PANEL 1: From Source to Sea: Water–Climate Nexus and Cooperation for Water Resilience

BLED WATER FORUM 2026 Climate change is increasingly experienced through water. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, droughts, floods and ecosystem degradation are affecting water systems across the entire hydrological cycle – from mountain sources and rivers to coastal zones and seas. These challenges highlight the need for integrated approaches that connect climate action with water governance. The Source-to-Sea (S2S) approach provides such a framework by linking freshwater, coastal and marine systems and promoting coordinated action across sectors, institutions and geographical scales. The Source-to-Sea Declaration (2025) emphasises the importance of cooperation and integrated water management to enhance resilience and safeguard ecosystems that support communities, economies and biodiversity. In this context, strengthening the Water–Climate Nexus is essential. Water management must play a central role in climate adaptation strategies, while climate policies must recognise water systems as critical infrastructures for resilience. This panel aims to explore how cooperation across the water cycle – from source to sea – can support climate resilience, sustainable water governance and long-term environmental stability. Moderator: Dr. Aleš Musar, First Gentleman of the Republic of Slovenia Speakers: Mitja Bricelj, Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, Slovenia, Coordinator, EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), Pillar Environment (TSG3), ICPDR Ambassador dr. Ana Polak Petrič, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Berlin, Germany Dr. Tuğba Evrim Maden, Policy Development Coordinator, Turkish Water Institute (SUEN), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Turkey Muneerah Alhajji, Senior specialist Engineer at the Ministry of Electricity and Water and Renewable Energy, Kuwait Claudia Crosa, Director of the Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Public Works and Communications – Paraguay Veronika Matuszná, Representative of the Water Protection Department, Ministry of the Environment, Czech Republic Dr. Elnur Safarov, Caspian Sea Studies Expert IDEA Public Union, CASPISNET Coordinator, Head of International Cooperation Department, Institute of Geography, The Ministry of Science and Education of Azerbaijan