Governance for Transboundary Freshwater Security

Yumiko Yasuda serves as Senior Network and Transboundary Water Cooperation Specialist at the Global Water Partnership (GWP), where she leads thematic work on transboundary water cooperation and environmental governance. After earning her Ph.D. from the Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science at the University of Dundee, MA in environmental policy from Tufts University, and MSc in environmental science from Tsukuba University, she built an impressive career spanning research and practical implementation. Her professional journey includes roles as postdoctoral researcher at the Hague Institute for Global Justice, researcher at the University of Dundee, Livelihoods Coordinator for WWF's Mekong program, and program officer at UNDP GEF Asia Pacific. Her expertise in water diplomacy and political economy analysis has influenced transboundary water management across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. As lead faculty for the Governance for Transboundary Freshwater Security MOOC, she has expanded access to water governance education by translating course materials into five languages. Her work culminated in the book "Rules, Norms and NGO Advocacy Strategies: Hydropower Development on the Mekong River" (Routledge, 2015), while her current focus includes developing practical approaches to implement complex principles like equitable water utilization in transboundary basins

Danilo Türk, born February 19, 1952, has built an extraordinary career spanning academia, diplomacy, and public service. After earning his law degree from the University of Ljubljana in 1975 and Ph.D. in 1982, he became director of Ljubljana's Institute for International Law in 1983. His early career focused on human rights, serving on the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities (1984-1992) and drafting the 1986 UN Declaration on the Right to Development. As Slovenia's first Permanent Representative to the UN (1992-2000), he secured Slovenia's election to the Security Council and served as Council President twice. He then served as UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs under Kofi Annan (2000-2005) before returning to Slovenia and eventually becoming President (2007-2012). Currently, he serves as President of Club de Madrid, chairs the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace, and leads the Danilo Türk Foundation (formerly Let Them Dream) supporting child victims of armed conflict. His academic work continues as professor emeritus at the University of Ljubljana and visiting professor at Columbia University. In 2022, he was appointed to the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism, reflecting his ongoing commitment to international cooperation and human rights.

Jackie King has revolutionized global river management through her groundbreaking work in environmental flows and integrated water resource management. After spending nearly four decades at the University of Cape Town's Freshwater Research Unit as co-founder and Principal Researcher, she established her consultancy Water Matters in 2009. Her innovative research developed ecosystem models demonstrating the ecological and social implications of damming and de-watering rivers, providing decision-makers with tools to assess the full costs and benefits of water resource developments. Her methods, initially developed at the University of Cape Town with funding from South Africa's Water Research Commission, significantly influenced South Africa's 1998 National Water Act and now guide governments across the globe. As a consultant, she has worked in over 20 countries and with major river basin organizations including the Mekong, Zambezi, Indus, and Okavango. Her exceptional contributions earned her the 2019 Stockholm Water Prize, which she leveraged to launch Africa's Living Rivers initiative. Currently serving as Extraordinary Professor at the University of Western Cape's Institute for Water Studies, she continues to advocate for sustainable river management while helping governments understand that healthy river ecosystems are fundamental to sustainable development. Her work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Gold and Silver Medals from the Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists, South Africa's "Women in Water" Award, and WWF-South Africa's "Living Planet Award" in 2016.

Aaron T. Wolf serves as Professor of Geography at Oregon State University and Director of the Program in Water Conflict Management and Transformation, where he has revolutionized understanding of transboundary water disputes. After completing his Ph.D., he has dedicated his career to studying the intersection of water science and policy, particularly focusing on conflict prevention and resolution. His research has challenged conventional wisdom by demonstrating that water stress often leads to cooperation rather than warfare between nations. As a trained mediator and facilitator, he has conducted workshops and mediations in water basins worldwide while coordinating the Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database, a comprehensive collection of water conflicts and their resolutions. His influential works include "The Spirit of Dialogue: Lessons from Faith Traditions in Transforming Conflict" (2017), "Managing and Transforming Water Conflicts" (2009), and "Hydropolitics Along the Jordan River" (1995). He has consulted for numerous organizations including the US Department of State, USAID, and the World Bank, while developing innovative approaches to water dispute resolution that incorporate both technical expertise and cultural sensitivity. His Basin at Risk project has provided crucial tools for identifying and preventing water-related conflicts, while his work continues to shape global water policy through his roles at Oregon State University and IHE Delft

Alistair Rieu-Clarke serves as Professor of Law at Northumbria University, where he specializes in international water law and transboundary water cooperation. After working at the Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science at the University of Dundee until 2016, followed by a crucial secondment at the 1992 Water Convention Secretariat (2017-2018), he has built an impressive 20-year career combining academic research with practical policy implementation. His expertise spans teaching, research, and consultancy in international water law, with particular focus on transboundary rivers, lakes, and aquifers. He has conducted multi-disciplinary research projects examining legal frameworks for transboundary waters across diverse settings including Cambodia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, India, Norway, and Vietnam