2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) and 60 years of UNESCO's dedication to water sciences. Since its inception, UNESCO has contributed to advancing water research and management, addressing global water challenges through international cooperation and scientific excellence.
The IHP, as UNESCO's flagship water science programme, has played a pivotal role in fostering scientific knowledge, technical innovation, and education in water resources management.
Anniversary Celebrations and Recognition for UK Water Sciences
The Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) anniversary celebrations were officially marked with an event on 11 June 2025, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
This event brought together members of the global water science community, including a delegation from the UK led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), to look back on 50 years of progress and shape new agendas for the next half-century.
The delegation of UK water experts were welcomed to Paris by Anna Nsubuga, UK Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO (pictured below, centre-left).
L-R above: Joanna Savage, (International Relations Coordinator / Ecologist), Secretary, UK IHP National Committee, UKCEH; Stefan Krause, Co-lead UNITWIN in Ecohydrological Interfaces, University of Birmingham; Will Blake, UNESCO International Sediment Initiative – Advisory Board, University of Plymouth; Anna Nsubuga, UK Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO; Amil Khan, Public Affairs Manager, University of Birmingham; Professor David Hannah, Chair Lead, UNESCO Chair in Water Science, University of Birmingham; Professor Harry Dixon, Associate Director of International Research & Development, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Chair of UK IHP National Committee; and Professor John Rowan, Director, UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Water Law Policy & Science at University of Dundee.
UK experts were also recognised for their long-standing contributions to the IHP. Those recognised included:
- Professor Harry Dixon, Associate Director of International Research & Development, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, and Chair of UK IHP National Committee
- Professor David Hannah, Chair Lead, UNESCO Chair in Water Science at University of Birmingham; and
- Professor John Rowan, Director, UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Water Law Policy & Science at University of Dundee.
Technical Symposia
The IHP anniversary celebrations were followed by a two-day technical symposia on 12-13 June where international dialogues on global water science took place, to shape new strategies to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s water-related challenges.
Again, UK water scientists were heavily involved in the symposia, with several organising side events, and more being participants in panel debates and presentations.
Harry Dixon, Steve Turner, and Sayali Pawar (UKCEH), and Wouter Buytaert (Imperial College London), were involved in sessions focussing on Open Hydrology, whilst David Hannah and Stefan Krause (University of Birmingham) participated / presented at events on Artifical Intelligence, Water Action and Ecohydrology.
Once more, the UK Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Anna Nsubuga, actively participated in the symposia, including providing Opening Remarks at a key session "HELP 2.0: Reviving the UNESCO-IHP Hydrology for the Environment Life and Policy (HELP) and its contribution to IHP-IX" organised and moderated by John Rowan at the UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Water Law Policy & Science at University of Dundee.
Launch of global green education blueprint
The University of Birmingham used the IHP event to launch a comprehensive blueprint and call to action for policy makers to embed sustainability as a key part of education in schools and universities around the globe.
The University’s Sustainability Education Policy Brief aligns with UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD for 2030) programme which prioritises five key areas:
- policy
- learning environments
- educators
- youth
- local communities
Thoughts on the IHP50 Celebrations from Dr Ben Howard, Early Career Representative on UK National Committee for the IHP
Dr Ben Howard is an early career representative on the UK National Committee for the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme. Ben was asked by the UK Permanent Delegation to UNESCO (UKPD) to write a blog for FCDO colleagues, reflecting on his experiences at the UNESCO IHP 50th anniversary celebrations and associated conference held in Paris. You can read Ben's blog by clicking on the button below.
UNSECO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) turns 50 - Dr Ben Howard
United Kingdom & Northern Ireland IHP50 Delegation
The full UK&NI delegation at the IHP 50th Anniversary Celebrations and Symposia comprised of:
UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH)
- Harry Dixon, Chair, UK IHP National Committee
- Sayali Pawar, International Hydrological Data Coordinator (Early Career Researcher)
- Joanna Savage, (International Relations Coordinator / Ecologist), Secretary, UK IHP National Committee
- Steve Turner, Hydrologist
University of Birmingham
University of Dundee
- John Rowan, Director, UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Water Law Policy & Science
University of Coventry
- Bastien Dieppois, UNESCO Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data (FRIEND-Water) – European Lead Coordinator (EuroFRIEND)
University of Plymouth
- Will Blake, UNESCO International Sediment Initiative – Advisory Board
Imperial College London
- Wouter Buytaert, Professor of Hydrology and Water Resources
- Ben Howard, Research Associate in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Early Career Researcher)
University of Bristol
With thanks...
The UKNC would like to thank all those who contribute to the UK's participation in the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), with particular reference to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH).
UKCEH provides the secretariat for the UK IHP National Committee, coordinating input to the programme through national capability funding provided by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
The UKNC would finally like to give personal thanks to Joanna Savage, International Relations Coordinator / Ecologist at UKCEH, and Secretary of the UK IHP National Committee, for her significant contributions to the organisation and communications relating to the IHP 50 events, without whom our own communications of this important event would not have been possible.
More information on the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP)
