IPG-Lecture

Terrestrische Mensch-Umwelt-Systeme im Globalen Wandel — zu diesem Themenbereich lehrt und forscht das Institut für Physische Geographie (IPG) der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt. Wir beschäftigen uns mit qualitativen und quantitativen Umweltveränderungen in Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft. In den Fachdisziplinen Biogeographie, Bodenkunde, Geomorphologie und Hydrologie befassen wir uns mit Relief, Boden, Wasser, Vegetation und Klima sowie mit deren Interaktionen untereinander und mit dem Menschen.

Water as a connector: Global and national challenges and action frameworks

The UN Water conference in 2023 in New York highlighted that water is crosscutting and supports the achievement of many SDGs through close linkages. Safe water is a human right. At the same time, the water crisis counts as the most significant global risks. Globally, two billion people do not have safe drinking water and 3.6 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation, which causes health, social and economic problems. Furthermore, we are facing more and more regions with water stress, destroyed water and wetland ecosystems with loss of biodiversity and decrease of ecosystems services. Simultaneously, hydro extremes are becoming more and more intense and frequent. The lecture gives an overview on current water related challenges and related risks. The sustainable development goals, especially SDG 6 is reflected concerning to what extent the objectives are being achieved, how water is connected to other SDGs and how the UN Water system tries to strengthen water related objectives. How the water perspective supports other national and international goals such as climate resilience and reduction of loss of biodiversity will be addressed. Moreover, national strategies and activities will be reflected and how these are embedded in the international water policy.

Mariele Evers is a professor of geography with a focus on eco-hydrology and water resource management at the University of Bonn and holds the UNESCO Chair in Human-Water Systems. The research focus is on integrated river basin management, management of hydrological extremes and human-water systems in Germany, Europe, Southeast Asia and West and East Africa.