Martina Zupan has been appointed the new Chair of the Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Europe

Martina Zupan has been appointed the new Chair of the Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Europe from January 2011. Ms. Zupan holds a degree in chemistry and has extensive experience in water management, sustainable development, public participation, ecology, and water quality monitoring and assessment.

Ms. Zupan, a Slovenian senior scientist, holding a degree in chemistry from Faculty for Natural Sciences and Technology, University of Ljubljana, has extensive experience in water management, sustainable development, public participation, ecology, water quality monitoring and assessment. Ms. Zupan has held increasingly responsible positions since joining the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning in 1970, most recently as Head of Water Quality Department at Hydrometeorological Institute and Chancellor to the Government at Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia. In accepting the position as Chair of the GWP CEE, Martina Zupan says, "During development of river basin management plans, integrated water resources management has been recognized as most efficient way of adapting to climate changes". 

"Thus climate change and variability, floods, landslides, droughts and adaptation to new realities should be among priorities of the Regional Water Partnership in the future", adds Zupan. Ms. Zupan will assume her duties as Chair of the GWP CEE at the end of 2010. 

Until end of this year, she will work with current Chair Mr. Liviu Nicolae Popescu, who stays with Regional Water Partnership in his capacity of Senior Advisor and Steering Committee member.