UNESCO Chair on Sustainability at UPC Organises a Side Event and Contributes to the XIX World Water Congress in Marrakech

The UNESCO Chair on Sustainability at UPC contributed to the XIX World Water Congress in Marrakech (1–5 December 2025) through active engagement in the official Natural–Economy–Water (NEW) Nexus dialogue, and by co-organising a dedicated side event on AI for WEFE Nexus assessment that connected scientific innovation with practical pathways for policy and implementation, strengthening the science–policy–practice interface for more resilient and integrated water governance.

The XIX World Water Congress—held under the theme “Water in a Changing World: Innovation and Adaptation”—brought together the international water community to address escalating pressures from climate change, demographic trends, and technological transitions, and to accelerate cooperation across disciplines and sectors. Co-organised by the Ministry of Equipment and Water of the Kingdom of Morocco and the International Water Resources Association (IWRA), and held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Congress convened broad participation and a strong technical programme, including high-level and ministerial discussions.

Marrakech hosted more than 1,500 participants and featured more than 140 technical presentations, complemented by panels, exhibitions, side events, and technical/cultural visits.

The UNESCO Chair on Sustainability at UPC played an active role in the XIX World Water Congress in Marrakech (1–5 December 2025), combining high-level participation in the official programme—through a delegation comprising Director Jordi Morató, José Luis Martín Bordes, a member of the Board of Directors and lead for “Partnerships for sustainable water and sanitation services,” and Olga Lucía Sánchez Santander, Global Project Promoter—with the organisation of a dedicated side event that reinforced the Congress’ science–policy–practice agenda.

A central contribution of the UNESCO Chair was the co-organisation of the side event “Harnessing AI for WEFE Nexus Assessment: Innovating Water Management for Transformative Policy and Practice” (2 December 2025, 12:00–13:00). Convened jointly with the SureNexus PRIMA Project, the PRIMA Foundation, and IWRA, this session showcased how AI-enabled WEFE Nexus assessment can enhance integrated planning, scenario analysis, and evidence-based decision-making, accelerating the uptake of innovative approaches for resilient water governance.

Dr. Jordi Morató played a leading role throughout the session, opening the event with an institutional introduction and then delivering the technical keynote “AI-Driven Innovation for Water Management and WEFE Nexus Assessment. His intervention framed how AI-enabled decision-support can translate complex WEFE interactions into actionable evidence for planners and policymakers—bridging science and implementation and reinforcing the Congress’ focus on innovation, adaptation, and governance impact.

Dr. José Luis Martín Bordes anchored the policy-and-governance dimension of the side event with the presentation “Advancing Water Governance for the Future: Pioneering Pathways for Transformative Policy and Practice,”delivered in dialogue with the PRIMA Foundation. He then led the conclusions segment and facilitated the closing messages of the session—ensuring that the discussion moved from promising technologies to clear implementation pathways, institutional enabling conditions, and next steps for uptake and scaling.

The UNESCO Chair on Sustainability at UPC side event—“Harnessing AI for WEFE Nexus Assessment: Innovating Water Management for Transformative Policy and Practice”—also drew the attention of Moroccan national radio, which showed interest in its focus on innovation and water governance. During the Congress, the radio team conducted interviews with Dr. Jordi Morató and Dr. José Luis Martín Bordes, who highlighted how AI-enabled WEFE Nexus assessment can strengthen evidence-based decision-making, support integrated planning, and accelerate practical implementation for more resilient water management.

In parallel, Dr. Morató strengthened the Chair’s presence in the official scientific dialogue through his participation in the special session “Natural–Economy–Water (NEW) Nexus: Philosophy and Practice” (2 December, 16:15–17:45, Diamant Room, PICKALBATROS Hôtel Du Golf). Organised by General Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Planning and Design (GIWP), the Ministry of Water Resources from China, the World Bank, and IWRA, and moderated by Dr. Aude-Sophie Rodella (World Bank), the session addressed “The Future of the Water Nexus: Closing the Governance and Implementation Gap.”20251202_Nexus Special Session.

Following opening remarks by Ms. Retno L. P. Marsudi and Prof. Yuanyuan Li , and keynotes on the NEW Nexus, the economics of implementation, agricultural water pathways, and system-based water management, the session culminated in a 30-minute panel discussion. As a panelist, Dr. Jordi Morató actively contributed to the dialogue alongside global experts (including FAO, IWRA leadership, and senior academics), emphasising practical routes to translate nexus knowledge into policy and implementation, and reinforcing the role of UNESCO Chairs in bridging science, governance, and real-world decision-making.

During the XIX World Congress, the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability held several bilateral meetings with key partners and stakeholders: (a) the Director of the Division of Water Sciences and Secretary of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) (below, left); (b) Mr. Misael Lukinovic (ISC Ingeniería, Chile) (centre); and (c) Mr. Francis Njuakom, Director of Community Development Volunteers for Technical Assistance (CDVTA), an NGO dedicated to expanding access to safe and reliable water services in underserved areas through deep solar-powered wells and gravity-fed village water supply schemes, while prioritising environmental sustainability.

A final meeting was held on the last day of the Congress with Ignacio Degèribus, Executive Director of IWRA. The discussion focused on the preparation of a UNESCO Chair on Sustainability Masterclass, to be offered to IWRA members in 2026, dedicated to AI applications for WEFE Nexus assessment—including practical approaches to scenario analysis, decision-support, and the science–policy interface to strengthen integrated and resilient water governance.