The 4th International Symposium of Water Disaster Mitigation and Water Environment Regulation cum the 14th South China Sea Tsunami Workshop were successfully held in Hong Kong from 29 November to 2 December 2024. This joint event was co-organized by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Sichuan University, Sun Yat-sen University, Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), and supported by IAHR-HK Chapter, IAHR-China Chapter and relevant government departments of Hong Kong SAR.
The four-day event, themed "Coastal and Urban Resilience under Climate Change," brought together 208 participants from 21 countries and regions to explore five key topics: "Extreme Weather under Climate Change", "Water-related Disasters", "Infrastructure Resilience", "Hydro-environment and Eco-hydraulics", and "AI and IoT Applications". The event commenced with welcome addresses from Prof. Xiangdong Li (Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, DoRISUD) and Prof. Xiaoli Ding (DoRILS). A total of 43 plenary and keynote speeches were delivered by distinguished experts in hydraulic and environmental engineering. These insightful presentations fostered in-depth discussions on cutting-edge issues such as monitoring and forecasting extreme climate events, mitigating water-related hazards in the context of climate change, and enhancing water environment management. Valuable recommendations were provided for strengthening infrastructure resilience and integrating data science into water engineering practices. Additionally, the conference featured 73 oral presentations and 39 posters, showcasing the latest research and injecting fresh momentum into synergistic innovation and sustainable development in this field.
This joint event offered fresh perspectives and innovative solutions for tackling climate change and enhancing coastal and urban resilience. It significantly bolstered international collaboration and innovation in water resource management and disaster prevention. We extend our heartful gratitude to all the speakers and participants for their active contributions, which were instrumental in making this event a resounding success towards global cooperation and innovation in water disaster mitigation, water environment management, and climate change adaptation.
