Potsdam Summer School 2021 (online event): Water - Our Global Common Good

+++ Update: Due to the ongoing pandemic situation it has been decided to conduct it as an online event. It will take place from Aug 09 until Aug 12 (part I) and Aug 23 until Aug 26, 2021. The programme is in the state of being adjusted accordingly and will be published on potsdam-summer-school.org/ +++

Water is the single most precious resource on our planet. The so-called hydrosphere creates unique habitats and provides ecosystem services to people such as food and drinking water supply, renewable energy resources, as well as benefits for health and well-being, cultural values, tourism, trade, and transport. Therefore, the hydrosphere interacts with each aspect of sustainability reflected in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is a major indicator for the state of our planet.

The Potsdam Summer School takes these important matters into account and continues the transdisciplinary and interactive event series that has been held annually in Potsdam, Germany since 2014. The #PSS2021 programme will focus on three major aspects:

• Too much: Heavy precipitation, flooding, salinization
• Too little: Extreme droughts, exploitation of drinking water
• Too bad: Pollution, utilisation, accessibility, distribution and sanitation

The aim of the Potsdam Summer School is to bring together talented early-career scientists and young professionals operating in the private sector, governmental agencies and non-governmental organisations from many different parts of the world to discuss frontier (research) questions on future sustainable development. Experts, stakeholders, and guest lecturers from high level national and international institutes and organisations will contribute knowledge and insights to the Summer School programme. The call for applications has started now. The deadline for submitting applications will be on March 31, 2021.

In partnership with Geo.X and the City of Potsdam, the 2021 Potsdam Summer School will be jointly organised by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), the Helmholtz-Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), and the University of Potsdam.