update Updated
category Governance
On the sidelines of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3), taking place in Nice from June 9 to 13, 2025, the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) and the Secretariat for Environment and Sustainability of the State of Rio de Janeiro (SEAS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoA) for the joint organization of the next INBO World Basin Summit, scheduled from 15 to 19 June 2026 in Brazil.
After Marrakesh and Bordeaux, Rio de Janeiro will host this major international event dedicated to integrated water resources management (IWRM) at basin level, previously known as INBO’s World General Assembly. Held every two years in a different country, the INBO World Basin Summit brings together between 200 and 400 participants – basin organizations, national administrations, local authorities, international institutions, research centers – from all over the world to share experiences and solutions. Against a backdrop of increasing pressure on water, exacerbated by climate change, fragmented governance, growing urbanization and intensified use, INBO Summit is an essential forum for cooperation and exchange, to build more sustainable and resilient water resource management strategies.
Plenary sessions and workshops will address crucial basin-related issues such as governance, planning, financing, information systems, adaptation to climate change, biodiversity preservation and transboundary cooperation.
INBO World Basin Summit in Rio de Janeiro attests a renewed ambition: to reinforce the political and operational impact of this meeting and make it a privileged space for dialogue and cooperation between all stakeholders involved in basin management.
The progress achieved by the Rio de Janeiro in cleaning up Guanabara Bay demonstrates that it is possible to reverse decades of neglect through cooperation and strategic planning. This summit is essential for us to share experiences and work together to build resilient and sustainable solutions for managing our water resources.
Bernardo Rossi – Rio de Janeiro’s State Secretary for Environment and Sustainability
This partnership with Brazil marks a major milestone in the history of our network. By hosting the INBO World Basin Summit in 2026, Rio de Janeiro will contribute to making this event a true place of cooperation, innovation and sharing in the service of sustainable management of water resources. We want to make this summit a privileged space for dialogue between all stakeholders, at all scales, confronted with the growing challenges of basin management.
Eric TARDIEU – INBO Secretary General