The year 2022 marked a critical stage in China’s 14th Fiver-Year Plan as well as in IWHR’s three-step development strategy. As China sticks to its Guideline for Water Governance – prioritizing water conservation, reaching spatial equilibrium, implementing systematic governance, and achieving government-market synergy, we spare no effort for the realization of Goal 6 of the 2030 UN SDG Agenda, known as clean water and sanitation for all, not only in China, but also for people in need in the rest of the world. Following our master plans and road maps, over the past year we have been centering on innovation for water-related science and technologies, providing solid technical support for China’s striving for high-quality water development.
The year 2022 has witnessed our tremendous R&D achievements. Newly-signed contracts of the year hit CNY 2.06 billion, exceeding 2 billion for the first time. A total of 737 papers, 78 monographs, 395 patents, 21 industrial standards and 48 ministerial/provincial awards were reaped. Cross-discipline, innovation-driven technical support has been provided for China’s national strategy and major projects for river protection and integrated watershed development, including the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, the comprehensive protection and development of the Yangtze River economic belt, progress in developing China’s national water grid, China’s carbon neutrality, carbon peaking and hydropower development in Southwest China, and coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Metropolitan Region. R&D of critical technologies for more effective flood and drought disaster prevention, more intensive and economical use of water resources, optimized allocation of water resources, as well as the digital twining of river basins were speeded up. Special technical aid has been provided to Tibet, Xinjiang as well as an array of rural areas for local water infrastructure construction and capacity building for water resources management. Water science popularization, such as school activities, public lectures and book series publication, were carried out to help raise the public awareness and improve people’s knowledge and capacity for water conservation and protection.
The year 2022 has also proved fruitful in terms of international cooperation. We had the honor to host or engage in a bulk of international conferences or events, including the 9th World Water Forum, the 2nd Asia International Water Week, the Global Water Security Webinar, the 1st Global River Forum, the 2nd International Forum on Water Culture, the launching ceremony of the World River Happiness Report 2021, the series ICFM webinars and FFP webinars, and other conferences and events that probe into global hot topics and explore the leading edge of the acadamia. We have also built a new collaborative and communication platform by launching an international open-access journal called River to spark inspiration for our water fellows worldwide through knowledge sharing and exchanges.
We are more than pride to recall these achievements as they are the rewards and fruits of the hard work of all the creative minds and dedicated teams of IWHR, whom we deem our most invaluable asset as we enter an even more challenging 2023. R&D in water conservancy, hydropower, flood control, smart water, and other areas of concern will be propelled in response to today’s global water challenges. Reform and refinement of the organizing and management of the entire institute will move forward to ensure a more standard and efficient institutional mechanism for our staff members. International exchange events, including the kick-off and consultation meeting of the 3rd Asian Water Week and the 15th HIC to be held in 2024, the 2nd Global River Forum, the 18th IWHR-KICT Joint Seminar, the 3rd International Seminar on Water Culture, the 9th International Symposium on Roller Compacted Concrete Dams, as well as a series of ICFM and FFP Webinars will be hosted or organized. Based on our Water Education Series, campus activities in different coutnries and regions will be further conducted and more language versions will be translated and published.
Being a water think-tank, IWHR is dedicated to support the science-based decision-making of the policy makers and better welfare of the whole society. We aim for not only the progress of science and technologies, but the benefit brought by science and technologies for everyone in our country – and on this planet, as stated in the 2030 United Nations SDG Agenda. We believe that science and technology could be the game changer to solve the current global crisis, water-wise in particular. We are ready to do our utmost and work hand in hand with our international fellows in the international community to safeguard a sustainable future for everyone on Earth with sustainable water – a future shared by not only human beings but also the entire life community; a future featuring the harmony between human and nature; a future that rests in the hand of every single one of us.
Peng Jing, Ph.D.
President of IWHR
