News about water is becoming increasingly alarming: water scarcity, overused resources, droughts and floods all show how serious the challenges have become. This makes international exchange all the more important when it comes to finding ways to use and protect water resources more responsibly in the future.

One of the key global meeting points for this exchange is World Water Week in Stockholm. This year, the Josef Wund Foundation attended for the first time. Under the theme Water for People and Progress, experts from science, politics, business and civil society came together to discuss current developments and explore possible solutions.

“Water bankruptcy”: when water crises are no longer temporary

One of the most memorable contributions came from Prof. Kaveh Madani, recipient of the 2026 Stockholm Water Prize. With his concept of “water bankruptcy”, he describes a situation that goes far beyond temporary water scarcity.

When water resources are overused for many years and natural systems are permanently damaged, a point can be reached where previous conditions can no longer be fully restored. Madani’s concept also draws attention to the responsibility of politics and society: water crises are not caused by climate change alone, but are also shaped by the way existing resources are managed and by the decisions that are made.

Young ideas for the future of water

Another focus of our visit was the Stockholm Junior Water Prize. The international competition brings together young researchers from different countries who are working on scientific projects and new ideas related to water.

For the Josef Wund Foundation, this competition will take on particular importance in the future: from 2027 onwards, the Foundation will support the German nomination for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize together with Jugend forscht.

This marks a further expansion of the Josef Wund Foundation’s commitment to water research and the promotion of young talent. The aim is to encourage young people to engage scientifically with the major water-related challenges of our time and to develop their own approaches and solutions.

Our first visit to World Water Week provided many new impressions and perspectives. At the same time, it made clear just how important international cooperation and exchange between generations are when it comes to the future of our water resources.