Land Use and Water Quality 2015

Objectives

This conference aims to discuss the entire policy cycle for water quality improvement. This cycle includes problem recognition, formulation of technical options, the process of policy development, interaction with policy makers, stakeholders and pressure groups, policy implementation, monitoring and research. This conference also aims to intensify contacts, on the one hand, between scientists with a background in natural sciences and scientists with a background in social and economic sciences and, on the other hand, between scientists, water managers and policy makers. In short, the objectives are:
• to provide forum for exchange of scientific knowledge, research on system knowledge, modelling and uncertainty;
• to discuss the entire policy cycle for water quality improvement;
• to intensify contacts (a) between soil/water related scientists, agro related scientists, social scientists, ecological scientists and economists, and (b) between scientists, water managers and policy makers.
 
Jointly convened by

• Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (BOKU), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Institute of Hydraulics and Rural Water Management (IHLW), Vienna, Austria (principle organizer)
• RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Environmental Quality, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
• Department of Bioscience - Freshwater Ecology, University of Århus, Silkeborg, Denmark • Umweltbundesamt, Environment Agency Austria, Vienna, Austria
• Umweltbundesamt (UBA), Federal Environment Agency, Dessau, Germany
• Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague

Target groups and keywords

Target groups are scientists, managers and policy makers involved in the policy cycle for water quality improvement. It includes activities characterised by the following keywords: agronomy, agro-economics, agro-sociology, water management, water policy, hydrology, aquatic ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems, unsaturated zone, groundwater, surface waters, drinking water, monitoring, modelling, water quality, nutrients, pesticides and other organic agrochemicals, heavy metals.

Scientific Advisory Committee

Marco Acutis (Italy), Marianne Bechmann (Norway), Gitte Blicher-Mathiessen (Denmark), Hans Peter Broers (The Netherlands), Patricia Chambers (Canada), Frank Coale (USA), Ralf Eppinger (Belgium), Chantal Gascuel-Odoux (France), Johannes Grath (Austria), Thomas Harter (USA), Claudia Heidecke (Germany), Henriette Hossy (Denmark), Nicholas Howden (United Kingdom), Gunnar Lischeid (Germany), Daniel McGonigle (United Kingdom), Bob Middleton (United Kingdom), Miquel Quemada (Spain), Pavel Rosendorf (Czech Republic), Jaap Schröder (The Netherlands), István Sisák (Hungary), Roland Stenger (New Zealand), Peter Strauss (Austria), Lærke Thorling (Denmark), Esther Wattel-Koekkoek (The Netherlands), Frank Wendland (Germany), Rüdiger Wolter (Germany)

Conference Themes

Contributions are solicited according to the following themes, themes A through G.

A.. Increasing system knowledge: research to increase understanding and improving modelling of the hydro(geo)logical, geochemical and biochemical reality

B.. Impact of climate change and hydrological/weather variability: assessment of effect on groundwater and surface water quality and distinguishing from manmade effects

C.. Assessment of national policy: effectiveness of programmes of measures on water quality on a regional and national scale

D.. Field research and data interpretation: research (monitoring and modelling) at plot and field scale for quantifying effects of farming practices and changes in land use

E.. Managing protected areas: risk assessment monitoring and modelling of water quality and quantity, for drinking water supply and ecosystem conservation within Habitat and Species Protection Areas

F and G.. Decision-making and implementation: role of policy, stakeholder and science in decision-making, and social and economic incentives and constraints for implementation (carrots and sticks)

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