Date: 7 April 2026
Time: 16:00 (Central European Time)
Format: Online webinar (with interpretation available)
Organized by: Waterkeeper Alliance, International Rivers, American Rivers, McMillen.
About the event:
Across the world, rivers have been fragmented by thousands of dams and barriers built over the past century. Many of these structures are now aging, obsolete, or increasingly risky under changing climate conditions. As their environmental, economic, and safety costs become clearer, a global movement is emerging to restore rivers by removing outdated infrastructure.
This webinar brings together a global coalition of experts, practitioners, and advocates working at the forefront of river restoration. From Europe and the United States to Africa and Indigenous territories in North America, speakers will share lessons from dam removal projects, policy reforms, and community-led initiatives that are transforming how societies rethink water infrastructure.
Through technical expertise, case studies, and cultural perspectives, the discussion will explore how removing obsolete barriers can reconnect ecosystems, strengthen climate resilience, and support communities that depend on healthy rivers.
The webinar will also examine how scattered successes around the world can evolve into a coordinated global movement to restore free-flowing rivers and protect freshwater systems for future generations.