The HOPE Sustainability Conference was held for the second time in Veszprém, at the University of Pannonia, on 18 July 2024, in the spirit of the EU Presidency. The event presented the sustainability and environmental activities of the University of Pannonia to EU diplomats. The event was attended by Dr. Judit Mádl-Szőnyi, coordinator of the National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change at ELTE, who is also the head of the groundwater research.
Dr. János Abonyi, the rector of the university, welcomed the participants and underlined that although their institution is a medium-sized university, it is a leader in sustainability issues. A key factor in its success is how the institution has successfully transformed its former industrial character to reflect the challenges of our times.
The plenary speaker, Prof. Dr. András Gelencsér, retiring rector, academician and senior researcher at the National Laboratory for Climate Change project, pointed out that the reality of sustainability and environmental protection is in sharp contrast to the ideas of corporations and political communication. Climate change cannot be simplified to reducing carbon emissions. Nor are we on the road to decarbonisation, since the means to exploit renewable energy sources are produced by fossil fuel industries. There is no prospect of replacing fossil fuels in aviation, marine transport and the military. The presentation was followed by a lively debate between the diplomats and the speaker, who used scientific arguments to refute a series of questions. The way forward remained an open question, but the presenter stressed the need to use scientific arguments in planning processes.
After the lab and institute presentations, the event continued in the afternoon with plenary sessions. The Planet in blue? session featured a keynote presentation by Judit Mádl-Szőnyi, who gave a speech on “Groundwater: a hidden multiple resource and climate buffer for a sustainable future”. She pointed out that 99% of the earth’s limited freshwater resources are located under our feet and that it is only in recent years that the public, apart from experts, has begun to recognise the importance of this water resource. This is why the UN’s slogan for 2022, “Make the invisible visible”, is so important. This invisible water resource is not only a source of drinking water, irrigation water and industrial use, it is also used by the biosphere, but also as a source of heat for geothermal energy and can be used to extract lithium and other critical elements. This still neglected issue has been addressed in the ENeRAG H2020 project, where a dynamic systems approach has been developed, including a methodological manual and implementation guidelines. This approach can help to ensure a coordinated exploitation of resources and science-based regulation. In the second part of the presentation, Judit Mádl-Szőnyi presented the role of groundwater flows in balancing extreme precipitation events resulting from climate change, based on research carried out by the National Climate Change Laboratory and ClimEx-PE. As a starting point, she presented a modelling exercise showing that water flow systems define drought and flood-sensitive areas within a larger region, and that knowledge of these areas helps in hydrological adaptation strategies. Research has also shown that prolonged drought not only reduces groundwater levels, but also simplifies the hierarchy of flows that naturally feed ecosystems. It follows that solutions adapted to natural systems are the most effective way to restore them. This is the aim of the NaBa-MAR® concept developed by ELTE researchers, which combines knowledge of water flow systems with the already known, but only localised, managed aquifer recharge MAR technology. ELTE is in the process of registering NaBa-MAR® for European trademark protection.
Judit Mádl-Szőnyi during her presentation
The event contributed to the implementation of the National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change, RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00014 project and the ClimEx-PE project financed under the 2022 Joint call of the European Partnership 101060874 — Water4All.