Conference on Land Use Change and Water Systems : Interdisciplinary approaches connecting Social and Natural Sciences

Context

Over the last decades, land use and land management change – urbanization, development of
intensive agriculture, land abandonment, reclaiming of wetlands and floodplains… – have
exerted significant influences on water systems and the broader environment and society.
Recently, practitioners and academics are actively exploring innovative land use strategies,
with a stronger reliance on natural processes. Their goal is to foster a more integrated
management of water capable of addressing on-going global changes.

Supporting decision makers in the design of these strategies requires the use of
interdisciplinary approaches, encompassing inter allia : i) the understanding of relationships
between land use dynamics and water systems (surface and groundwater), ii) the description
of social representations and perceptions surrounding these changes and iii) the assessment
of economic, social and environmental impacts stemming from historical changes and
prospective scenarios.

Objectives

This scientific conference endeavours to showcase interdisciplinary contributions that
integrate natural and social sciences and cover these different approaches. The objective is to
provide valuable insights supporting the development of sustainable land management
strategies.

Program

The conference will cover three main themes:


Theme 1 : Characterization of land use, water use and water resources through remote sensing,
observation and citizen science
Theme 2 : Representation and modelling of the complex interactions between land, water and
social systems
Theme 3: Interdisciplinary assessment of economic, social and environmental impacts stemming
from land use change and related policies

Conference information

The conference will take place at Montpellier, France on 19 June 2024 from 8.30 am to 5 pm.
Participation is free but subject to registration and availability of space.

Register hereunder before 31 may 2024

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