IWHR President Dr. Peng Jing delivered a keynote speech at the Conference on the Future of Water Infrastructure in Spain and the World, jointly organized by the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR) and Spain Water. 

In her keynote speech titled “China’s Water Infrastructure Development: Innovation and Practice,” Dr. Peng elaborated on how China has been addressing challenges such as climate change in the digital era by promoting the digitalization, interconnection, and intelligent transformation of water infrastructure. Notable innovations include the integrated “Space-Air-Ground-Water-Project” sensing network, the “Three Defense Lines” national rainfall and flood forecasting and reporting system, and the intelligent decision support system based on the “Four Capabilities for Flood Preparedness”, all of which represent China’s pioneering practices in developing digital twins of river basins, water networks, and infrastructure.

Dr. Peng also introduced the SkyLIM water model system independently developed by IWHR, and presented its integration with modern AI tools such as DeepSeek, envisioning its potential for future applications. She emphasized that China’s water science and technology community remains committed to open collaboration and joint innovation to support the realization of water-related Sustainable Development Goals. She reaffirmed IWHR’s mission to facilitate flood control, water supply, food security, and ecological protection, and to advancing the building of a shared future for mankind.

?Held in Madrid and combined with online participation, Conference on the Future of Water Infrastructure in Spain and the World convened global experts, policymakers, and practitioners to address the challenges and opportunities in water infrastructure amidst climate change and technological advancements. Discussions encompassed the entire lifecycle from planning and design to operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of water infrastructure, emphasizing the need for resilient, intelligent, and inclusive water systems worldwide.