Water hub

The Water Center is a civil society and professional forum of non-governmental organizations, the interested public and individuals who, through organized thematic discussions, form expert views on current problems related to water management in Slovenia. The water junction co-formulates water management policy through articulated initiatives. Representatives of the organizers of the 2nd Slovenian Water Congress, members of the Scientific Committee and other interested public are participating in the Water Hub. Topics for discussion proposed at the 2nd Slovenian Water Congress:

water as a strategic raw material and development potential of Slovenia (perspective until 2050 and until 2100);
how and where to retain water and manage the risks associated with floods, droughts, debris flows and landslides long-term;
guidelines for water management and use comprehensive protection of groundwater as protection of drinking water sources and the issue of karst and geothermal resources.

DISCUSSION

Water management - between the previous system and future challenges

21. March 2018

Prof. M. Rismal is critical about the water management system in Slovenia. Based on experience from some examples of ecological water remediation, he concludes that the disconnection of professions erases the responsibility of individuals. This is often reflected in irrational projects and professional errors and is even exacerbated by the absence of auditing projects or proposed solutions. Leadership problems are part of broader societal problems.

Global megatrends affecting water (pollution, migration, urbanization, technological development, competition for raw materials and natural resources, climate change ...) are a real fact; they are long-lasting processes, but they are very probable and have a great influence (presentation by Dr. Lidija Globevnik). At least some of them will have a significant impact on Europe and indirectly on Slovenia. They must therefore also be taken into account in Slovenia. The effects of megatrends on us also depend on our perception and action, they can be changed. The water industry recognizes the challenges in the development of technologies and innovations in finding solutions for "closing" material and energy cycles in water (nutrients, energy) and in water management in urban environments (collection and runoff of rainwater and municipal water with the integration of blue and green areas, self-sufficiency…).

Water viewed from an ontological, political science and landscape point of view

5. January 2018

Presentation: prof. dr. Miha Brenčič, kan. za dr. Jerneja Brumen, dr. Maja Simoneti

Ancient politics: politics different from nature and the environment. Politics takes place within cities among free people. We can see nature, but we cannot measure it. The modern age: politics thinks through nature and develops the science of nature. Today, we are in an era of “post-politics”, characterized by confusion and depoliticisation of some issues (“some issues are not questioned”). However, the history of political ideas teaches us that we all have the capacity to act politically. So it is now. We can all act and open up questions, look for solutions and take initiatives.

For a landscape architect, water is first and foremost a source of life and a natural value, but otherwise it is always an exceptional planning and design challenge and a unique design material. To understand the landscape-architectural view of water, it is good to know that the development of landscape architecture is closely linked to ensuring the quality of living in the built environment and the development of environmental protection, where landscape planning is defined as providing usable and cultural value functionality and image, and safety planning is recognized as the most effective tool for environmental protection. In this spirit, landscape architects from Slovenia, ie Ogrin's School of Landscape Architecture from the Biotechnical Faculty in Ljubljana, are equipped with knowledge in the field of natural sciences, social sciences, engineering and spatial planning, which means they are well trained and methods by which effective coordination of spatial interests and informed decision-making on development is possible. The landscape architect as such understands water in the narrower physical-geographical, social, economic and ecological sense, understands its characteristics, needs and development potential, and masters the methods by which society can comprehensively optimize the benefits of water.

Position of water in professional disciplines

14. December 2017

Presentations: prof. dr. Miha Toman, prof. dr. Mita Brilly, prof. dr. Pavel Gantar

The debate opened up a series of topics that should be discussed and, ultimately, certain conclusions and initiatives should be reached and addressed to the public and political decision-makers. Topics suggested in the discussion were:

Water as a public good (good) and as a common good (common pool resource), also as a monopoly good, and implications for the normative regulation of the field;
Problems of water management - from water management to IWRM and water governance (intentionally I am not translating terms for the time being) and implications for the organization of water management in Slovenia;
Sava River, its diverse potentials / possibilities and issues of coordination of interests.

Initiative to organize a symposium or round table to present views on certain unresolved issues in relation to water, water management and the need to systematically support research activities in the field of water.

The attitude of official policy towards the environment / water and the attitude of official policy towards the profession: lessons learned from some burning cases of the last year

16. November 2017

Findings: Misunderstandings between individual professions occur because we have different ideas about water and its status. We agreed that at the next meeting we will try to answer the very naive question "what is water" with, say, a water, biological, landscape and sociological aspect. Each of the invited lecturers points out in 10 minutes:

What are those properties of water that are of particular interest to each profession?
What is the "status of water" in the disciplines?