We know very well the place and importance of water, which is as precious as breath, in our lives. With this awareness, we continue our efforts to make tomorrow more livable. We care about the protection and effective use of water resources and taking solution-oriented steps for a sustainable future.
In this respect, we came together at the Water Management Panel, which we organized with the contributions of Karşıyaka Municipality. In the panel, we discussed in detail the danger of flooding, especially after the recent frequent fires. We also discussed the measures that can be taken to protect our increasingly depleted water resources and the ways to be followed in the fight against climate change. We underlined that combating the climate crisis is only possible with individual and social awareness.
We would like to thank the Mayor of Karşıyaka Municipality, Ms. B. Yıldız Ünsal, who put this important issue on the agenda and led the panel, Michal Kravcik, a water and environment expert from Slovakia, and all the speakers who participated in the program and shared their knowledge and experience with us.
Karşıyaka Mayor B. Yıldız Ünsal and Michal Kravcik
Speaker Details:
Michal Kravčík:
Michal Kravčík is a Slovak hydrologist and environmentalist known for his innovative water management and climate resilience approaches. Born on February 3, 1956, Kravčík graduated from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava with a Dipl. Ing. PhD. degree from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. In his career, he worked for eight years at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, developing ecological solutions for integrated river basin management.
In 1999, he was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for his efforts to stop the construction of a large dam on the Torysa River and instead advocate for sustainable alternatives such as smaller dams and decentralized water management. He is a founding member and president of the NGO People and Water, which promotes sustainable water management practices. Kravčík is also an Ashoka Fellow and author of “The New Water Paradigm: Water for Climate Recovery”. This publication emphasizes the importance of hydrological cycles in combating climate change. His work has influenced global water management policies by showing that ecosystems can manage water more efficiently than traditional infrastructure.
He completed his GIS studies at the Slovak Technical University. He is also a certified specialist in landscape design. He specializes in mapping and landscape survey, runoff analysis and design of water retention measures. He is a certified specialist in landscape design. He has years of experience managing projects from concept to completion. His project management background ranges from publicly funded projects from Norway Grants, EU and Slovak municipal and regional governments to privately funded projects sought by the private sector. Furthermore, his knowledge of project financing and budget forecasting contributes to the successful execution of IVM projects.
