WSDAC Presented Research on Green Water at the 5th Water Congress in Sarajevo
Representatives of the Centre for Water for Sustainable Development and Adaptation to Climate Change (WSDAC), a UNESCO Category 2 Centre hosted by the Jaroslav Černi Water Institute, participated in the 5th Water Congress, held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 18–19 June 2026. The Congress was organized by the Society of Consultants and Engineers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The event brought together researchers, water professionals, policymakers, representatives of public institutions, the private sector, and civil society to exchange knowledge, experiences, and innovative approaches to sustainable water management in the face of increasing climate-related challenges. Discussions focused on the growing impacts of floods, droughts, water scarcity, ecosystem degradation, and the role of water in strengthening climate resilience and supporting sustainable development.
On behalf of WSDAC, Dr Brankica Majkić-Dursun and Mr Zoran Simić presented the paper entitled “Bringing Green Water into Focus in the Republic of Serbia”
The paper highlights the growing importance of the green water concept, which has gained increasing international attention through the initiatives of UNESCO and the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP). In particular, the recent Green Water Dialogue emphasized the essential role of soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and vegetation processes in enhancing climate resilience, ensuring food security, and maintaining the stability of hydrological systems.
While conventional water management has traditionally focused on blue water—surface water and groundwater resources used for drinking water supply, energy production, industry, and irrigation—the study emphasizes that green water, representing the portion of precipitation stored in the soil–vegetation system and returned to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration, constitutes the dominant component of the terrestrial hydrological cycle. Green water plays a fundamental role in sustaining rainfed agriculture, preserving ecosystem services, regulating climate processes, and supporting adaptation to climate change.
The research presents an analysis of the relationship between green and blue water in selected river basins across the Republic of Serbia, together with observed changes in precipitation and air temperature over recent decades. Using a simplified methodological approach, the study aims to communicate the importance of green water to both decision-makers and the broader professional community, thereby supporting the integration of soil moisture and land–water interactions into future water resources planning and management.
Participation in the Congress provided an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge with regional experts, strengthen professional cooperation, and present WSDAC’s ongoing activities within the framework of international cooperation on water resources and climate change.
This research was carried out within the activities of the Centre for Water for Sustainable Development and Adaptation to Climate Change (WSDAC), a UNESCO Category 2 Centre hosted by the Jaroslav Černi Water Institute, under Phase IX of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP-IX). The presented research contributes to the ongoing international dialogue on integrating green water into water governance and supports UNESCO’s efforts to promote holistic and climate-resilient approaches to water resources management.
