• The participatory workshop held in Ourense addressed the main challenges relating to water, climate change and extreme weather events
• Cooperation and technical expertise are key to making progress on sustainable water management in the Miño basin

Sustainable water management, adaptation to climate change and the prevention of extreme weather events were the focus of the public consultation event held in Ourense on the Provisional List of Important Issues (EpTI), a key document for the drafting of the new River Basin Management Plan for the Miño-Sil river basin.

The event, organised by the Miño-Sil River Basin Authority, brought together representatives from institutions, the scientific community, associations, local authorities and stakeholders with links to the region, with the aim of analysing the main challenges relating to water resource management and encouraging public participation in the water planning process.

During the event, the contents of the EpTI were presented; this document sets out a description and assessment of the main water-related problems, as well as possible alternative solutions to move towards more efficient and resilient management of the basin.

Among the main challenges identified are the effects of climate change, pressure on water resources, pollution of water bodies and the need to strengthen management in the face of extreme events such as floods and droughts.

POCTEP RISC_PLUS Project: cooperation, coordination and scientific knowledge

The conference highlighted the importance of scientific knowledge, coordination between public authorities and cooperation between organisations in order to move towards more efficient, sustainable and climate-resilient water management.

In this context, the University of Vigo took part in the meeting as part of the consortium for the European RISC_PLUS project, a cross-border cooperation initiative aimed at improving the monitoring, analysis and prevention of extreme events in the international catchment areas of the Miño and Limia rivers.

The project, developed jointly by water authorities and research centres in Spain and Portugal, helps to strengthen understanding of the basin’s hydrological behaviour and improve the ability to anticipate risks such as floods and droughts.

Through the development of monitoring and analysis tools, RISC_PLUS also promotes more coordinated and efficient water resource management in a context marked by the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.

The meeting held in Ourense once again highlighted the importance of cooperation, public participation and the exchange of knowledge in order to move towards water management planning that is adapted to the environmental and climate challenges facing the region.