On October 15th, 2024, the 24th Congress of Asia and Pacific Division of International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research was convened in Wuhan. Mr. Li Liangsheng, Vice Minister of Water Resources, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.
Li Liangsheng pointed out that the Asia Pacific region gathers 60% of the world’s population and contributes more than 60% to global economic growth. However, due to the impacts of climate change and human activities, it has become one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate crisis, and is confronted with common challenges including water disasters, water scarcity, water ecological damage, water environmental pollution, among others. Water scientific and technological innovation is pivotal for ensuring water security and essential for promoting the rapid and sound development in water sector. In recent years, Ministry of Water Resources of China has thoroughly practiced President Xi Jinping’s water governance principles of “prioritizing water conservation, balancing spatial distribution, taking systematic approaches and promoting government-market synergy”. Hence, the ability to prevent floods and droughts has achieved an overall leap, the way of water utilization has realized a profound change, the pattern of water allocation has gained an overall optimization, and the appearance of rivers and lakes has obtained a fundamental improvement. China has accomplished historical achievements and transformations in the sphere of water governance. Ministry of Water Resources stands ready to reinforce policy, scientific and technological exchanges with IAHR and other international organizations, so as to jointly tackle water challenges and accelerate the realization of water-related goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Asia Pacific region.
The IAHR-APD Congress was initiated by International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research in 1978 and is held every two years. With about 500 representatives from over 30 countries and regions, the 24th Congress is themed on water for a changing future to explore innovations of water governance ideas and technologies, and advance water scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation in the Asia Pacific region.
Source: INTCE