological, cultural connectivity, of the different ecosystems of the basin, as well as the relationships between the river, its complex of wetlands and its inhabitants. The Magdalena River Thought Center was born at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in 2024 as an effort to rethink and propose alternative ways to protect the river in its entirety. We understand the river as a shared territory, and understanding this complexity is a necessary first step in building public policy proposals. The sharing of knowledge and experiences of residents, social organizations and researchers as well as the recognition of the multiplicity of forms of knowledge are thus at the heart of our approach.
09:50
Transboundary Cooperation in River Basins: Issues and Challenges of Water Management in the Face of the Renaissance of Civil Nuclear Energy and Climate Goals
AUTHORS
Telle Aline
Switzerland
Short Abstract: Nuclear energy, considered a low-carbon energy source, is increasingly being considered to support the energy transition. This article examines the challenges posed by the renaissance of civil nuclear energy, particularly regarding water resource management in transboundary European river basins in the era of climate change. While 17 European countries currently operate 167 nuclear reactors, the management of water for reactor cooling could become a central issue, especially in the Rhône, Danube, and other transboundary river basins. The article analyzes the impact of climate change on hydrological regimes, exacerbating tensions between riparian countries due to reduced river flows and the increased frequency of extreme weather events. Additionally, it explores the dynamics of cross-border cooperation necessary to sustainably manage water resources while considering the growing needs for nuclear energy. Finally, it highlights the geopolitical risks that the nuclear renaissance could generate, particularly tensions between upstream and downstream states, and the need to adapt international agreements to prevent conflicts over water allocation. Through the examples of the Rhône and Danube, the article underscores the importance of cooperation between riparian countries, transparency, and the establishment of appropriate governance mechanisms to balance energy development, water security, and climate imperatives.