XXXIII Sil Conference

Science for sustainable freshwater use. Our planet is under pressure due to increased demand for freshwater. The availability and suitability of water resources are threatened by human influences, directly through globally unbalancing the slow and fast water cycles and impairing water quality, and indirectly through the adverse effects of climate change. Many freshwater ecosystems are deteriorating in quantity and quality. As a result, an increasing number of people are chronically short of water. In this context, limnology must represent the answer to the planetary water crisis as we need more science and more scientists to urgently face sustainable and effective freshwater recovery. This need can be satisfied only by improving our knowledge in Limnological Sciences and the awareness of what science can do for more sustainable use of freshwater ecosystems. Thus, as water scientists we have two missions: 1) to improve our knowledge of freshwater ecosystem functioning, and 2) to make our knowledge a tool handy for environmental managers and friendly for people. We are confident that this congress will help us as to accomplish these missions as scientists and as human beings.

A special session “Groundwater dependent ecosystems” will host hydrogeologists, biologists and ecologists with the intention of making the session truly multidisciplinary.