How do you personally and professionally relate to water? 

Growing up in Israel, water scarcity was a constant backdrop to my childhood. The arid climate and frequent droughts shaped my relationship with water from an early age. One vivid memory that remains stamped in my mind is the series of TV campaigns highlighting the importance of water conservation. I recall sitting in front of the television, concerned by the urgency conveyed in those campaigns. The images of dry landscapes and the emphasis on every drop of water as precious left a lasting impression.

Please describe how your professional (and/or personal) experience relates to space technologies and their applications to water resources management.

I am an expert in hydroinformatics, mainly involved in research projects and research supervision of MSc and PhD students. My research focusses on physically based models for inland waters (rivers and lakes). One of the major fields where modelling is used in water resources is flooding. In order to have adequate representation of floods, most models require large amounts of data, both for model building and model usage.

Merci à Mussa Kachunga Stanis d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Merci à Mussa Kachunga Stanis d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

The Human Right to water and sanitation

What does your morning routine look like? For most readers I’d assume you use the toilet, wash your hands, and maybe take a shower.  However, do you ever stop to consider the water you use to shower, or the soap you use to wash your hands? Often, especially in developed countries, these things are taken for granted, rightly considering access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) as basic Human Rights (Figure 1).

Merci à Martin Sarret d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Les caractéristiques élémentaires de l´agriculture nous viennent tous assez facilement à l´esprit. De larges étendues de terrain, d'imposantes machines de récolte, la chaleur du soleil sur la peau et, peut-être le plus important, la terre. Cette image mentale est finalement assez logique. L´humanité laboure, ensemence et cultive la terre depuis la nuit des temps, et les techniques agricoles industrielles modernes ont tendance à s'accaparer notre imaginaire sur l'agriculture.

Spring melt-out from mountain regions sustain lives, economies and ecosystems downstream. Each spring, massive volumes of meltwater cascade from Alpine regions into the Danube. Although Alpine catchments make up only 10 per cent of the Danube basin, approximately 26 per cent of its total discharge comes from them ​(Wesemann, Herrnegger, and Schulz 2018)​. This water feeds reservoirs, irrigate croplands and sustain over 80 million people across 19 countries ​(ICPDR 2021)​.

Introduction

Land subsidence is a global phenomenon and is defined as:

“a gradual settling or sudden sinking of the Earth's surface due to removal or displacement of subsurface earth materials”  - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2021)

When you think about agriculture, you probably imagine a few basic things in your mind. Huge stretches of flat land, massive harvesting machines, the heat on your skin from sunlight and, perhaps most importantly, soil. This image in your mind is a common one. Humans have been tilling, seeding, and farming land since the dawn of civilization, and modern industrial farm techniques tend to dominate our conception of agriculture. 

Merci à Mussa Kachunga Stanis d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Le droit humain à l'eau et à l'assainissement 

À quoi ressemble votre routine matinale ? Pour la plupart des lecteurs, je suppose que vous utilisez les toilettes, vous vous lavez les mains et peut-être que vous prenez une douche. Cependant, vous arrive-t-il de vous arrêter pour réfléchir à l'eau que vous utilisez sous la douche ou au savon que vous utilisez pour vous laver les mains ?

Merci à Martin Sarret d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Les caractéristiques élémentaires de l´agriculture nous viennent tous assez facilement à l´esprit. De larges étendues de terrain, d'imposantes machines de récolte, la chaleur du soleil sur la peau et, peut-être le plus important, la terre. Cette image mentale est finalement assez logique. L´humanité laboure, ensemence et cultive la terre depuis la nuit des temps, et les techniques agricoles industrielles modernes ont tendance à s'accaparer notre imaginaire sur l'agriculture.

 Traduit de l'anglais par Mussa Kachunga Stanis

Introduction

L’affaissement de terrain est un phénomène mondial et se définit comme :

    "Un tassement progressif ou un affaissement soudain de la surface de la Terre dû à l'enlèvement ou au déplacement de matériaux terrestres souterrains" - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2021)

Digital twin technology is increasingly being used to simulate the effects of sea level rise, providing valuable tools for decision-makers in areas such as urban planning, coastal management, and disaster preparedness. These virtual models integrate real-time data from various sources, including geospatial imagery, AI, and environmental monitoring systems, to create detailed simulations of how rising sea levels could impact specific regions. 

When you think about agriculture, you probably imagine a few basic things in your mind. Huge stretches of flat land, massive harvesting machines, the heat on your skin from sunlight and, perhaps most importantly, soil. This image in your mind is a common one. Humans have been tilling, seeding, and farming land since the dawn of civilization, and modern industrial farm techniques tend to dominate our conception of agriculture. 

Introduction

With the rapid advancement of urbanization, urban water environments are facing unprecedented challenges (Chen et al. 2015). The continuous expansion of impervious surfaces has disrupted the natural water cycle, resulting in rapid stormwater runoff, increased frequency of urban flooding, and reduced groundwater recharge. At the same time, worsening water pollution and the intensifying urban heat island effect further highlight the limitations of traditional urban planning and design in adapting to hydrological systems.

Le droit humain à l'eau et à l'assainissement 

À quoi ressemble votre routine matinale ? Pour la plupart des lecteurs, je suppose que vous utilisez les toilettes, vous vous lavez les mains et peut-être que vous prenez une douche. Cependant, vous arrive-t-il de vous arrêter pour réfléchir à l'eau que vous utilisez sous la douche ou au savon que vous utilisez pour vous laver les mains ?

Translated by Marina Agarkova

 Traduit de l'anglais par Mussa Kachunga Stanis

Introduction

L’affaissement de terrain est un phénomène mondial et se définit comme :

    "Un tassement progressif ou un affaissement soudain de la surface de la Terre dû à l'enlèvement ou au déplacement de matériaux terrestres souterrains" - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2021)

Recently, in July 2021, destructive and deadly floods occurred in Western Europe. The estimated insured losses only in Germany could approach 5 billion Euros (AIR Worldwide, 2021). However, the total amount of the damage is currently not foreseeable due to the variety and complexity of the damage patterns and the unbelievable extent of the disaster. It seems the socio-economic losses will dramatically increase and break a new record in the insurance industry after evaluating the complete record of damages’ reports (see Figure 1).

Translated by Marina Agarkova

When you think about agriculture, you probably imagine a few basic things in your mind. Huge stretches of flat land, massive harvesting machines, the heat on your skin from sunlight and, perhaps most importantly, soil. This image in your mind is a common one. Humans have been tilling, seeding, and farming land since the dawn of civilization, and modern industrial farm techniques tend to dominate our conception of agriculture. 

Translated by Dr. Mengyi Jin

引言

随着城市化的快速推进，城市水环境正面临前所未有的挑战 (Chen et al. 2015)。城市地表不透水面的持续扩张削弱了自然雨水循环，导致降雨径流迅速汇集，增加了内涝发生的频率，也降低了雨水对地下水的补给能力。同时，水体污染以及城市热岛效应的加剧，进一步暴露出传统城市规划对水文系统适应性的不足。在气候变化背景下，极端降雨、干旱等事件的发生频率和强度不断上升，这些现象正严峻考验着城市对水资源的调蓄、排涝、净化和生态恢复等能力。

在这个背景下，水敏感城市设计（Water Sensitive Urban Design, WSUD）作为一种新型城市发展模式被广泛关注。与“低影响开发”（Low Impact Development, LID）理念相似， 水敏感城市设计强调模拟自然水循环过程，并提升城市应对水资源相关挑战的韧性。其核心目标在于将水资源视为城市系统中不可或缺的组成部分，通过系统性地管理水的收集、输送、处理与储存过程，实现其生态功能与社会功能的有机融合（Wong 2006）。

Translated by Marina Agarkova

The impacts of climate change are ever more apparent. The frequency and scale of devastation and destruction of weather hazards are on an increasing trend. According to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report (IPCC, 2021) climate change is intensifying the water cycle. This will cause more intense droughts in many regions. Moreover, water-related extremes impact the quality of life disproportionately strong. Drought accounts for 25% of all losses from weather-related disasters in the United States of America (Hayes et al., 2012).

Recently, in July 2021, destructive and deadly floods occurred in Western Europe. The estimated insured losses only in Germany could approach 5 billion Euros (AIR Worldwide, 2021). However, the total amount of the damage is currently not foreseeable due to the variety and complexity of the damage patterns and the unbelievable extent of the disaster. It seems the socio-economic losses will dramatically increase and break a new record in the insurance industry after evaluating the complete record of damages’ reports (see Figure 1).

Translated by Dr. Mengyi Jin

数字孪生技术正越来越多地应用于模拟海平面上升所带来的影响，为城市规划、海岸管理和灾害应对等领域的决策者提供了宝贵的工具。这些虚拟模型整合了包括地理空间影像、人工智能和环境监测系统等不同来源的实时数据，可以详细模拟海平面上升对特定区域产生的影响。

通过准确绘制当前的土地覆盖特征，并不断用新数据更新这些模型，数字孪生使研究人员和政府部门能够在不同的气候变化条件下对未来的情景进行预测。这有助于识别脆弱区域、规划基础防护设施以及优化疏散策略。例如，高分辨率地理空间数据可以显示哪些区域面临洪水风险，而由人工智能驱动的模拟则可以预测海平面上升可能对当地生态系统和城市环境产生的长期影响。

通过将海平面上升纳入数字孪生模拟，城市规划者和环境科学家可以充分了解其对沿海地区的长期影响，从而为气候变化带来的挑战做好更加充分的准备。这项技术对于直观呈现和科学规划适应性应对措施，从而减缓海平面上升可能造成的损害具有重要意义。

The Human Right to water and sanitation

What does your morning routine look like? For most readers I’d assume you use the toilet, wash your hands, and maybe take a shower.  However, do you ever stop to consider the water you use to shower, or the soap you use to wash your hands? Often, especially in developed countries, these things are taken for granted, rightly considering access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) as basic Human Rights (Figure 1).

Merci à Martin Sarret d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Les caractéristiques élémentaires de l´agriculture nous viennent tous assez facilement à l´esprit. De larges étendues de terrain, d'imposantes machines de récolte, la chaleur du soleil sur la peau et, peut-être le plus important, la terre. Cette image mentale est finalement assez logique. L´humanité laboure, ensemence et cultive la terre depuis la nuit des temps, et les techniques agricoles industrielles modernes ont tendance à s'accaparer notre imaginaire sur l'agriculture.

Imagine a small coastal community at the periphery of a tropical storm. Hours before the first waves hit, an antenna smaller than a dinner plate begins detecting subtle changes in signal patterns from satellites thousands of kilometres overhead. Within minutes those changes reveal that the tide is rising far faster than normal. A sign of a storm surge. Warnings are issued and lives are saved.

Introduction

Land subsidence is a global phenomenon and is defined as:

“a gradual settling or sudden sinking of the Earth's surface due to removal or displacement of subsurface earth materials”  - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2021)

Translated by Marina Agarkova

Could you describe how your professional and/or personal experience relate to water? Where does your interest in space technology for water come from? 

I have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of hydrologic and hydraulic engineering, which is relevant to water. I studied many courses in my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees where I learned how runoff in a watershed is generated from meteorological parameters including rainfall, evapotranspiration and infiltration. I also applied my theoretical knowledge to various projects.

How do you personally and professionally relate to water and/or space technologies?

Water and space technologies are deeply intertwined with my research focus and professional journey. My work primarily revolves around studying the impacts of climate change and human activities on ecosystems, particularly in mountainous regions like the Alps. Water is a crucial component in this context, as it plays a significant role in both vegetation dynamics and ecosystem health.

How do you personally and professionally relate to water? 

Growing up in Israel, water scarcity was a constant backdrop to my childhood. The arid climate and frequent droughts shaped my relationship with water from an early age. One vivid memory that remains stamped in my mind is the series of TV campaigns highlighting the importance of water conservation. I recall sitting in front of the television, concerned by the urgency conveyed in those campaigns. The images of dry landscapes and the emphasis on every drop of water as precious left a lasting impression.

Name of the community

Maya

Short description of community and hydrogeology of the area

Yucatan is located in the southeast portion of Mexico. The total area of Yucatan is 124, 409 km2 and the population (by 2018) was ca. 2.1 million inhabitants. The landscape of the area is defined by a highly permeable karstic soil, a notable absence of rivers or permanent freshwater resources in the surface, and a high number of natural wells or sinkholes (locally called cenotes, from the Maya word t´sonot).  

Please describe how your professional (and/or personal) experience relates to space technologies and their applications to water resources management.

I am an expert in hydroinformatics, mainly involved in research projects and research supervision of MSc and PhD students. My research focusses on physically based models for inland waters (rivers and lakes). One of the major fields where modelling is used in water resources is flooding. In order to have adequate representation of floods, most models require large amounts of data, both for model building and model usage.

Contribute your inputs on the themes proposed by the co-hosts for the UN 2023 Water Conference interactive dialogues! 

Could you describe how your professional and/or personal experience relate to water? Where does your interest in space technology for water come from? 

I have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of hydrologic and hydraulic engineering, which is relevant to water. I studied many courses in my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees where I learned how runoff in a watershed is generated from meteorological parameters including rainfall, evapotranspiration and infiltration. I also applied my theoretical knowledge to various projects.

How do you personally and professionally relate to water and/or space technologies?

Water and space technologies are deeply intertwined with my research focus and professional journey. My work primarily revolves around studying the impacts of climate change and human activities on ecosystems, particularly in mountainous regions like the Alps. Water is a crucial component in this context, as it plays a significant role in both vegetation dynamics and ecosystem health.

Name of the community

Maya

Short description of community and hydrogeology of the area

Yucatan is located in the southeast portion of Mexico. The total area of Yucatan is 124, 409 km2 and the population (by 2018) was ca. 2.1 million inhabitants. The landscape of the area is defined by a highly permeable karstic soil, a notable absence of rivers or permanent freshwater resources in the surface, and a high number of natural wells or sinkholes (locally called cenotes, from the Maya word t´sonot).