About the Congress
Aida World Water Law Congress 2026
Please read about the organizers and committees that make this congress possible, and read the Welcome Addresses by the Chair of AIDA and the Rector of the University of Oslo
Welcome Addresses
A word from the Rector of the University of Oslo
It is a great pleasure for us to co-host the inaugural AIDA Congress, a conference that addresses pressing challenges: the complexities of water law and governance in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss. As a lawyer myself, I recognize the critical role that legal frameworks and governance structures play in safeguarding our freshwater and coastal ecosystems for future generations. The congress is a great example of how to enable interdisciplinary collaboration in tackling global challenges. It is especially meaningful to host this event in Norway, a country deeply connected to its water resources.
I wish all participants a productive and inspiring conference and look forward to seeing the outcomes of your important work. On behalf of all Norwegian co-organizers, welcome to Oslo and the AIDA Congress!
Ragnhild Hennum,
Rector of UiOChair of AIDA, Gabriel Eckstein:
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the International Association for Water Law (AIDA), I am honored to invite you to contribute to the 2026 AIDA World Water Law Congress, dedicated to the theme “Water Law and Governance in Times of Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss.” Since 1967, AIDA has advanced research, dialogue, and capacity-building on equitable and sustainable water regulation across all regions and legal traditions. The Congress continues this mission by convening scholars, practitioners, and decision-makers to exchange innovative insights, interrogate emerging challenges, and cultivate solutions that strengthen water security while safeguarding ecosystems.
We call for abstracts that illuminate cutting-edge jurisprudence, governance and institutional mechanisms, and policy tools capable of steering humanity through a rapidly changing hydrological future. Your knowledge and experiences are essential to shaping an inclusive programme that inspires action.
I look forward to your contributions, and to a vibrant Congress that elevates collective understanding and fosters partnerships.
Sincerely,
Gabriel Eckstein
Chair of the Executive Council, AIDA
Congress Bodies
Advisory Council
Members of the Advisory Council are:
- Aaron Wolf, Professor of Geography, University of Oregon, USA
- Alice Aureli, (retired) Chief of the Groundwater Resources and Aquifer Systems Section of UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme, France
- Ariella D'Andrea, Legal Advisor at Pacific Community SPC, New Caledonia
- Christina Voigt, Professor of Law, University of Oslo and Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, Norway
- Laurence Boisson de Chazournes, Professor of International Law, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Lilian del Castillo-Laborde, former Professor of Public International Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Buenos Aires, former Counselor with Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Argentina
- Louis Kotzé, Research Professor of Law, North-West University, South Africa
- Marleen van Rijswick, Professor of European and Dutch Water Law and Director of Utrecht University Centre for Water, Oceans and Sustainability Law, The Netherlands
- Salman M.A. Salman, (retired) World Bank Legal Counsel and Water Law Advisor, USA
- Stefano Burchi, Former Chair of AIDA and Chair, Water and Wetlands Specialist Group, IUCN, Italy
- Stephen McCaffrey, Professor of Law, University of the Pacific, USA
International Steering Committee
Members of the International Steering Committee are:
- Amael Notini, Legislative Counselor to the Brazilian Senate for Human Rights and Citizenship, Brazil
- Amaka Odili, State Counsel, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, Nigeria
- Aron Westholm, Associate Senior Lecturer in Environmental Law, The University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Cathy Suykens, Postdoctoral Researcher, Utrecht Centre for Water, Oceans and Sustainability Law, The Netherlands
- Froukje Maria Platjouw, Research Manager, Research Institute for Water and the Environment (NIVA), Norway
- Gabriel Eckstein, Chair of the Executive Council of AIDA and Professor of Law, Texas A&M University School of Law, USA
- Gayathri Naik, National Law School of India, India
- Götz Reichert, Head of the Department on Energy, Environment, Climate, and Transport, Centre for European Policy, Germany
- Gunnhild Storbekkrønning Solli, Associate professor of Law, The Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Norway
- Heping Dang, Chinese University of Hong Kong, China
- Imad Antoine Ibrahim, University of Twente, The Netherlands
- Jill Robbie, Professor of Property Law and the Natural Environment, University of Glasgow, UK
- Katrine Broch Hauge, Associate professor of Law, The University of Oslo, Norway
- Mara Tignino, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Geneva, and Senior International Law Specialist, Geneva Water Hub, Switzerland
- Michael Hantke, Universidad San Sebastián, Chile
- Paul Stanton Kibel, Professor Emeritus in Water Law, Golden Gate University, School of Law and Executive Council, International Association for Water Law, USA
- Petr Stejskal, Lecturer and researcher in Public International Law, Palacký University Faculty of Law, Czech Republic
- Rhett Larson, Professor of Water Law, Arizona State University, USA
- Robyn Stein, Buchler Stein Consulting, South Africa
Co-Chairs
Congress Coordination Co-Chair: Gabriel Eckstein
Congress Logistics Co-Chair: Katrine Broch Hauge
Congress Participation Co-Chair: Gunnhild Storbekkrønning Solli
Congress Plenary Sessions Co-Chair: Froukje Maria Platjouw
Congress Communications Co-Chair: Götz Reichert
Congress Secretariat - Contact Information
The Congress Secretariat is organized by the Congress hosts.
Questions can be submitted via mail at: aidacongresssecretariat@gmail.com
