About IWA & WCE 2012
About IWA
A global network for water professionals.
The International Water Association (IWA) is the global network of 10,000 water professionals spanning the continuum between research and practice and covering all facets of the water cycle.
About IWA World Congress on Water, Climate and Energy 2012 
Water and energy are critical for our current society and will be of increasing importance in the future. Climate change is forcing us to reassess our energy usage and will have real and substantial impacts on the water cycle. Solving the interlinked challenges of water, climate and energy in a sustainable manner is one of the fundamental goals of this generation. Following on from conferences on Climate Change Adaptation and Water and Energy, the International Water Association is proud to announce the inaugural World Congress on Water, Climate and Energy in 2012.
The Congress will explore the topics of resilient and sustainable cities with a focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation. The challenges of climate change adaptation and incorporating uncertainty into the city vision and infrastructure will be discussed together with the impacts and responses of climate change on water resources. Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, operating in a carbon constrained world and a focus on renewable energy including practical applications and integration in to the energy mix will be covered.
Solutions to these challenges, including the role of technologies and smart networks will also be a central theme. Recognising that technology is only part of the solution the conference will also address the economic, political and regulatory aspects of water, climate and energy.
The congress will attract up to 2,000 international participants for this global event and will feature a large industry presence and trade exhibition.
Submissions for oral and poster presentation are invited on the topics listed below supplemented by invited talks by world experts and political leaders.
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Engineers Ireland- With over 24,000 members from every discipline of engineering, Engineers Ireland is the voice of the engineering profession in Ireland. www.engineersireland.ie
CIWEM - Working for the public benefit for a clean, green and sustainable world, CIWEM (The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management) is the only independent, chartered professional body and registered charity with an integrated approach to environmental, social and cultural issues.
CIWEM supports thousands of members worldwide, provides training and professional development opportunities, and a forum for debate through conferences, events and publications. The Institution works with governments, international organisations, NGOs, creative organisations and faith groups for a holistic approach to environmental issues and brings members from all over the world together under common policy issues. For more information see www.ciwem.org/events
The International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) is a global association of experienced professional planners. It was founded in 1965 in a bid to bring together recognised and highly-qualified planners in an international network. https://www.isocarp.org
The International Federation for Housing and Planning is a world-wide network of professional institutions and individuals of many signatures active in the broad fields of housing, urban development and planning. With a main focus on sustainable development, the Federation organises a wide range of activities and creates opportunities for the international exchange of knowledge and experience in these professional fields. By this exchange, its aim is to promote mutual learning and inspiration, and generate new ideas amongst professionals in order to equip them to find the best local solutions to the global challenges facing housing and planning today. www.ifhp.org
Founded in September 2010, the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation is a group of regional and global development banks, aid agencies and governments, and a diverse set of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) focused on how to manage water resources in way that is sustainable even as climate change alters the global hydrological cycle. We believe that water is a cross-cutting theme that provides coherence to climate change adaptation and mitigation, integrating energy, water, food production and agriculture, and ecosystems and the environment. https://alliance4water.org/
Hosted and led by UNESCO, the United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) coordinates the work of 28 UN-Water members and partners in the World Water Development Report (WWDR).
This key UN Water report is a triennial review providing an authoritative picture of the state, use and management of the world’s freshwater resources. In addition to coordinating this significant UN report, WWAP monitors freshwater issues in order to provide recommendations, develop case studies, enhance assessment capacity at a national level and inform the decision-making process.
WWAP seeks to equip water managers and key decision-makers with the information, data, tools and skills necessary to enable them to effectively participate in the development of policies.
https://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/water/wwap/about/
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-HABITAT, is the United Nations agency for human settlements. With more than half of the world’s population living in urban areas and over a billion people living in slums, UN-HABITAT’s programmes are designed to help national and local governments provide their citizens with adequate shelter, basic services, security and employment opportunities. www.unhabitat.org
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development is a CEO-led organization of forward-thinking companies that galvanizes the global business community to create a sustainable future for business, society and the environment. Together with its members, the council applies its respected thought leadership and effective advocacy to generate constructive solutions and take shared action. https://www.wbcsd.org
ICLEI is an international association of local governments as well as national and regional local government organizations who have made a commitment to sustainable development. www.iclei.org
The European Green Capital Award - Monday 14th May- Lunchtime Presentation
The European Green Capital Award (EGCA) is the result of a European Commission initiative inspired by 15 European cities and the Association of Estonian cities in May 2006 in Tallinn. The aim of the award is to promote urban sustainability and the sharing of best practices between cities. https://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/index_en.htm