United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health

UNU-INWEH Director Prof. Kaveh Madani met with H.E. Muhammed Saleem, High Commissioner of Pakistan, to discuss expanding collaboration on water diplomacy, climate action, and disaster risk reduction.

The meeting celebrated the newly established cooperation between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Institute and UNU-INWEH, paving the way for strengthened knowledge exchange, capacity building, and joint initiatives.

As a special gesture, High Commissioner Saleem presented Prof. Madani with an official FIFA football manufactured in Pakistan for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Pakistan High Commission Canada Kaveh Madani کاوه مدنی

Interested in using AI, Big Data, and geospatial technologies to solve real-world sustainability challenges?

UNU-INWEH offers a series of free online courses designed to help learners apply emerging technologies to pressing water, environment, and health challenges experienced in our world today.

Featured courses include:

🔹 Big Data Analysis for Water-related Applications
🔹 Introduction to Geospatial Data Analysis with ChatGPT and Google Earth Engine
🔹 Spatial Data Management with Google Earth Engine
🔹 Earth Observation for Sustainable Development

Whether you're a student, researcher, policymaker, or professional, these courses provide practical skills to support data-driven decision-making for sustainable development.

Enroll today through the Online Learning Centre: https://lc.unu.edu

Today, on the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, we celebrate the women whose leadership, expertise, and dedication help shape international cooperation, advance peace, and drive progress on some of the world's most pressing challenges.

From multilateral negotiations and conflict resolution to water governance and sustainable development, women diplomats bring invaluable perspectives that strengthen decision-making, build trust, and foster more inclusive and effective diplomacy.
�We also recognize the important work of the Women in Water Diplomacy Network, which empowers women leaders, strengthens capacities, and advances inclusive approaches to transboundary water cooperation, dialogue, and peacebuilding. By supporting women's leadership in water diplomacy, the Network is helping to build more resilient, equitable, and peaceful societies.

As we celebrate these achievements, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women at all levels of diplomacy, water governance, and global decision-making.

Prof. Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH, met with H.E. Abdulrahman Al Neyadi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Canada, alongside The Honourable Terry Duguid and The Honourable Ali Ehsassi, to discuss pressing global environmental challenges and opportunities for strengthened collaboration between Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

The discussions explored shared priorities in water security, climate resilience, and sustainable development, while identifying opportunities to advance international cooperation ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi in December this year.

🎙️ Science Talks | 24 June 2026, 10:00–11:00 (EST)

Join us for the upcoming UNU-INWEH Science Talk with Dr. Varun Tiwari, exploring how satellites and artificial intelligence are advancing our understanding of Earth’s energy systems and planetary health.

This talk will introduce a new AI-driven framework that uses Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to generate high-resolution (10 m) surface albedo data. By capturing fine-scale variations across landscapes – from cities to ecosystems – the approach enhances how we monitor climate processes, ecosystem services, and land–atmosphere interactions.

Discover how geospatial AI and Earth observation are shaping more precise, scalable solutions for climate resilience, sustainable land management, and agricultural decision-making.

✍️ Register for free: https://go.unu.edu/TFUFl

UNU-INWEH joined the 2025–2026 Eureka Fellowship Summit, where Dr. Rohit Ramchandani shared insights on collaboration, community trust, communication, and partnerships that help turn ideas into lasting impact.

Congratulations to the 10 new Eureka Fellows working toward a healthier, more equitable future for people and the planet.

Water is increasingly shaping the future of peace and security.

At the Fourth International Conference on Environmental Peacebuilding in Ottawa on June 18, Prof. Kaveh Madani highlighted water’s growing role as both a systemic risk and a powerful entry point for cooperation and peacebuilding.

As climate change, resource scarcity, and geopolitical tensions intensify, Water Bankruptcy is emerging as a serious threat to economic stability, social cohesion, and regional security.

Environmental peacebuilding reminds us that water challenges alone do not cause conflict – they interact with existing vulnerabilities. With inclusive governance and cooperation, water can instead become a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and lasting peace.

Against the backdrop of a pivotal year for global water security, UNU-INWEH scientists, Dr. Rohit Ramchandani, Prof. Grace Oluwasanya, Dr. Abraham Nunbogu, and Prof. Kaveh Madani wrote an Editorial on the water and health nexus for The British Medical Journal.

The editorial lays out three concrete, evidence-informed actions health systems can take now: building climate and water data into health decision-making, treating water security as core infrastructure for health facilities, and embedding health expertise into upstream water governance decisions before crises hit.

"It's a quantity, quality, and access issue all at once - with important implications for health systems globally," said Dr. Rohit Ramchandani.

Published in The BMJ, 17 June 2026.

Read the full editorial: https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-812317

Science diplomacy plays a critical role in addressing global challenges that transcend borders.

UNU-INWEH is proud to be a co-organizer of the inaugural Summer School on Science Diplomacy for Outer Space and the Arctic, taking place June 22–26 at Université Paris-Saclay in France.

Part of a five-year initiative funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS), the program brings together leading experts and emerging scholars to explore international cooperation, governance, and sustainability in two of the world's most strategically important regions.

The initiative is led by four chairholders, including Prof. Pooneh Maghoul (Polytechnique Montréal/UNU-INWEH), Dr. Miriam Aczel (UNU-INWEH), Prof. Paul Arthur Berkman (Science Diplomacy Center), and Prof. Philippe Achilleas (Université Paris-Saclay).

We look forward to contributing to conversations that strengthen global collaboration through science, diplomacy, and knowledge exchange.