River Ethics and Water Engineering

Convenors: Philippe Gourbesville and Xin He

Globally, rivers are in critical danger, which urgently calls for new solutions. At the 2023 UN Water Conference, an initiative was proposed to construct River Ethics. Additionally, the 10th World Water Forum saw the release a report titled River Ethics and China’s Practices, which was subsequently made available in multiple languages at the 3rd Asia International Water Week. A book on River Ethics is underway, addressing the ethical dilemmas humanity faces in river protection and advancing the ontological concept of harmony between humans and nature. This special session will discuss the theories and practices of River Ethics, particularly the integration of River Ethics into real-world engineering and management.