Theme & Program

AIDA World Water Law Congress 2026

Water Law and Governance in Times of Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss

Our freshwater and coastal ecosystems are under significant pressure from climate change and biodiversity loss. Climate change is altering the functioning of freshwater and coastal ecosystems and their biodiversity, as well as water availability. At the same time, various sectors, such as renewable energy, agriculture, urbanization, and industrial activities, continue exerting additional pressure on freshwater and coastal ecosystems through pollution and habitat destruction, causing biodiversity degradation and less resilient ecosystems.

Addressing these challenges requires a coherent and integrative approach in water law and governance. The AIDA Congress aims to shed light on existing barriers and opportunities for coherent and integrated freshwater and coastal management, and invites participants to explore technical, social, financial, institutional and regulatory innovations to overcome identified barriers, enabling the transformative transition to a future-proof system of water law and governance.

The Aida Congress conference brings together leading experts, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners from around the world to discuss innovative solutions and strategies for sustainable water management.

Join us for the first AIDA Congress for an insightful and impactful global conference addressing the critical issues of water law and governance amidst the challenges posed by climate change and biodiversity loss.

• Congress Thematic framework

  We invite participants to explore how key mechanisms, including legal, regulatory, governance,
  economic, fiscal, institutional, compliance, technological, dispute resolution, and other mechanisms, can
  be developed, integrated and implemented to create sustainable, long-term solutions for water
  management in a rapidly changing world, and to enable a transformative change to a sustainable future.
  These mechanisms can be discussed using practical examples, national and international court decisions,
  case studies, and other narratives.

  
  Thematic subthemes

  1) Water Law and Governance for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

  1. This sub-theme explores how legal and governance frameworks can support climate-resilient water
     systems. Topics may include:
  2. 
     • Legal and governance mechanisms for climate adaptation and mitigation in water management
     • Integration of water law into climate policies and international agreements
     • Nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation
     • Managing the water+ nexuses (e.g., water-energy, water-agriculture, etc.) under climate stress
     • Climate justice and equitable access to water in a changing climate
     • Legal and governance mechanisms related to smart water management and climate-resilient
     infrastructure

  2) Water Rights, Obligations, and Justice
  

  • This sub-theme focuses on the legal and policy dimensions of water access, use, and governance,
    especially under conditions of climate variability and ecological degradation. Topics may include:
  • 
    • Human rights and access to water and sanitation
    • Urban to rural water tenure
    • Rights-based approaches to river and wetlands management
    • Legal obligations of states to manage water under climate uncertainty
    • Access to justice in water-related disputes
    • Indigenous knowledge and community-based governance
    • Equity for marginalized and rural communities
    • Citizen science and public participation in water decision-making
    • The role of civil society

  3) Balancing Changing Hydrologic Conditions, Water Usage, and Biodiversity
  Conservation

  • This sub-theme investigates how water law and governance can reconcile water use with biodiversity
    protection. Topics may include:
  • 
    • Legal frameworks for water-related ecosystem protection and restoration
    • Integrated watershed and coastal zone management
    • Bridging land-water governance divides
    • Bridging freshwater-marine water governance divides
    • Conservation-compatible water allocation and use
    • Sectoral approaches (e.g., regenerative farming, restorative aquaculture, community-based
    fisheries)
    • Synergies and tensions between climate and biodiversity laws and policies and the impact on
    water resources management

• Congress Program

  The conference program will be made available at a later stage.

• Keynote Speakers

  Speaker information is forthcoming and will be shared as it becomes available.

  • Professor Christina Voigt

    

    Keynote by Professor Christina Voigt

    
    "Water at the Heart of Global Environmental Challenges: The Role and Limits of Law"

    Dr. Christina Voigt is Professor of Law at the University of Oslo, Norway, and a renowned expert in international environmental law. She is passionate about legal issues of climate change, environmental multilateralism, and sustainability. Professor Voigt has published widely on these topics and is a frequent speaker at international and national events.

    Professor Voigt is Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL).

    For more than 10 years, she also worked as legal adviser and negotiator for the Government of Norway in the UN climate negotiations. She was the first Co-chair of the Paris Agreement´s Compliance and Implementation Committee (2020-2024) and is currently a member of the Committee.

• Excursions

  As part of the AIDA conference, participants can join an excursion scheduled for the afternoon of June 26th.
  Please note that spaces for each excursion are limited, and early registrants will have priority in securing their preferred option.

  Details for this section will be available later.

• Reception and Congress Dinner

  We are pleased to inform that the Municipality of Oslo has invited to a reception at Oslo City Hall on the evening of Wednesday, 24 June.

  Congress Dinner will take place on the evening of Thursday, 25 June.

  
  Additional details regarding the venue, schedule, and registration will be provided in due course.