Increasing climate resilience of our cities through sustainable urban water management

Date: 24 November 2022, 13:00 - 16:00

Location: Hybrid format: Virtual (via Teams ) and Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (Earth & Life Institute, Bâtiment de Serres, UCLouvain).

Target Audience: Circle U researchers (PhD students, others, …) interested in climate science, water management and urban planning.

Organisers:

• Circle U, Climate Hub
• Louvain4Water

Background of Circle U, Climate Hub, Happy Hour Event (HHE)

The overall objective of the Happy Hour Event is to strengthen the partnership between Circle U units within the “Climate Change Knowledge Hub”. We believe that this needs a better understanding of the partners’ different thematic research fields and available specific expertise.

The Circle U, Climate Knowledge Hub, Happy Hour Events (HHE) are organized to reach this objective. An HHE is a short scientific event (typically lasting no more than 3 hours), consisting in two keynote lectures (one from the natural sciences and one from the human science domain), followed by a debate, a set of small pitch presentations and a final debate. The HHE is targeted to young researchers and doctoral students of the different partners. The participation in an HHE is certified by the organisers and can be included in the participants’ portfolio of research training.

Scope and objectives of the Circle U knowledge hub first Happy Hour Event

The current projected climate change for western Europe suggests an acceleration of the hydrological cycle, and hence predicts for the coming decades an increase of exceptional meteorological events such as heat waves, droughts, or catastrophic rainfall and flooding events. Such speeding up of the hydrological cycle adds considerable burden on the quality of life, in particular in urban environments, and calls for additional urgent measures to make European cities climate resilient. The adaptation of urban water infrastructure and water management is often considered as a key to face this challenge and to make cities more resilient to climate change. Yet, designing climate resilient water infrastructure for urban environments should be based on a thorough understanding of the hydrological processes in urban settings. In this happy hour, scientific advances supporting climate resilient water management for urban environments will be discussed.

Format of the Happy Hour Event

Two keynote lectures will allow to present specific cases dealing with climate resilience, hydrological issues and water management in urban environments.

A call is made for PhD students and researchers of Circle U to present a pitch presentation of scientific studies related to urban water management and infrastructure adaptation to face the challenges of climate change in urban environments. Contributions are solicited on the following topics

• Extreme hydroclimatic observations in urban environments
• Hydroclimatic models for urban environments
• Water management infrastructure to reduce flooding and extreme drought impacts
• Restoration of natural watersystems in urban environments
• Nature based solutions for making cities blue and green
• Innovation in water production, water distribution and water sanitation
• People engagement to contribute to blue resilient water cities

Submission format and deadline

PhD students and researchers of Circle U. are invited to submit their pitch proposals in the following format

• Name
• Affilitiation
• Abstract

Pitch proposals should be submitted before 17/11/22, 24h00.

Selected pitch proposals will be invited for a pitch presentation of 3 minutes + 2 minutes of discussion.

Publications and certifications

The oral and pitch presentations will be registered and will be made available on the web site of the event

A book of abstracts will be made available on the web site of the event

A certificate of participation will be delivered to participants

Preliminary programme

13h00-13h20 - Keynote lecture: "How does Paris impact heavy metal transfer in the Seine river?". Prof. Alexandre Gelabert, U Paris.

13h20-13h30 - Q&A

13h30-13h50 - Keynote lecture: “Flooding in Walloon Brabant: from a transdisciplinary diagnosis to transdisciplinary actions?.” Prof. Jean Philippe de Visscher, LAB, UCLouvain.

13h50-14h00 - Q&A

14h00-15h00 - An ensemble of PhD pitch presentations (3 min presentation per pitch, 2 min questions – discussion per pitch). To be confirmed after 14/11/22

15h00-16h00 - Panel and final discussion

16h00-16h15 - Transfer to downtown Louvain-la-Neuve to participate to the Circle U. conference “INCREASING THE CONTRIBUTION OF TRANSDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH TO ACCELERATING SUSTAINABILITY TRANSITIONS”

This project has received funding from the European Union’s ERASMUS+ Programme under grant agreement No 101004062