On July 4, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-Intergovernmental Hydrological Programm (hereinafter referred to as UNESCO-IHP) convened the first session of the executive working group of the Strategic Plan of the 9th Phase of IHP (IHP-IX, 2022-2029). The session focuses on five topics and the election of the chairman, vice chairman of three interdisciplinary thematic working groups and the limits of their functions and powers. China holds the presidency of the water education working group, and Li Yiping, director of the International Office and professor of College of Environment, Hohai University, serves as the chairman. Ms. Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, together with the chairman of UNESCO-IHP, Prof. Yu Zhongbo, director of State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University delivered welcome speeches. Abu Amani, Director of the Division of Water Sciences of UNESCO and Secretary-General of IHP, gave an introduction to the IHP-IX implementation plan and topics of the session.
The session highlighted the five water priority areas identified in the Strategic Plan of the 9th Phase of UNESCO-IHP. The five areas will focus on challenges facing water resources in the context of environment changes from the perspectives of scientific research and innovation, water education, data sharing, integrated water resources management, and science-based water governance. While improving scientific data, research, knowledge, capacity, and scientific policies and social feedback, IHP will also attach importance to water education, enhance capabilities and raise people's awareness of water culture, put in place science-based water governance and management, and support member states achieve to sustainable development goals related to water stipulated in agendas such as the 2030 Agenda, Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the New Urban Agenda (NUA).
Prof. Li Yiping specializes in such fields as comprehensive treatment of water environments in river basins, and mathematical models of water environments. He is now undertaking key projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China and many provincial- and ministerial-level science projects. Furthermore, International Office headed by Prof. Li Yingping will work closely with IHP Secretariat, lead the water education working group to carry out cooperation between member states and UNESCO in water science education, young talent training, water culture and other aspects, and promote exchange activities about relevant scientific research and knowledge sharin.
