AER Summer Schools 2009

The 14th Summer School and 8th Youth Summer School of the AER will take place from 24 to 29 August 2009 in Valencia, Spain under the topic "Water, engagement for our future".

In a scenario of climate change, the sound management of water is a key issue to maintaining biodiversity, human health and economic and social development. The “blue” challenge is of paramount importance. The entire World is going through a water crisis, while the safe access to water for all is one of the Millenium Goals and water savings can be improved by more than 40% in Europe. Therefore, efforts and ideas need to be joined, experiences to be shared and new instruments to be developed in order to raise awareness, contribute to createing a water saving culture in Europe, define strategies, learn from each other and work with third countries.

Aims of the Summer School

 The aim of the Summer Schools is to:

• Raise awareness concerning the developments affecting water ressources, their availability and their management
  
  
• Provide regional administrations with the opportunity to gather best practice in this field from their European counterparts and to develop innovative approaches
  
  
• Encourage the emergence of a "water saving culture" by involving in particular young people as early as possible and committing them as "water ambassadors"
  
  
• Create a "Water Award"
  
  
• Elaborate a "European regional Charter for Water"

Target Groups of the Summer Schools

The Summer Schools are targeted at:

• Regional decision-makers, elected politicians, officers and experts in charge of water and environment, water management or planning and communication in relation to water and who are interested in developing solutions regarding the water issues

• Young people from regional youth cabinets, parliaments and political parties who are keen on working together on the water topic, who want to promote the sharing of experience, express their opinion, raise awareness and are willing to act as “water ambassadors” when back in their home regions.

Outcome

XIV. Summer Schools conclusions 2009 (full report in English; French summary)

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Agenda - Speaker information

Draft Programme as at 19/08/09

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Speakers' profile

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Tuesday, 25 Aug.
Contributions

Opening speech - AER President Michèle SABBAN

Water in Europe: The challenge of the 21st century - Ronan UHEL, European Environment Agency (5 MO)

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Awarenessraising with young people and involvement in participative processes concerning water - Céline GRANDJEAN, Green ASBL, Bruxelles Capitale

Pool 1 - Water management

The Valencian urban sanitation service - José Juan MORENILLA, EPSAR (Parts 1-3; 3/6/1 MO)

Pool 2 - Climate Change

The challenge of reforestation - Prof. Dr Ramón VALLEJO, Centre for Environmental Studies of the Mediterranean CEAM (Parts 1-4; 3/7/3/8 MO)

Regionalised impact of climate change - horizon 2050 - in the Jucar and Segura river basins - J. Alberto COMOS, Fundación "Agua y Progreso" (2 MO)

Pool 3 - Water Governance & Communication

Projects and opportunities to improve water management - Juan Manuel REVUELTA PÉREZ, Comunitat Valenciana Brussels Office (8 MO)

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Teambuilding activity on Water and the Millenium Development Goals (1,5 MO)

Wednesday, 26 Aug.
Contributions

 

 

Youth Session

Generation Blue - Susanne BRANDSTETTER, Water Department Public Relations, Austrian Government (13 MO)

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ENPI Cross Border Cooperation Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme - Stefanie UBRIG, Antena ENPI CBC MED Valencia

Thursday, 27 Aug.
Contributions

The implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the Danube River Basin - Philip WELLER, Internat. Commission for the Protection of the Danube River

Water in the Valencian Region - Dr Ing José María BENLLIURE MORENO, Comunitat Valenciana (4 MO)

Pool 1 - Water management

The Dlouhe Strane Pumped-Storage Hydro Power Station - Zdenek SATURKA, CEZ a.s. Division Water Plants (2 MO)

Energy for water and water for energy - Dr Ing Enrique CABRERA MARCET, Water Technology Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València (3 MO)

Hydro-electricity projects in Devon - John BAKER, Project Manager Renewable Energy 4 Devon (8 MO)

Pool 2 - Climate Change

How to secure Göteborg, a major seaside city, against sea level rise and river flooding - Ulf MOBACK, Göteborg City climate group (Parts 1-4; 5/9/7/3 MO)

Friday, 28 Aug.
Contributions

Pool 3 - Water Governance & Communication

The legal protection of water as cultural heritage - Dr José Luis BERMEJO, University of Zaragoza (5,5 MO)

Official invitation

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Practical Information

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Tourist information brochure (1,5 Mo)

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Registration

In order to register, an electronic registration form is available.

Please
- download the document below,
- fill it in and, once you have finished,
- click on the "Imprimir formulario" button in order to get a hard copy of the information you have provided,
- click on the "Enviar por correo electrónico" button in order to send your information. Please note that you cannot save the form with the information you have filled in.

Registration form

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Registrations made after the 20th July 2009 (new deadline) will be charged with an extra 30, -  € fee (no matter which category). Please be aware that the bank charges are excluded from the registration fee. They have to be paid by the region.