The international conference “Groundwater, key to the sustainable development goals” was held between May 18 and 20, 2022, at Sorbonne University, in Paris. It was organized by the French Hydrogeology Chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH-CFH) and the French National Commission for UNESCO. The purpose of the conference was to examine the overall relationship between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and groundwater. The participants had the opportunity to share knowledge, experiences and good practices related to the topic. In addition to presentations on hydrogeology, lectures on social, economic and legal aspects were also given.
Zsóka Szabó (PhD student) participated in the conference on behalf of the Hydrogeology Chair. She gave her presentation entitled “Rooftop rainwater harvesting by a shallow dug well – impacts and potential from a field experiment in the Danube-Tisza Interfluve, Hungary” in the “Managed aquifer recharge as a tool to protect aquifers and help sustainable groundwater management” session. Participation in the conference provided the opportunity for a broad presentation of her research results related to her doctoral work and professional consultation on the topic. Several presentations dealt with groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) and their rehabilitation, which were of great interest to her. The conference was attended not only by researchers, but also by professionals working in practice, this way, many different aspects of achieving sustainable development goals were introduced to the audience.