ISLANDS WATER CONGRESS THEMES &
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Submission Background
Resilient Islands: Securing Water for Sustainable Development in a Changing World
Key Dates
| 30 April 2026 | Deadline for proposals |
| 15 June 2026 | Deadline for response from proposals |
| 31 August 2026 | Deadline for registration of accepted presenters |
Thematic Areas
These thematic areas are provided as suggested guiding topics for submissions (not an exhaustive list). Contributors are welcome to interpret them broadly, propose cross-cutting perspectives, or submit related topics aligned with the overall objectives of the Congress.
1. Technology and Innovations for Water Resources Monitoring and Management in Islands
The Congress explores how islands are strengthening resilience through improved monitoring and data management, and advancing science-based approaches to water resources management under changing climatic conditions.
- Isotope Hydrology
- Groundwater Monitoring and Assessment
- Surface Water and Groundwater Connectivity
- Karst Hydrogeology
- Water Resources Assessments and Monitoring in Islands
2. Water Quality, Pollution Control and Freshwater Ecosystems Protection
Rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion, prolonged droughts, and declining water quality are reshaping island freshwater systems, requiring strengthened ecosystem protection and pollution control strategies.
- Water pollution
- Watershed degradation
- Saline intrusion
- Environmental restoration
- Managing Pollution in Watersheds: Strategies for Contaminant Reduction
- The Role of Wetlands in Water Quality Protection
3. Sustainable Water Financing Models
Water security has become a pressing concern demanding innovative and adaptive solutions, including sustainable and climate-resilient financing mechanisms for island contexts.
- Public-private partnerships in water infrastructure
- Financing options for climate-resilient water projects
- Microfinance for community-based water initiatives
4. Advancing Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Reduction Strategies
Improving efficiency and reducing system losses is critical for strengthening water security and ensuring long-term sustainability of island water services.
- Case studies on reducing NRW in Jamaica and the Caribbean
- Leak detection technologies and best practices
- Regulatory approaches for improving water efficiency.
5. Community Engagement and Policy Frameworks for Sustainable Water Use
The Congress examines how water governance systems anticipate, cope with, and adapt to climate and disaster impacts while promoting inclusive and sustainable water use.
- Community abstractions
- Public-Private Partnerships in Water Management
- Empowering Communities for Sustainable Water Practices
- Public participation
- cultural relevance, indigenous knowledge
- water ethics
6. The Water–Energy–Food–Tourism Nexus
Islands face interconnected pressures across water, energy, food production, and tourism, requiring integrated and adaptive planning to secure sustainable development.
- Efficient irrigation technologies for small and large-scale farmers
- Sustainable water use in agro-Industries
- Adapting agriculture to climate variability.
- Water Resources and Tourism: Managing Competing Demands
7. Climate Resilience and Water Security
Climate change, increasing climate variability, and the growing frequency of extremes are generating complex and far-reaching impacts on island systems, demanding innovative and adaptive responses.
Hydrological Impacts of Climate Change on Caribbean Islands
- Emergency water supply solutions
- Drought resilience
- Flood management
National adaptation planning
- Water Sector Policies
- Regional collaboration for climate-resilient water management
- Building Resilient Water Infrastructure for Coastal and Inland Communities.
- Desalination
- Equity, access, and distributional impacts of scarcity
- Stress-testing water systems under warming scenarios
- Adaptation pathways and limits, compound and cascading climate hazards
- Water–energy–health nexus
Disaster Risk and Emergency Water Management
- Water Security Under Extreme Events
- Flood Risk, Early Warning, and Emergency Response
- Emergency Water Quality, Public Health, and Sanitation
- Critical Water Infrastructure Protection and Recovery
- Wastewater, Stormwater, and Environmental Risk During Disasters
- Data, Technology, and Innovation for Emergency Water Management
- Hydroclimatic hazards and socio-ecological Impacts, including implications for livelihoods, public health, ecosystems, and critical water infrastructure.
- Water insecurity, displacement, and migration, highlighting linkages between water scarcity and/pollution, disaster events, population movement, and social vulnerability.
- Lessons on institutional flexibility, coordination, and decision-making that maintain water supply systems functionality and post disaster infrastructure recovery.
8. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and Adaptive Water Governance in SIDS
The Congress explores integrated water resource management (IWRM) approaches and adaptive governance systems that strengthen long-term water security in Small Island Developing States.
- Sustainable management
- Groundwater recharge
- Inter-agency collaboration
- Review of Jamaica’s water laws and enforcement mechanisms.
- Role of regulatory bodies in managing water resources.
- Cross-Sectoral Collaboration for Effective Water Governance.
- Lessons from Jamaica’s IWRM Approach: Best Practices & Challenges
- Role of watershed management in securing long-term water supply
- Applications of Isotope Hydrology in Islands.
- The water and sustainability dimension of the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) 2024-2034
- SIDS and water in other relevant international processes
- SIDS (and islands more generally), climate change and litigation: a water dimension
9. Circular Water Management, Wastewater and Resource Recovery
Islands are advancing circular water management approaches, including wastewater reuse and resource recovery, as integrated resilience strategies for sustainable development.
- Circular Water Systems for Island Resilience
- Resource Recovery from Wastewater and Organic Wastes
- Nature-Based and Low-Cost Treatment Solutions
- Wastewater Reuse for Climate Adaptation
- Wastewater reuse, desalination, rain and stormwater harvesting as integrated resilience strategies.
- Treatment and reuse of wastewater for agriculture, energy generation, and urban applications, including safety and quality standards.
- Policy frameworks, institutional arrangements, and technological innovations supporting circular water management.
- Lessons from wastewater reuse initiatives and pilot projects in the Caribbean
Submission Guidelines
All submissions must align with the 2nd Islands Water Congress theme and be submitted in English. Please review the requirements carefully before submitting your proposal via Oxford Abstracts.
1. Presentation Proposals
We invite individual presentation proposals that address one or more of the Congress themes listed above. Presentation proposals should include an abstract of 300 words.
Please indicate if you wish your paper to be considered for publication. We plan to publish special issues from the Congress with Water International and the Island Studies Journal.
Each proposal must:
- Clearly state the research objectives
- Outline the methodology
- Present key findings or expected outcomes
- Demonstrate relevance to island water management
Authors are required to indicate at the time of submission whether they wish their abstract to be considered for publication.
2. Special Session Proposals
The Congress also welcomes Special Session proposals from organisations or groups that wish to host a session or workshop that presents their work on subjects related to the theme and/or subthemes of the Congress. The format of the Special Session can vary from panel discussions to workshops, and innovative formats are welcome.
Special Sessions are part of the main programme and are open to all Congress attendees. There is no charge to host a Special Session, but all speakers must be registered. Any additional expenses beyond the provision of the room and standard audio-visual equipment must be managed by the session organisers. A Special Session is typically 90 minutes long and must be aligned with at least one of the Congress sub-themes.
A Special Session proposal must include:
- A description of the proposed session (maximum of 700 words), indicating the names and affiliations of speakers who are featured.
- A brief statement on the desired or expected impact resulting from the Special Session or from implementation of ideas discussed at the session.
- Title and a short description of the session (and alignment with which Congress sub-themes).
- The name of the lead and partner organisation(s).
- The session objectives, justifications, and projected outcomes, aligned with the Congress theme.
- How the session is organised and by whom.
- A list of presenters who are proposed to speak with their preliminary presentation proposals (indicating those who have already committed).
- A description of financial and other resources that could be committed to realizing the session. Any additional expenses beyond the provision of the room and standard audio-visual equipment must be managed by the session organisers.
In addition, Special Session organisers and/or participants may be invited to contribute to the practical tools jointly agreed with Jamaican key stakeholders. Such practical tools are of specific application to the Jamaican freshwater context, but also relevant to islands beyond Jamaica more generally, as well as non-island nations and communities in some cases.
3. Creative Proposals
We also invite proposals for innovative and creative sessions that address one or more of the Congress themes listed above.
Sessions can include:
- Poetry readings
- Exhibitions
- Photography
- Performances of any kind
- Interactive activities
Please indicate if you wish your creative work to be considered for documentation or publication.