November 1, 2026, Richmond Hill, Canada – The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) hosted the 2nd Conference of UNU Hubs at its headquarters in Richmond Hill, Ontario, on 31 October and 1 November 2026. The two-day meeting brought together Hub Directors, Co-Directors, managers, researchers and affiliates from five UNU Hubs, together with UNU-INWEH staff and members of the Institute's International Advisory Committee, to take stock of progress since the program's launch in 2024 and the inaugural meeting at the Hamburg University of Technology in June 2025 and to explore how the Hubs can achieve more together.
The conference was held alongside celebrations marking 30 years of UNU-INWEH in Canada. Following a Directors' breakfast hosted by the Mayor of Richmond Hill and a UNU-INWEH 30th Anniversary Celebration, the Hubs convened for two days of working sessions. The celebrations then continued with the UNU-INWEH 30th Anniversary Banquet, hosted by the Urban Economy Forum at the World Urban Pavilion in Regent Park, Toronto, and with further anniversary-related events in Ottawa, the nation's capital.
UNU Hubs are partnerships between UNU-INWEH and leading universities that combine research, education and policy engagement on critical themes related to water, environment and health. Under the banner "From Pilot to Platform", each Hub:
- UNU Hub on Empowering Communities to Adapt to Environmental Change at the University of Calgary, Canada;
- UNU Hub on Engineering to Face Climate Change at the Hamburg University of Technology, Germany;
- UNU Hub on Remote-Sensing and Sustainable Innovations for Resilient Urban Systems (R-SIRUS) at the City College of New York, United States;
- UNU Hub on Water in a Changing Environment (WICE) at Lund University, Sweden; and
- UNU Hub on Resilient Environment, Agriculture, Climate and Health for Africa (REACH-AFRICA) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa
presented its progress over the past year, including achievements, partnerships with UN agencies and governments, new initiatives, lessons learned and opportunities for collaboration.
Working sessions were organized around the three pillars of the Hubs model. In the policy, impact and advocacy session, Hubs shared how their science is informing decisions. In the transboundary Yukon River basin, "decision calendars" were co-developed with river forecast centres to guide future investments in hydrologic forecasting; in New York, urban flood forecasting tools were built with city officials. Other examples included support for Ukraine's water infrastructure and alignment with EU water directives, societal impact stories published with the City of Hamburg, and a science–policy dialogue in Zimbabwe on climate-resilient agrifood systems. Across these and other examples, participants agreed that lasting policy impact depends on trusted, long-term relationships, involvement of affected communities, and on evidence that responds to what decision makers need, in formats they can use.
The research and development session showcased the breadth of work under way across the Hubs' research clusters. At the University of Calgary, clusters on aquatic ecosystems and One Health, environmental prediction for water sustainability, and planetary health and Indigenous community resilience link water science with the health and resilience of the communities that depend on it. At Hamburg University of Technology, clusters on soil, water and climate, circular bio-based materials, and environmental sensing are tackling challenges from soil salinity to AI-enabled sensor networks. At the City College of New York, the Hub's urban Water Analytics, Technology, Engineering & Resilience Systems (uWATERS) cluster is advancing urban flood forecasting, while its clusters on urban Health, heat and air Quality (uHQ), Energy Innovations for Sustainable Urban Environments, and Satellite Observations for Early Weather Warnings address extreme heat, clean energy and the early detection of severe weather. Lund University's clusters develop water solutions for a sustainable future in changing rural, urban and coastal environments, and apply water and environmental informatics in the Middle East. The REACH-AFRICA Hub at the University of Pretoria works across climate change and planetary health, One Health, and sustainability transitions.
Discussion then turned to making a network of institutions into a network of collaborators. Participants considered how to make expertise across the Hubs easier to find, pursue joint international funding, and design research with the communities and agencies that will use it. They also reflected on how advances in artificial intelligence are changing water science and on the importance of safeguarding scientific integrity as they do.
In the education and capacity building session, Hubs exchanged experience from joint degree programs, summer institutes, and professional development courses, while exploring pathways for shared courses, co-supervision, and student exchanges.
"The UNU Hubs show what becomes possible when universities and the United Nations work as one team. The network has grown from an idea into a working platform, and this meeting was about putting that platform to work for the communities and decision makers who need science they can use," said Prof. Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH.
The conference also included interactive Hub Collaboration Stations, where participants identified shared interests and explored new avenues for joint research, education and policy engagement across regions and disciplines. The program was rounded out by a welcome dinner hosted by the UNU Hub at the University of Calgary and a visit to the historic David Dunlap Observatory in Richmond Hill, a landmark Canadian centre for astronomy, science education and public engagement. Members of the International Advisory Committee, who also met in Richmond Hill, took part throughout, creating a unique opportunity for exchange amongst different parts of the UNU-INWEH family.
Looking ahead, participants identified shared priorities and next steps toward a coordinated roadmap to deepen collaboration across the network, raise its visibility, and strengthen its engagement with UN processes on water, environment and health. Together, the UNU Hubs are demonstrating that a connected network of universities, working hand in hand with the United Nations, can deliver far more than any one institution alone, bringing science to bear on the world's most pressing water, environment and health challenges. As the network moves from pilot to platform, the UNU Hubs are positioned to connect world-class university research with the needs of communities and decision makers worldwide, turning shared expertise into lasting impact on water, environment and health.
About UNU-INWEH
Marking its 30th anniversary of operation in 2026, the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) is one of 13 institutions that make up the United Nations University (UNU), the academic arm of the UN. Known as 'The UN's Think Tank on Water', UNU-INWEH addresses critical water, environmental, and health challenges around the world. Through research, training, capacity development, and knowledge dissemination, the institute contributes to solving pressing global sustainability and human security issues of concern to the UN and its Member States. Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, UNU-INWEH has been hosted and supported by the Government of Canada since 1996. With a global mandate and extensive partnerships across UN entities, international organizations, and governments, UNU-INWEH leads UNU Hubs in Calgary, Hamburg, New York, Lund and Pretoria.
