The 2nd International Sediment Initiative (ISI) Advisory Board Meeting was held in Beijing on September 24, 2024, along with a series of academic activities of the 40th Anniversary of the International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (IRTCES) during September 23 – 25, which provided an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and look forward to future endeavours in the field of erosion and sedimentation research and training.
The inaugural meeting of the ISI Advisory Board for IHP-IX took place on 23 and 24 April, 2024 in Paris, France. The meeting served as a platform to discuss and finalize the new ISI strategy and the workplan for its implementation during the IXth phase of the IHP. The 2nd meeting focused on the official nomination of the ISI Advisory Board and further discussion and implementation of the workplan. About 20 participants attended the meeting, both in person and on-line, including members of the new ISI Advisory Board, representatives of the Secretary of the UNESCO – IHP, and the ISI Global Secretariat (IRTCES).
Chaired by Dr. Siying Tan, Junior Professional Officer of UNESCO – IHP, Prof. Jianli Zhang, Deputy Director of IRTCES, opened the session and welcomed all participants in person and online. Dr. Koen Verbist, Programme Specialist of the UNESCO – IHP, presented the current ISI Workplan and the IHP-IX reporting system. Prof. Hongling Shi, Deputy Division Chief of IRTCES, provided a progress update and an overview of proposed IRTCES activities. Progress updates and overviews of proposed activities were also provided by representatives of the Regional Coordinators and the Thematic Priority Coordinators. These included
Group I (Western European and North American States): Prof. Ralph Schielen, Utrecht University, the Netherlands & Prof. Thomas Hoffmann, Federal Institute of Hydrology, Germany;
Group II (Eastern European States): Prof. Matja? Miko?, UNESCO Chair on Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction, Slovenia;
Group III (Latin American and Caribbean States): Prof. Jose Alberto Zú?iga, University of Costa Rica;
Group IV (Asian and Pacific States): Prof. Zhiwei Li, Wuhan University, China;
Group Va (African States): Prof. Omogbemi Omoloju Yaya, UNESCO Category 2 Centre - Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management, Nigeria;
Thematic Priority 1 (Erosion and Sediment Transport and Management): Prof. Thomas Hoffmann, Federal Institute of Hydrology, Germany & Prof. William H Blake, University of Plymouth, UK;
Thematic Priority 2 (Sediment-related Hazard Management): Ms. Silvia Bianchini, UNESCO Chair on Prevention and Sustainable Management of Geo-Hydrological Hazards, Italy & Prof. Matja? Miko?, UNESCO Chair on Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction, Slovenia; and
Thematic Priority 3 (Glacier-related sediment, erosion and hazards management): Prof. Vít Vilímek, Charles University, Czech.
The Implementation of the ISI workplan was discussed, and participants, including Prof. Cheng Liu, former member of the ISI Advisory Group, provided suggestions relating to future ISI activities. Dr. Koen Verbist wrapped up the meeting and the way forward in his closing remarks.
