Monday 1 December 2025
Palace of the Academies, Brussels
The topic of the 2025 Theme Day is “Water, a critical resource”.
Water is a critical resource for humankind and the future of our planet. Socio-economic development, in particular, is a “thirsty business”, either for mining, manufacturing or even information technology. Besides, water is essential for food production, the preservation of ecosystems and, ultimately, for the survival of human beings and animals. Although water is our largest natural resource, it's both finite and irreplaceable. Moreover, the demand for freshwater is expected to exceed supply by 40% by the end of the decade. Achieving universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all, is at the very heart of sustainable development (SDG no 6). Hence it is also a challenge for the international community involved in training, research and innovation. Relevant topics include (but are not limited to): water, source of life, drinking water and water quality, water use efficiency, water diplomacy, water transport, water energy, water pollution, ecosystem services,…