The 2nd International Sociohydrology Conference

Regenerative Nature = Regenerative Governance
Water as Power for Systemic Urban Transformation
Our climate crisis manifests as water – in its absence, in its excess. But what if we reframed this existential threat as our most powerful catalyst for change? Water isn't merely a problem to solve; it's the medium through which we can reimagine urban futures. In Bangkok, where monsoons expose the fragility of failure in land-based urbanism, we are reimagining water not as a problem to control, but as a partner in regeneration. As landscape architects on the climate frontline, we see every flood-prone neighborhood and every overburdened canal as an opportunity to pioneer a new paradigm—one where cities work with water rather than against it.
This is more than resilient infrastructure; it is regenerative governance in action. When designed as living systems, parks like Chulalongkorn Centenary Park become sponges that mitigate floods while creating public value. When governed as shared resources, neglected canals like Chong Nonsi transform into community anchors that reconnect neighborhoods to their waterways. The lesson is clear: true transformation happens when technical solutions merge with people and community agency, when policies align with ecological logic, and when water stewardship becomes civic practice.
The challenge ahead is not just better engineering, but rewriting the social and political contracts that shape our cities. It demands that we view every raindrop as potential—for cooling streets, nourishing urban farms, and revitalizing communities. In Bangkok’s struggle with water lies a blueprint for cities worldwide: the path to climate resilience runs not through concrete barriers, but through regenerative landscapes designed with water as co-author. Join me in redefining what urban futures can flow from this elemental power.

In this special dialogue session, two distinguished awardees will reflect on the future of sociohydrology and discuss bold new directions for the field. Drawing on their groundbreaking work and recent international recognitions, they will explore how sociohydrology can evolve to tackle the pressing water challenges of our time.
Awardees
Günter Blöschl
Vienna University of Technology
Recipient of the 2025 Stockholm Water Prize
Giuliano Di Baldassarre
Uppsala University
Recipient of the 2025 Volker Medal and the International Hydrology Prize
Moderator
Taikan Oki
The University of Tokyo
Recipient of the 2024 Stockholm Water Prize
In addition, this session will include a recognition of the recipients of the 2025 SYSTA Award, celebrating outstanding early-career researchers who are shaping the future of hydrological sciences.