Dear Members, Dear Colleagues, Dear Friends,

With accelerating change and pressures facing our water resources, 2024 witnessed the beginning of a new Strategic Plan for IAHR. From the sources in our mountains to the coasts and waters of our seas, our vision is to be the global hub for innovation and knowledge in water engineering. In particular, the whole IAHR community ushered in many exciting activities throughout 2024. Our collective expertise is contributing in ever more pertinent ways via IAHR’s new Thematic Priority Areas on climate change adaptation and mitigation; resilience against water hazards and disasters; energy transition, food security and nature; and Digital Transformation.

Deep and broad knowledge across hydro-environment engineering is essential for progress on these key challenges faced by our modern societies. A high priority is thus to foster and support our vibrant expert communities to deliver the needed innovative solutions. Throughout 2024, more than two thousand professionals and experts were brought together via four hugely successful Regional Conferences in Lisbon, Europe; Medellin, Latin America; Wuhan, Asia Pacific; and Benguerir/Marrakesh, Africa. In addition, IAHR’s Technical Committees, Working Groups and Young Professionals nurtured exchange between thousands more colleagues via more than 10 physical conferences held throughout the world, and numerous virtual events.

In addition, IAHR is uniting the voices of the global water professionals via the  establishment of the Global Platform for National Water Associations. The inaugural year of the platform has witnessed partnerships arising around the globe with national agreements signed with associations in Brazil, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, France, S.Korea, Spain, Vietnam and others on the way. In the coming year, the partnerships will work on national and mutual interests, and as the expression of our shared vision, launch the Global Water Innovation report on national water priorities. More than never, I invite you to mobilise your national association to join! 

To support the urgent global need to ensure the present and future skills and capabilities in hydro-environment engineering, IAHR is proud to have created and launched this year the IAHR UNESCO-IHP Label for Water Training and Education. This seeks to recognise best practices and excellence in delivery of water related education. Endorsed in June 2024 as a UNESCO-IHP Flagship Initiative, the programme has now attracted applications and interest from key continents around the world. Education and training future water professional must be an absolute priority for our community if we want to develop and implement the needed solution to reach most of the objectives identified by the Sustainable Development Goals.

To recognise the wide and important scope of the work of IAHR in relation to hydro environment engineering and research, we are particularly pleased to launch in 2024 the new IAHR Global Awards. Open to all stakeholders in our field, to both IAHR members AND non-members - the awards seek to recognise the most outstanding individuals, organisations and young professionals who have made exceptional contributions to engineering research, science, technology, management and/or practice across any aspect of the overall water cycle in the hydro-environment sector. engineering and research. Along with all of IAHR’s long standing and prestigious awards, they will be presented in June at the IAHR World Congress in Singapore.

I would like to thank the brilliance and tireless endeavours of all involved in our publications and knowledge products. IAHR’s journals continue to sharpen focus and provide important publishing in hydro-environment engineering and research. IAHR open access water monograph series continue to share vital global knowledge. Our Hydrolink magazine is enjoyed by tens of thousands of readers, with 2024 dealing on the important topics of drop structures, flood risk assessment, water and net zero, and droughts.

It is really uplifting to be part of IAHR’s incredible community dynamic. I wish you a happy and prosperous new year in 2025, where together we can push forward the frontiers on hydro-environment engineering. Moreover, I look forward to enjoying your company in June at the IAHR World Congress in Singapore or at any other of our many related events in the coming year!