Weathering the Future: Integrated Water Resilience Approaches
25. June 11:15 - 12:30
Recent water related extreme events such as floods and droughts across Europe have highlighted the growing need to better connect short-term disaster response with long-term planning for water resilience. This session brings together local leaders, European institutions, and international experts to reflect on recent experiences and explore how to move towards more integrated approaches to water resilience.
Through contributions from on-the-ground practitioners and high-level speakers, the session will examine what has worked, what has not, and how these insights are being embedded into future strategies. The discussion will also explore how different levels of governance can work together more effectively to bridge emergency response, climate adaptation and water resilience.
The session will additionally highlight the role of European policy frameworks in supporting local action and offer a global perspective on disaster risk reduction. Participants will be invited to share their own experiences, strategies, and challenges in building more resilient water systems—ensuring that immediate recovery efforts contribute to long-term transformation.
Speakers
Deputy Mayor, Rivne City Council
ArTem Hanushchak, Deputy Mayor, Rivne City Council
Artem Hanushchak has served as Deputy Mayor of Rivne since December 2021. He oversees the work of departments such as Economic Development, Energy Management, Digital Transformation, Municipal Security, Business Development, Land Relations, and Municipal Property, among others. He leads the implementation of EIB subprojects focused on energy efficiency in educational and healthcare institutions. He also heads the NEFCO project on thermal modernization and street lighting. Hanushchak is involved in developing the community’s Development Strategy. He leads the NetZeroCities Rivne project, aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Additionally, he coordinates the municipal business coworking initiative in Rivne, supported by UNDP and the Government of Germany.
Head of Advocacy Programme, Water Europe
Loïc Charpentier, Head of Advocacy Programme, Water Europe
Loïc Charpentier is the head of the advocacy programme of Water Europe, representing the full value-chain of water in Europe (including local and regional authorities, utilities, solutions providers, universities and large industrial users). He also contributes to the policy communication of EU research & innovation projects on behalf of Water Europe. In 2023, he was the expert of Mr. Viola, Rapporteur for the CoR opinion on the water resilience strategy. Moreover, Loïc is also involved in different European research clusters and the chairman of the Policy working group of the ZeroPollution4Water cluster. He manages the MEP Water Group’s secretariat. With a background in law and a master in European studies, Loïc worked previously at the European Association of Research and Technology organisations as policy assistant.
Senior Expert in Ecological Transition and Climate Change, President's Cabinet, Emilia-Romagna region
Patrizia Bianconi, Senior Expert in Ecological Transition and Climate Change, President's Cabinet, Emilia-Romagna region
Delegate for the Emilia-Romagna region for ecological transition and integrated climate change policies, she is a senior expert with extensive experience in managing projects and programs focused on sustainable development and climate change at international, national, and regional levels. With over 30 years of professional experience, she has actively promoted local economies and facilitated territorial cooperation while implementing and coordinating research activities related to climate change. She has supported numerous public institutions beyond the Emilia-Romagna region, including the Italian Ministry of Environment, the Italian Ministry of University and Research, the National Research Centre, and various private companies. Additionally, she collaborates as a lecturer in several specialized courses and master’s programs organized by universities and environmental agencies.
Moderator
Policy and Advocacy Lead, ICLEI Europe
Goksen Sahin, Policy and Advocacy Lead, ICLEI Europe
Goksen is ICLEI Europe's policy and advocacy lead, working in Brussels, Belgium.
She has extensive experience working in the environmental sector, having previously held roles as: Environmental Projects Coordinator at Agence Française de Développement; Project Manager at Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe; Programme Manager at Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).