A seminar, entitled “Living Labs for Water Transitions: Sharing Approaches for Sustainable Water Transitions in Times of Climate Change” was held during the United Nations 2023 Water Conference in New York, a historic meeting that was co-hosted by the Republic of Tajikistan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. As part of the UN 2023 Water Conference side events, the seminar focused on Living Labs, as methodology for real life learning in which governments, entrepreneurs and knowledge institutes, cooperate to enhance water related sustainability transitions. Organized by the Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences and Water Alliance and Deltares, and, more precisely, by Peter van der Maas (VHL), Hein Molenkamp (Water Alliance) and Mindert de Vries (VHL). Its main objectives were:
-To present the Living Labs as a supportive method to enhance water related sustainability transitions,
-To underline the Living Labs’ potential to act as learning environments for all participating parties including governments, entrepreneurs, knowledge institutions and other stakeholders,
-To elaborate on the living lab methodology including the access to tools and results or the involvement of students and citizens and communication professionals in capacity building,
-To emphasize the living lab’s holistic approach.
Drawing on the expertise of the speakers, who were affiliated to the organizing partners, the seminar also presented living lab examples related to the crucial food-water nexus, focusing on low lying coastal regions and sandy islands, highly productive clay and peat-meadow areas. A major theme that reverberated was the WaterCampus’, a unique innovation ecosystem based in Leewarden, aim to accelerate the introduction of new innovative water technology from first idea to market introduction and adaptation: the so-called chain of innovation. Another key message that emerged from the discussion concerned the WaterCampus potential to create synergy for world class innovation, education and entrepreneurship. This was an important step towards the implementation of the goals of the Living Lab.
