The tenth meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention in Ljubljana continues. Following yesterday's official opening and high-level discussion, today and tomorrow the Parties will focus on general topics, such as reviewing the implementation of the current work program and adopting a new one, decisions on the direction of the convention and elections to working bodies. We pay special attention to side events today.

A high-level discussion on "Our Waters, Our Future: Transboundary Water Cooperation to Strengthen Climate Resilience" took place yesterday until late afternoon and by the end the conclusions of the high-level segment were adopted.

Slovenia currently holds the Presidency of the Alpine Convention and the Barcelona Convention, and tomorrow it takes over the Presidency of the Water Convention. By the end of the year also the Presidency of the Convention for the Protection of the Danube River is taken over.

This combination of coincidences puts Slovenia at the heart of transboundary water cooperation for a certain period. The synergies that undoubtedly arise from such a situation will also be understood in the context of Slovenian national needs and interests.

A wide range of side events

Very interesting side events, which are taking place in the last three days, are primarily an opportunity for both professionals and the public to exchange opinions and experiences, as well as ideas and examples of good practice. The range of topics related to transboundary water management that will be addressed as part of the side events is diverse, including: early warning systems for floods, drought management in transboundary contexts, cross-border data exchange as a tool for water diplomacy and peace-building, protection and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity, development of water and climate projects in transboundary river basins;  strengthening cross-border cooperation through integrated water management according to the principle of "source to sea" and new technologies to increase climate resilience in transboundary river basins.

Special attention was paid to the latter at today's side event, namely Slovenian achievements in the field of advanced technologies developed by the Space-SI Centre of Excellence. Satellite technologies allow for a more efficient management of transboundary river basins, as well as faster analyses of our responses to natural disasters and climate change. In the discussion, participants focused on the question of how to best integrate a new scientific and technological approaches to support the surveillance and management of ecosystems in river basins and related climate measures. The evolution of climate change can be effectively monitored using satellite technologies and analyzed with digitals of ecosystem models to assess their potential response to natural disasters and consequences of climate change themselves. The focus was on ways in which river basin managers can learn from past events and optimize resilience to anticipated future challenges.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Director of the Center of Excellence Space-SI, Dr. Tomaž Rodic, handed over a technical and artistic work to the University of Jkuat in Nairobi Conduit@Empathy1; A 6-meter-high metal sculpture designed to transmit satellite data to the public. It acts as a focal point for cross-sectoral and public communication with a view to the international exchange of knowledge, the development of accessible courses, trainings and workshops on the use of satellite imagery and digital twin models. The author of the artwork, which imitates the motif of Idrija’s lace, is Eva Petrič; a multimedia artist with more than 140 solo and more than 160 group exhibitions around the world, she is also supported in her work by the Mourlot Gallery in New York.

At yesterday's side event Early Warning for All: Can We Protect Ourselves with Early Warning Systems?, participants discussed various tools, initiatives and projects following the initiative of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to introduce early warning systems for all populations. In her introductory address, the Director General of the Water Directorate, Dr. Lidija Globevnik, highlighted Slovenia's experience with floods in early August 2023 and stressed the importance of the Sava Flood Forecasting and Warning System (Sava FFWS). The system was established within the framework of the International Sava River Basin Commission with a central server at the Environment Agency of the Republic of Slovenia and provides a common platform for forecasting, which primarily adds value to the existing national forecasting and warning systems and significantly contributes to reducing the consequences of floods.

We would also like to highlight the side event Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation through Integrated Management from Source to Sea, which took place at 13:30 hour. It aimed to present concrete measures on how to link the management of water resources in river basins and with the coast. In this way, we are implementing activities in the field of Sustainable Development Goals 6 (clean water), 14 (life below water) and 15 (life on land) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Dr. Mitja Bricelj, who currently chairs the Barcelona Convention Bureau on behalf of Slovenia, took part in the discussion. Dr. Bricelj emphasizes that to improve governance, it is most necessary to have a fair dialogue for coordinated actions in the basins that we share with other countries. In addition, it is crucial to consider land to sea interactions by linking river basin planning and maritime spatial planning, considering blue and green infrastructure. A key tool for achieving this goal is the use of blue and green corridors in spatial planning at the cross-border level, which will allow water more space and improve eco-connectivity. To achieve these goals, Slovenia succeeded in bringing together the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, the Commission for the Protection of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Action Plan of the United Nations Environment Program with the aim of implementing inter-regional programs to monitor the situation and reduce pressures and impacts on coastal and marine ecosystems.

The tenth meeting of the Parties closes today. At the end of the three-day session, Slovenia takes over the three-year chairmanship of the Water Convention Bureau for the period 2024–2027 from Estonia.