More than 120 experts from government, research and water management practice gathered in Osnabrück on 18 June 2026 for the first joint water conference of Lower Saxony and the Netherlands. The event marked an important step in strengthening cross-border cooperation on water management and provided a platform to exchange knowledge, experiences and ideas for addressing future water challenges. The event was organised by the Ministry of Environment, Climate protection and Energy of Niedersachsen, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the cross-border platform for Regional water management and JCAR ATRACE.
Extreme weather events, from droughts to floods, increasingly affect entire river basins and require coordinated approaches that extend beyond national boundaries. Against this backdrop, the conference brought together stakeholders from both countries to explore how cooperation between policy, practice and science can support more resilient and futureproof water management.
Building Momentum for Future Water Management
Throughout the conference, representatives from both countries emphasised the growing importance of working together to address shared water challenges.
Christian Meyer, Lower Saxony's Minister for the Environment and Climate Protection, highlighted the need for stronger cooperation:
"We must fundamentally advance our water management while at the same time cooperating even more closely across borders."
Jaap Slootmaker, Director General for Water and Soil at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, reinforced this message:
"We share the rivers. We share the risks. And from today onwards, we also share the responsibility."
The plenary sessions and panel discussions provided valuable insights into ongoing developments in both countries. Particular attention was given to how policy, practice and science can work together to develop robust and adaptive water management strategies.
A special thank you to all the speakers and the event moderator for their contributions. The presentations from the plenary session can be accessed here.
From Knowledge Exchange to Practical Cooperation
A key element of the conference was a series of breakout sessions that allowed participants to explore common challenges and opportunities in greater depth.
Topics included:
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Flood risk management and early warning systems
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Water strategies and governance
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Preparedness for extreme events
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Climate adaptation and sponge measures for water retention
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Knowledge communication and public awareness
The discussions revealed many shared challenges across the two countries. Participants exchanged experiences, identified common needs, and explored concrete opportunities for future collaboration.
The outcomes of these sessions provide an important foundation for follow up activities within the JCAR ATRACE programme and other cross border initiatives.
Looking Ahead
The results and insights from the breakout sessions are currently being further elaborated.
In the coming months:
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More presentations and session summaries will be made available.
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Identified opportunities for cooperation will be further developed.
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Follow up activities within cross-border projects will be executed.
The conference therefore marked more than a successful one-day event. It established a shared starting point for deeper cooperation between Lower Saxony and the Netherlands on the discussed topics and reinforced a common commitment to addressing future water challenges together.
Relevant Reading
Several background documents provide further insight into the themes discussed during the conference and the knowledge base that supports cross-border water cooperation in the GPRW region.
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Conference programme – An overview of the conference sessions, speakers and topics discussed during the event. Available on the JCAR ATRACE website: Conference programme.
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Vecht Scoping Study – The original scoping study that formed an important knowledge foundation for discussions on transboundary water management challenges and opportunities in the Vecht catchment: Download the scoping study.
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Scoping Study summary – A concise summary of the main findings and recommendations from the Vecht Scoping Study: Download the summary.
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Conference presentations – The presentations delivered during the plenary session of the conference, providing further detail on the topics discussed: View the presentations.
