Special Issue : December 2023

― After 35 years, back on the shore of Lake Balaton ―19th Wold Lake Conference
Beyond Lakes: Linking Science, Culture and Governance for their Sustainable Use◆ Opening ◆ Scientific Committee ◆ Youth Power◆ Posters◆ International Colloquium◆ Balaton Declaration

From November 7th to 9th, 2023, the International Lake Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC) and the Lake
Balaton Development Council (LBDC) co-organized the 19th World Lake Conference (WLC19) "Beyond Lakes: Linking
Science, Culture, and Governance for their Sustainable Use" in Balatonfüred, Hungary. The Balaton lakeside location
marked the second time in 35 years since the 3rd conference, (Keszthely) had been held in 1988.
The opening ceremony was attended by 176 participants from 30 countries worldwide, including 73 from Hungaryand 103 from other nations. During the ceremony, theorganizers and representatives from various governments
and other institutions delivered the remarks.

◆ Remarkable Messages
Kazuhiko Takemoto, President, ILEC
Discussing common challenges toward achieving a sustainable society through Sustainable
Lake Management (SLM) is of significant relevance in the current momentum of heightenedenthusiasm for SLM. Bringing together a wide array of stakeholders, including government
officials, international organizations, researchers, and civil society from around the world,
provides an opportune moment to exchange rich knowledge and experiences related toSLM. This serves as an opportunity to deliberate on our challenges and seek potentialsolutions.

Michihiro Oi, Manager, Marine Environment Division, Water and Air
Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, JapanTo ensure the long-term inheritance of the benefits provided by rich lake ecosystems, itwould be highly desirable to establish concrete future visions and goals. By directly
appealing to future generations who are directly affected, expanding the understanding of
the importance of lakes, and broadening the base of empathy, we aim to pass on thesebenefits to future generations.

Koji Ejima, Vice Governor of Shiga Prefecture, JapanThe establishment of "World Lake Day," similar to "Lake Biwa Day," unites the sentiments ofnations and regions with lakes, transcending borders. It fosters increased momentum
toward lake conservation by encouraging discussions that transcend boundaries among
citizens, companies, scientists, and governments.
Creating such globally shared symbolic days is highly meaningful to raise awareness of thesignificance of lakes worldwide and to translate this into concrete actions for preserving
their environments.

1◆ Contribution of ILEC Scientific Committee at WLC19― Keynote Speech ―During the three-day event, keynote speeches were conducted over two days. On the first day, primarily Hungarian
government officials presented, while on the second day, speakers from various European countries and the ILEC
Scientific Committee members delivered presentations.
Prof. Sandra Azevedo presented on the importance of aquatic ecosystems for "One Health," emphasizing the interconnected
health of humans, animals, and the environment. She highlighted, "The increasing global population escalates the water
demand, leading to a decline in freshwater resources and resulting health hazards due to pollution. This not only triggers
climate change but also invites further water source contamination and health risks, necessitating urgent measures."
Furthermore, Prof. Yoshihisa Shimizu presented on hydrology and water quality simulation for integrated watershedmanagement, using the dynamics and distribution of dioxins and suspended solids (SS) in the Lake Biwa basin.
Additionally, Prof. Daniel Orago highlighted in his presentation titled "Lentic-Lotic Water System Response to Anthropogenicand Climatic Factors in Kenya and their Sustainable Management" the characteristics of African lakes and emphasized theirsensitivity to human-induced and climatic factors, particularly changes in rainfall and temperature. He underscored thesignificance of Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM) as an approach for these water systems.

― Technical Sessions ―At the technical sessions, Ms. Adelina Santos-Borja, Prof. Sandra Azevedo, Dr. Ajit Patnaik, and Dr. Masatsugu
Takamatsu served as session chairs. Ms. Adelina Santos-Borja presented on "Local Governments: Key Actors inImplementing Sustainable Management of Philippine Lakes," while Mr. Alejandro Juarez Aguilar delivered
presentations on various topics, including "Conservation and Restoration of Lakes and Wetlands – the Latin America
Perspective." The abstracts and proceedings from these sessions, along with other outcomes, will be progressively
posted on the ILEC website (https://www.ilec.or.jp/en/wlc/wlc-11286/#seika).
*At this conference, Technical Sessions were held on the following 16 themes.
・ Integrated Management of Lakes and their Basins, Case Report Session
・ Monitoring instrumentation, innovation, assessment issues and challenges
・ Lake-related sustainable development issues
・ Limnology, aquatic and microbial sciences
・ Aquatic and Littoral Ecosystems
・ Living Lakes
・ Climate-change related issues, assessment, adaptations, and challenges
・ Lake-related water management, ground water, irrigation water・ Catchment land, resource values, impacts and mitigation

・ Lakes as functional development regions
・ Lake and catchment technologies, traditions, innovations, and beyond
・ Culture, heritage, society and education
・ National and local strategic plans, assessment, conceptual basis
・ Participatory planning, social engagement and mutual learning
・ Social and economic usages and valuing lake (ecosystem) services
・ Legal and Institutional Measures for Lake Basin Management including Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)2

◆ "Youth Power" in Action
As stated in the Balaton Declaration, the participation of the younger generation (youth) is important for SLM. AtWLC19, six students who achieved outstanding results in the "Lake Ecotourism Contest," held during theInternational Symposium 2022 last autumn, shared initiatives and activities for environmental conservation invarious lakes worldwide, discussed challenges, and shared plans for future actions, with the support of Prof. Yoshika
Yamamoto, ILEC Director, who served as the chief judge in the contest.

― Technical Session (Participatory planning, social engagement and mutual learning) ―Rao Sasaki​
Akari Taira (Seian University of Art and Design)
They presented a case study of eco-tourism that allows visitors to experience the interconnectedness of mountains,
villages, and lakes in the Moriyama area. Alongside the content shared during last year's contest, they incorporated
feedback from an actual monitor tour conducted in the area. They highlighted the creation of frameworks torevitalize the local economy through eco-tourism, strengthen the connection between the lake's ecosystem and thecommunity, and contribute to environmental conservation.

― Technical Session (Culture, heritage, society and education) ―Saeko Ito
Arika Tanabe (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies)
Two members affiliated with the International Volunteer University Student Association (IVUSA) presented on the"Become a Lake Biwa Researcher Tour," organized and implemented for elementary school students, as part of theirefforts toward achieving the "Mother Lake Goals (MLGs)," which are the SDGs specific to Lake Biwa. This initiativealigns with one of the goals, "Transforming the local and basin area into places of learning." They also acted asleaders in the youth session.

― Youth Session - Youth Power in Action: Youth-driven Innovations for Sustainable Lake Management ―Mana Kubozono
Marina Hata (Ritsumeikan University)
Saeko Ito
Arika Tanabe
In this special session organized by ILEC, with over 80 young participants, including online attendees, from various countries.
Youth shared their environmental activities in lakes. They discussed "how youth activities can be sustainable" and "what isneeded to broaden the circle of youth engaged in lake environmental conservation".
A question about "how youth can involve in ecotourism" prompted a suggestion from the audience to combine youth'sinterests and fields of activity with ecotourism. Furthermore, in preparation for the 20th World Lake Conference (WLC20), they
committed to expanding networks, conducting lake clean-up on specific days, and engaging in mutual reporting.
This session was entirely organized and operated by university students involved in Lake Biwa conservation activities. It served
as an excellent opportunity for youth, the future generations of lake and wetland environmental conservation, to connect
globally and accelerate environmental preservation efforts and community involvement.

3◆ Poster Session
The exhibition took place throughout the event. Before the gala dinner started, there was an opportunity for poster
presenters to explain their exhibits. ILEC exhibited "Introductions to ILEC" and "Activities toward SLM." Additionally,
an awareness poster titled "Hummingbird Challenge" transformed a picture of droughts into lake scenes by having

participants write on blue paper what they could do for the future.

◆ Study TourThe participants visited Siofok and Tihany by sightseeing boat from the harbor near the conference venue. InSiofok, they saw the under-construction water lock, and in Tihany, they visited the Balaton HydrobiologicalInstitute. Additionally, they had the chance to view an observation point on the lake from the boat and listened topresentations by local high school students on environmental topics held onboard.

◆ Highschool Student Session
The special session by high school students from Japan's Shiga Prefecture and Hungary was held in ahybrid format. Shiga Prefecture's high school students participated online, while Hungarian students
attended on site. They presented their respective research activities and shared recommendations forfuture lake and environmental conservation efforts in a Youth Declaration.

4◆ International Colloquium“Promoting Sustainable Lake Management (SLM): Challenges, Achievements, and Lessons Learned”
ILEC and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) co-organized an international colloquium titled“Promoting Sustainable Lake Management (SLM): Challenges, Achievements, and Lessons Learned” as a side eventof WLC19 on November 6. This event took place both in-person and online, attracting 134 participants from over 16countries.
The Colloquium focused on the significance of Sustainable Lake Management (SLM) in achieving water-related
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Discussions centered on the role of Integrated Lake Basin Management(ILBM) as a tool to promote and emphasize the importance of SLM, building upon the resolution adopted at the 5thUnited Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA5.2) and the UN Water Conference in March, 2023.

The event began with remarks from the organizers and the Japanese Ministry of the Environment, followed bymessages from various national governments and reports on initiatives from different regions worldwide.
Representatives from the Indonesian government highlighted the international situation surrounding lakes postSLM resolution, emphasizing the urgency of addressing ecological degradation and the importance of conservation.
They advocated for the establishment of “World Lake Day” to engage governments globally in recognizing thesignificance of lakes. Contributions from Shiga Prefecture and its sister state, Michigan in the United States,
showcased initiatives such as “Lake Biwa Day” and “Michigan Freshwater Week,” emphasizing community
involvement in conservation efforts.
Furthermore, UNEP experts outlined collaborative efforts with member countries to advance SLM initiatives.
International organizations also presented their experiences and insights regarding SLM promotion. ILEC introduced
a video report from the Lake Biwa-Yodo River Basin Workshop titled “SLM in Lake Biwa-Yodo River BasinManagement.”
Following these presentations, a panel discussion facilitated exchanges among participants, including members ofthe ILEC Scientific Committee and other stakeholders from international organizations, national governments, andNGOs. The discussion aimed to align multifaceted perspectives and approaches towards SLM. Ultimately, Dr. Yasuo
Takahashi, ILEC Director, and Executive Director of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES),summarized that the event provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders towards theestablishment of “World Lake Day.”
You can find the video and program of this colloquium on the ILEC website: https://www.ilec.or.jp/en/uncooperation/mainstreaminglakes/#eic2023

5◆ Closing Ceremony
Dr. Gabor Molnar from LBDC reflected on WLC19, discussing the journey leading up to the event and extending
gratitude to the people involved. Following this, Prof. Walter Rast, the Chair of the ILEC Scientific Committee, andProf. Masahisa Nakamura, the ILEC Vice president outlined key points that should be included in the Balaton
Declaration. Lastly, it was announced that the next WLC20 in 2025 will be held in Brisbane, Australia, the host cityof the 2032 Olympics. A video introducing the venue and inviting participation was screened to conclude the event.

◆ Balaton Declaration
Taking into account the discussions and participants' input during WLC19, the Balaton Declaration was summarized
as follows:
・Accelerate and enhance support for the forerunner national governments and concerned national andinternational non-governmental organizations to realize the designation of a “World Lake Day” at theUnited Nations General Assembly.

Designation of a “World Lake Day” will enormously contributeto bringing global attention to the crucial role of lakes in addressing human freshwater needs, andecosystem integrity and biodiversity, at all levels;
・Create and ensure implementation of tools to strengthen science-policy linkages in developing
sustainable lake management efforts, including the involvement of policymakers, scientists, andcommunities, a noteworthy example being the Mother Lake Goals, inspired by the SDGs, for theconservation and sustainable management of the Lake Biwa basin, Japan;

・Enhance proactive lake management by policymakers, the public, and all relevant lake stakeholders toaddress lake basin management challenges through the preparation of regular assessment reports on thestatus and needed actions of in understandable language used to address activities such as theimplementation of the SLM Resolution at the regional, national and local levels;
・Mobilize the enthusiasm, energy, and visions of the Youth in facilitating sustainable lake management
at all levels, including planning, decision-making, implementation, evaluation and celebration.
For the declaration, you can view and download the full version in PDF format from WLC19 page on theILEC website: https://www.ilec.or.jp/en/wlc/wlc-11286/#seika
We will be publishing Newsletter No. 71 in March 2024. In the next issue, we will feature
another story from WLC19, so please stay tuned and look forward to it!

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