CAS-Climate: Conference: Travel Grant for Participating in Water Research and Innovation Workshop Organized by the UNESCO Megacities Alliance for Water and Climate

Despite varying conditions in Euro-North American Region (ENAR) megacities - hydrological, socio- cultural, environmental, economic, technological, regulatory, and operational - the collaboration and sharing of experience hold significant potential for innovative climate adaptation strategies in metropolitan areas. The Megacity Alliance for Water and Climate (MAWaC) is a program of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) aimed at fostering collaboration among megacities in the area of water management and climate change.

This program provides a valuable platform for megacities to share experiences, identify research and development needs, and showcase innovative solutions for the resilience of metropolitan water ecosystems. MAWaC will organize a Water Research and Innovation (WRI) workshop in London from March 13-15, 2024. The workshop will bring together researchers, practitioners, and representatives from megacities in the Europe and North America Region, including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, London, and Paris.

The workshop will summarize the early monitoring results of innovative solutions and their ecological, social, and economic impacts. It will also provide the opportunity to discuss and learn from the diverse experiences of local and international partners. Additionally, the workshop will be an invitation to explore opportunities for collaboration on climate resilience initiatives.

This travel grant supports participation of U.S. researchers in discussions, networking, and brainstorming at the workshop.

Specifically, the WRI workshop will serve the following objectives: (i) encourage collaborative efforts among megacities to address climate challenges; (ii) discuss ways of pooling resources and experiences for current and future WRI initiatives; (iii) accelerate the development of creative adaptation solutions for urban environments. As a result of the workshop, a strategy will be developed for the following five key areas: (i) stormwater management – best practice, modeling & monitoring; (ii) integrated water resources management, recycling & circular economy for climate adaptation; (iii) governance policy, new regulations impacts & climate adaptation urban planning; (iv) infrastructure assets management – modeling & innovative technology solutions; and (v) research partnerships, innovation ecosystems, community engagement & public education for resilient cities.

Bringing the US delegation to the workshop will significantly contribute to achieving MAWaC's goals and the Metropolitan Sustainable Development Goals. The exchange of ideas, best practices, and research findings will allow US stakeholders to develop resilient strategies for managing water in US megacities in the face of climate change. A key outcome of the workshop will be to emphasize the importance of inter- city collaboration and to highlight the benefits of leveraging resources and expertise to accelerate the integration and deployment of innovative climate adaptation technologies.

International participants will design projects for collaborative research and pilot innovative solutions, which will be finalized during the workshop. Participation of the US delegation in the workshop will strengthen ties between MAWaC ENAR countries and facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and exploration of potential joint initiatives. There will be a significant presence of early career researchers and students in the US delegation, providing them with the opportunity to network and develop their careers outside of their disciplinary boundaries in a more meaningful manner.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.