ISSN 0912-7402

No.63 : November 2016

– Save Water, Save Lakes –30th Anniversary of ILEC: Our Origin and WLCs
Being based on the shore of Lake Biwa,
Japan, ILEC has been addressing issues ofour world's lakes and their basins since 1986
under the three pillars of its mission; namely; 1)
Global Promotion of Lake Basin Management:
2) Organizational Support for the World Lake
Conferences (WLCs), and 3) Environmental
Training and Education. ILEC is celebratingits 30th anniversary this year, thanks to its
long-lasting and productive partnerships with its
many “lake friends,” colleagues and supporters
around the world.
What triggered the foundation of ILEC wasa keynote speech from the then-Executive
Director M. K. Tolba of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) at the1984 Shiga Conference on Conservation andManagement of World Lake Environment(LECS’84), held in Otsu, Japan. This
Conference, now recognized as the first WLC,
was successfully organized by the Governmentof Shiga Prefecture, which is home to Lake
Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, with major
participation by its citizens, local businessowners, academia, and involvement of otherlake stakeholders worldwide. The LECS’84,
was a unique and unprecedented international
conference focused specifically on lake
management issues with involvement of sucha wide range of participations. The Lake Biwa
Declaration was launched at the end of theconference, summarizing key discussions fromthe event, and proposing guidelines of actions
to be taken toward the future for sustainable
management of lakes and their basins. Ever
since then, the “Declarations” have traditionallyconcluded the fourteen WLCs subsequently
organized all around the world, starting from
the Mackinac Island of Michigan, USA, up to
the most recent WLC in Perugia, Italy, where
the WLCs have marked their 30 year long
history in 2014.

INTHISISSUE

LECS’84, (1984 Otsu, Japan)
Today, with the 16th World Lake Conference(WLC16) about to be convened in the beautiful
island of Bali, Indonesia during November
7 - 11, 2016, this special issue of the ILEC
Newsletter reflects on the history of the WLCs,
with an overview of their Declarations, allfeatured on the next two pages. Before that,
however, let us quote the aforementioned
monumental keynote speech* by Dr. M. K.
Tolba, leading to the origin of ILEC andthe WLCs: “The process I have declared,
including the concept of environmentallys o u n d d e v e l o p m e n t , a re d e s i g n e d t orestore a healthy, nurturing relationshipbetween parent and child, between people
and lakes. The Earth's resources are notinexhaustible, and the time is not far off
when our development practices must reacha sustainable steady state if we are to survive
and prosper as a species. Freshwater lakes
are a vital part of our natural resource
heritage. Properly cared for, lakes will
help support humankind indefinitely. But
if lakes are abused beyond their limits, theparent, like the child, will die. … I believe
we should give special attention as to how■ 30th Anniversary of ILEC: Our Origin and WLCs
■ WLCs: Past and Hereafter■ The Declarations of Past WLCs

we can prevent the good work of thisconference being forgotten. The subject weare considering is far too important. I am
therefore proposing that we establish aninternational Shiga committee to follow up
on the work of this conference, with a focal
point established in this prefecture, youshould try to meet annually or bienniallyat the site of another lake where steps havebeen taken to safeguard its environmental
health.”Although Dr. Tolba unfortunately passed
away last March, his inspiring message tofuture generations will live on, as it has so far,with our continued work and collaboration
for sound assessment and management of theworld’s lakes. ILEC will continue to vigorously
pursue this mission, centered around thesuccessful organization of future WLCs. We
want to again thank all our readers, colleagues
and friends for their continued support forILEC, as well as their partnership as we face
future lake challenges.
＊Cited from the LECS’84 Proceedings (Shiga PrefecturalGovernment and National Institute for ResearchAdvancement, 1984)■ Obituary: Two Inspirational Figures in ILEC History Pass Away
■ Thank You for Your Support!

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WLCs: Past and Hereafter
ILEC's mission is to address lake issues around the world and it has convened previous World Lake Conferences (WLCs) inmany locations, attracting participants from many countries. The WLC was born to succeed the 1984's Shiga Conference onConservation and Management of World Lake Environment, known as LECS'84, which was held on the shore of Lake Biwa,
Japan. Following which, the last 14 WLCs have been convened in Argentina, China, Denmark, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan,Kenya, and USA. The next Conference, WLC16 is about to be convened in Bali, Indonesia during November 7 to 11,
2016. Then the upcoming WLC17 is scheduled in October 2018 in Ibaraki, Japan.
Year

Venue

Theme

LECS'84 1984 Otsu, Shiga, Japan

Main Host

Toward a More Harmonious Inter-relationship between
Man and Lakes

Shiga Prefectural Government

WLC21986 Mackinac Island, Michigan,
USA

Water Contamination by Toxic Substances of Large
Lakes in the World

Government of Michigan State

WLC3

1988 Kesthey, Hungary

Environmental Issues on Lakes such as
Eutrophication, Acidiﬁcation, Toxic Substances,
Modeling, Approaches to Rehabilitation and Roles ofStakeholders

Ministry of Environment and Water
Resource, Hungary

WLC41990 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PROC Eutrophication of Lakes

Academy of Environmental Science,PROC

WLC5

1993 Stresa, Piemonte, Italy

Strategies for Lake Ecosystems beyond 2000

National Institute of Hydrobiology, Italy

WLC61995 Tsukuba and Tsuchiura,
Ibaraki, Japan

Harmonizing Human Life with Lakes toward theSustainable Use of Lakes

Ibaraki Prefectural Government

WLC71997 Sanmartin de Los Andes,
Argentina

Keep the Natural Lake Environment Clean for Future
Generations

National Institute of Water, Argentina

WLC81999 Copenhagen, Denmark

Sustainable Lake Management

Copenhagen City

2001 Otsu, Shiga, Japan

Partnership for Sustainable Life in Lake Environments:
Shiga Prefectural Government
Making Global Freshwater Mandates WorkWLC9The International Association for Great
Lakes Research

WLC10 2003 Chicago, Illinois, USA

Global Threats to Large Lakes

WLC11Management of Lake Basins for their Sustainable Use:
Government of Kenya
Global Experience and African Issues

2005 Nairobi, Kenya

WLC12 2007 Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Conserving Lakes and Wetlands for Future

Ministry of Environment and Forests,India

WLC13 2009 Wuhan, Hubei, PROC

Lake Ecosystem Restoration:
Global Challenges and the Chinese Initiative

Chinese Society for Environmental
Sciences

WLC14

2011 Austin, Texas, USA

Lakes, Rivers, Groundwater and Coastal Areas:
Understanding Linkages

River Systems Institute, Texas State
University

WLC152014 Perugia, Umbria, Italy

Lakes, the Mirrors of the Earth:
Balancing Ecosystem Integrity and Human Wellbeing

Umbria Scientiﬁc Meeting Association

WLC16

2016 Bali, Indonesia

Lake Ecosystem Health and Its Resilience:
Diversity and Risks of Extinction

Ministry of Environment and Forestry,
Indonesia

WLC172018 Ibaraki, Japan

Harmonious Coexistence of Humans and Lakes:
Toward Sustainable Ecosystem Services

Ibaraki Prefectural Government

Copenhagen

8th

2nd Mackinac Island

Stresa

3rd Kesthey

5thChicago 10th

Jaipur
Perugia

Austin 14th

12th

15th

Hangzhou
Ibaraki

13th 4th
Wuhan

Nairobi

6th+17th
1+st
Shiga
9th

11th
16th Bali
Upcoming!
16th in Bali (Nov, 2016)
Sanmartin de Los Andes

7thAn Invitation for Hosting Future WLCs：ILEC is continuously seeking appropriate venues for future WLCs, consistent with its theme of assessing, managing and conserving lakes andother lentic water systems. Accordingly, ILEC is inviting interested parties, agencies and organizations to indicate their interest in hosting future
conferences. The subsequent WLC18 is likely to be held in 2020, for which we seek for prominent bids from interested entities. For more details,
please contact us at +81-77-568-4567 or infoilec “at” ilec.or.jp (“at”= @).

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The Declarations of Past WLCs
It has been commonly addressed in the past WLC discussions that “it is essential for humans to have healthy lakes for thefuture generation, and with the emerging concerns of accelerating deterioration of lakes, we must restore the lakes insustainable condition, while recognizing socioeconomic situation.” Initiated in the 1984’s Lake Biwa Declaration, theWLCs have been concluded with statements from participants, announced as “Declarations”, which evolved along thesocial development of the times. Here are some highlights of the past WLC Declarations:2016 Bali3

Obituary: Two Inspirational Figuresin ILEC History Pass Away
Last March, two inspiring individuals associated with the birth and growth of ILEC over the past years unfortunately
passed away. We send our wishes that they may rest in peace, and also offer our sincere condolences to their families, their
many friends and colleagues.
Geneva, March 28, 2016 - Former Executive Director of theCopen hagen, March 5, 2016 - One of ILEC’s fou nding

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr. Mostafa

members, Dr. Sven Erik Jørgensen, passed away at the age of 82.

Kamal Tolba, passed away at the age of 93. Dr. Tolba was a key

He was a world-renowned and award-winning ecologist andfigure behind the birth of ILEC. His seminal contribution dates

chemist, including the Stockholm Water Prize Laureate (2004)

back to 1984 on the shore of Lake Biwa, Japan, where the Shigaa nd t he 1st P r igog i ne P r i ze Wi n ne r (20 0 4). D u r i ng h is

Conference on Conservation and Management of World Lakeprofessional career, he was Professor Emeritus in the field ofEnvironment (LECS’84), which is now considered to be the very

environmental chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. In his

first World Lake Conference (WLC), was held. As the then

20 yea r s of se r v ice at I LEC, he helped t h is newly-bor n

Executive Director of UNEP, he proposed the establishment of an

Foundation grow and expand its world-wide activities, notablyinter national committee to realize the t rans-generationalwith his major leadership as Scientific Committee Chair, fromsuccession of the Conference and to facilitate the development of1995 to the year of his resignation, 2006.

a rational management plan for lakes and reservoirs and theirbasins. (The related article is featured on the cover page of thisNewsletter.) Without his proposal, ILEC and WLCs may have notbeen established and flourished over time.

The late Dr. Tolba at LECS'84 (Otsu, Japan, 1984)

The late Dr. Jørgensen at WLC3
(Kesthey, Hungary, 1988)

Thank You for Your Support!
●In the Fiscal Year 2015, ILEC received sponsorship from the following Supporting Member Organization(60,000 JPY or more)
Donate to ILEC*The online donation will soon be available on our website.

Since 1986 , ILEC has been promoting rational and soundmanagement of world lakes and their catchment areas consistent
with sustainable development policies through its global partnershipwith UNEP and other international/national agencies.
Your donation supports our activities. For more details, pleasecontact us at the following number of E-mail address.

INTERNATIONAL LAKE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE FOUNDATION (ILEC)

1091 Oroshimo-cho, Kusatsu-city Shiga 520-001, JAPAN
Tel:+81-77-568-4567 / Fax:+81-77-568-4568 /Website: www.ilec.or.jp / Facebook: www.facebook.com/ilec.english*The latest issue and back issues of this newsletter are also available on our website above.

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