Showcasing Brisbane as an Exemplary River City at the World Water Congress

16 Aug Showcasing Brisbane as an Exemplary River City at the World Water Congress

Image credit: John Riddiford, International Water Association

Rivers shape a city’s urban landscape, economy and culture, and urban stakeholders play a critical role in preserving the freshwater resources essential for our cities. Disruptions in water supply can have severe socio-economic, environmental, and health consequences. With urban populations growing, improving water security and protecting our water resources is an urgent priority.

At the recent World Water Congress in Toronto, Philip Weller from the IRF participated in the Basin-Connected Cities workshop, alongside representatives from the International Water Association (IWA), International Joint Commission, International Association of Water Service Companies in the Danube River Catchment Area (IAWD) and China’s Hohai University. 

Exploring ways to enable urban and rural stakeholders to take action in basin-connected cities, the IRF explored the importance of river cities and the critical role rivers play in shaping a city’s urban landscape, economy and culture. This was highlighted through the example of the River City of Brisbane. As host of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, there is a unique opportunity for the city to leverage these events to drive a transformational shift in delivering improvements in its catchments and waterways. 

Workshop outcomes will inform IWA and the International Network of Basin Organisation’s (INBO) basin-connected cities approach and contribute to a growing portfolio of case studies.