Open Water Network: Impacts of Global Change on Water Quality

Project Description

This project supports the implementation of selected activities under Priority Area 1: Scientific Research and Innovation of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), UNESCO’s primary international scientific programme for water research, management, education, and capacity development. Now in its ninth phase (IHP-IX, 2022–2029), the programme is guided by the strategy Science for a Water Secure World in a Changing Environment, which sets out 34 outputs and 150 key activities across five priority areas.

The project focuses on contributing to Outputs 1.8, 1.9, and 1.10 of Priority Area 1 by supporting water quality monitoring, advancing the use of emerging technologies, and strengthening citizen science engagement. These efforts aim to enhance science-based decision-making, improve the availability and usability of water data, and promote practical solutions to water-related challenges.

The specific contributions of the project are:

1. Output 1.8: Developing and sharing knowledge and innovative solutions to improve water quality and reduce pollution
The project is:

• Conducting thematic assessments of water quality at multiple scales (basin, city, national, regional, and global) to identify key pollution pressures.

• Promoting the adoption of innovative technologies, nature-based solutions, and best practices for water quality management.

• Developing science-based guidance on ecohydrological and hybrid grey-green infrastructure approaches to support integrated water management.

• Communicating findings through science-policy briefs, technical reports, and international conferences.

• Collaborating with global initiatives such as ISIMIP and PROCLIAS to assess the impacts of climate extremes—including droughts, floods, wildfires, and heatwaves—on water quality, supported by case studies across diverse hydrological systems.

2. Output 1.9: Developing and sharing new technologies using Earth Observation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT)
The project is:

• Implementing pilot projects to evaluate the effectiveness of emerging technologies in different country and basin contexts.

• Applying satellite remote sensing, UAVs, and AI for freshwater quality monitoring.

• Contributing to the development and expansion of the UNESCO Global Water Quality Portal, in partnership with UNEP, the World Water Quality Alliance, and others.

• Harmonizing water quality monitoring methods and data collection practices across regions through collaboration with ISIMIP, PROCLIAS, EGU, and IAHS, with the aim of supporting an open-access, community-based platform.

3. Output 1.10: Conducting and sharing research on integrating citizen science in hydrology
The project is:

• Supporting the integration of citizen science methods into hydrological monitoring frameworks.

• Encouraging community participation in water data collection to complement traditional scientific approaches.

• Sharing research on the role of citizen science in improving understanding of water resources and contributing to informed decision-making.