On 27 February 2026, the European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology (ERCE) in Łódź hosted a hybrid meeting of UNESCO IHP Regional Group II (Eastern Europe), with the participation of 11 representatives from the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovenia, Estonia, and Poland. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Maciej Zalewski, Vice-Chair of the UNESCO IHP Council.
The meeting marked an important step in strengthening regional cooperation during the second half of Phase IX of UNESCO IHP (2022–2029). Participants presented the priorities and initiatives of their respective countries in the fields of hydrology, water resources management, protection against natural hazards, and the implementation of nature-based solutions. Opportunities for joint projects were also discussed, including the preparation of proposals for European Commission programmes.
Special attention was given to the topics of sedimentation, climate risk management, and the role of ecohydrology in building the resilience of river systems.
Key Outcomes:
- It was agreed that in 2027, a joint workshop of Regional Groups I and II will be held in Poland, building on the initiative presented by Prof. Helmut Habersack in Vienna.
- The event will be accompanied by the preparation of a special issue of the journal Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology entitled “Transdisciplinary Science for Water, Nature and Resilience.”
- It is possible that a preparatory meeting will be organized during the UNESCO IHP Council session in Paris in early June 2026.
The meeting concluded in an atmosphere of constructive dialogue and shared commitment to advancing hydrological cooperation across the region.