Beyond the current: Improving European flowing waters in an era of global change

ongoing

BEYOND will train the next generation of water professionals who will deliver scientific and technological innovation across disciplines, institutions and countries needed to solve European water quality problems in an era of global change. In the last decade, some improvement in understanding of water pollution has been achieved but there are still significant knowledge gaps, especially in the context of climate change and emerging contaminants, coupled with a lack of systems approach and operational tools required by water management. To address water quality pressures, we need to better target heterogeneity in the land-water continuum, accounting for recipient-specific sensitivity to pollution pressures and the spatial and temporal variation in sources, pathways, and impacts on stream ecology and ecosystem services, now and under future climatic conditions. BEYOND will equip Researchers with critical technical and communication skills needed to provide evidence-based management of landscapes and river networks under current and future conditions. They will gain expertise in interdisciplinary catchment science, novel high-resolution water quality sensors and models, gain access to cutting-edge water quality instrumentation in experimental catchments in Europe and through secondments to SMEs, and skills in citizen science. BEYOND Researchers will become leaders in innovation and knowledge exchange needed to achieve water quality improvements, through effective interactions with public and private stakeholders during secondments and short visits.