News

• Comment on the UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report

  

  WSA Comments the UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report

  The board of Water Science Alliance e.V. comments on the UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report. The report introduces “bankruptcy” as a new narrative. It emphasizes the need for science-based, interdisciplinary adaptation to structural water deficits and long-term impacts. The WSA has supported this agenda for years. It is important to make water accounting transparent, clearly prioritize water use, strengthen governance, and integrate social, environmental, and economic aspects. The report calls for a reorientation of water management to remain within biophysical limits and underscores the urgency of action. We invite the water research community to jointly propose sustainable, actionable scientific solutions.

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• Global Change Ecology WSA member appointed to professorship at Ruhr University Bochum

  

  WSA congratulates Prof. Dr. Linda Weiss on her professorship at RUB

  WSA member Linda Weiss strengthened the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at Ruhr University Bochum on January 1, 2026, with her Global Change Ecology professorship. On January 28, 2026, she gave her inaugural lecture entitled “Molecular Mechanisms of Phenotypic Plasticity: Adaptive Responses Meet Global Change.” We congratulate her on this important calling and look forward to working together within the Water Science Alliance.

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• 15th Water Research Horizon Conference Towards sustainable urban water cycles

  

  Report on the 15th Water Research Horizon Conference

  Urban water systems face mounting pressures from climate change and urbanization, demanding innovative, and interdisciplinary solutions. The 15th Water Research Horizon Conference brought together experts from diverse fields to explore sustainable urban water cycles, integrating nature-based solutions and fostering collaboration. This event underscored the vital role of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing water challenges and shaping resilient urban futures.

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• AI workshop by BfG and WSA Artificial Intelligence in Water Research – Opportunities, Potentials, and Challenges

  

  Report on the AI workshop organized by BfG and WSA

  At a joint workshop organized by the Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) and the Water Science Alliance, which took place on October 8 and 9, 2025, in Koblenz, 120 experts from federal and state government agencies, universities, and research institutions discussed how the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used in practice. On the first day of the event, a wide range of presentations were offered in four thematic sessions: “Hydrology,” “Water Budget,” “Image and Video Processing,” and “Generative AI.” The second day focused on exchange: at the World Café, around 50 participants discussed the opportunities and challenges of using AI in various areas of application.

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• Statement on the position papers from the coalition negotiations between the CDU/CSU and SPD

  

  WSA recommends three key adjustments

  The WSA has taken note of the coalition working groups' drafts with great interest. It expressly welcomes the clear commitment to Germany as a research location, but urgently recommends three key adjustments to research and water policy. These aspects should also be reflected in the final coalition agreement, as water and inland waters are central, critical, and security-relevant resources for Germany.

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• Facing the Flood An Interview with Prof. André Niemann

  

  Germany's Growing Climate Challenge

  Germany is facing an alarming rise in severe flooding, with regions from North Rhine-Westphalia to Bavaria increasingly affected by extreme weather. As climate change intensifies, more frequent and intense floods put vulnerable areas at significant risk, underscoring the urgent need for resilient solutions to protect communities and infrastructure.

  An article in the gwf was based on this interview. Read the full article: The growing challenge of flood management

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• First WSA Career Navigator Grant approved

  

  On the road to expertise: the electrofishing licence as the key to fish ecology

  The aquatic world is vital for ecological balance, with fish playing a central role as indicators of water quality. Stefan Grosenick from the Aquatic Ecology working group at the University of Duisburg-Essen, who recently received the first WSA Career Navigator grant, is obtaining an electrofishing license to enhance his expertise and contribute to aquatic conservation.

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