The World Sustainable Energy Days, the largest annual conference in this field in Europe, offer a unique combination of events on sustainable energy production and use, covering energy efficiency and renewable energy sources for buildings and industry.

Since more than 20 years, experts and decision makers from all over the world flock to Upper Austria to attend the events - in the last years, the conference attracted more than 10,000 participants from 99 countries!

Low stream flows and associated streamflow droughts have major economic implications in Europe. Current global change scenarios suggest that the magnitude and frequency of droughts may increase in the next decades with important ramifications for water quality, the ecological status of European water bodies, irrigation, navigation and power production.

The symposium brings together drought experts from various disciplines to compare the current status of drought research and the implications for water resources management. The symposium focuses on the European continent and provides a platform for discussing large-scale studies in a regional context, and national/regional studies in the European context.

The Swiss Global Change Day is an event where the whole global change community can meet and discuss ongoing problems in a transdisciplinary manner. The aim is to present recent highlights in global environmental change research as well as to point out challenges for future research. Besides there is the opportunity for people from governmental institutions, economy and politics to ask questions and explain their needs and views on the presented topics.

“Climate Alliance of European Cities with Indigenous Rainforest Peoples” is the European network of local authorities committed to the protection of the world's climate. The member cities and municipalities aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at their source. Their allies in this endeavour are the Indigenous Peoples of the rainforests in the Amazon Basin.

The main objectives of BALWOIS 2012 are to provide at international and Balkan scales:
• a meeting that will further the progress of the knowledge in the fields of Scientific Research, Education, Policy and Development Activities and on all the Water related issues related to climate and environment changes, hazards mitigation, water resources assessment, management and protection, etc.
• an atmosphere to enhance the links between the providers and the end users of water related knowledge,
• a forum for free discussion of new ideas, research, development and applications, including techniques and methods to stimulate future works,
• opportunities for students and young researchers and engineers to meet their experienced peers and to stimulate them to join BALWOIS activities,
• an exhibition of current hardware and/or software in the field of water, and
• new knowledge through the publishing of high quality papers in BALWOIS web site and through DVD bundle, books and journal edition, etc.