FRIEND-Water (Flow Regimes From International Experimental and Network Data) is an international network of experts that aims to contribute to new understandings of hydrology to better understand the influence of climate, river basins and human activities on the spatial and temporal distribution of water.
As a flagship initiative of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), FRIEND-Water aims to encourage and strengthen transdisciplinary networks to facilitate: 1) scientific cooperation and capacity building, 2) development of analytical tools and 3) data sharing across national boundaries.
FRIEND-Water consists of over 162 participating countries in 6 regional groups to foster and strengthen international scientific cooperation.
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
For the first time, two international UNESCO scientific programmes will join forces to bring their global communities together around the science of large rivers and hydrological variability.
The World’s Large River Initiative, hosted by the UNESCO Centre IRIVERS at BOKU University, and FRIEND-Water, hosted by the UNESCO Centre ICIREWARD at the University of Montpellier, will jointly organise their quadrennial meetings as one international conference.
The event will bring together scientists and experts from hydrology, ecology, environmental sciences, engineering and social sciences to explore how large river systems are responding to climate change and anthropogenic pressures, and how science can support their sustainable management.
Save the date — more information on the scientific programme and registration will be announced soon.
