At the beginning of 2025, the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) launched its call for nominations for Honorary and Fellow Members to honour outstanding contributions to the field of water resources. Following a rigorous review and selection process led by the Membership and Awards Committees, the Association is pleased to announce this year’s distinguished recipients.
Honorary Member 2025
Jacques Ganoulis
Emeritus Professor and UNESCO/INWEB Director,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece and Fulbright Professor, University of Alabama at
Tuscaloosa, Geography Department, USA
Prof. Dr. Jacques Ganoulis (Iakovos Gkanoulis) is an eminent Greek hydrologist and civil engineer, born in 1945. He is Emeritus Professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Greece, and Director of the UNESCO Chair and Network INWEB. Over a distinguished career, he has served as State Secretary for Water in Greece, Senior Consultant with UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme in Paris, and a university professor specialising in Hydraulics and Hydrology.
Prof. Ganoulis holds a Civil Engineering degree from AUTh. He completed an M.Sc. in Groundwater Hydraulics (1969) and a “Thèse de Doctorat 3ème Cycle” in Groundwater Hydraulics (1971) at ENSEEIHT, Toulouse, and earned a “Doctorat d’Etat” (Ph.D.) from Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse (1974). His extensive academic and professional career includes his tenure as Professor at AUTh (1978–2012), State Secretary for Water in Greece (2015–2019), and Senior Consultant at UNESCO-IHP (2012–2015). He has been a visiting professor and consultant at institutions worldwide, including the University of Alabama, Technische Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, and McGill University.
Prof. Ganoulis has received numerous accolades, including a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Alabama (2022) and the title “Knight of the Academic Order” from the French Government (2013). He was awarded the Medal of Recognition by the Greek Hydro-Geological Association (2011) and elected as a member of the French Water Academy (2008). He also received the Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship (1985) for his significant contributions to water science and engineering.
Prof. Ganoulis’s research has focused on integrated water resources management, hydrological modeling, risk analysis, and conflict resolution related to water pollution and climate change. He is recognised as an expert in transboundary water management, assessing and mitigating risks such as floods and pollution. His work emphasises fostering professional networks for research and education, particularly in the Balkans and Mediterranean regions, and advancing understanding of climate change impacts on water resources.
An IWRA Honorary Membership is the Association’s highest honour, awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions or achieved recognised eminence in the field of water resources. It includes free lifetime membership. Honorary Membership may be given to an external water professional or policymaker with a distinguished and impactful career in water resources, or to an IWRA member who has made exceptional and lasting contributions to the field.
Fellow Member 2025
Patrick Lavardge
Inspector General, General Inspectorate for the Environment and Sustainable Development
(IGEDD)
Patrick Lavarde is IWRA’s former President and a leading French water policy and environmental governance expert, with decades of experience shaping national and international water management strategies. He served as Director General of ONEMA (French National Agency for Water and Aquatic Environments), where he oversaw the implementation of France’s water framework policies, aquatic ecosystem protection, and regulatory enforcement. As a Permanent Member of the French Council for the Environment and Sustainable Development, he provided strategic advice on environmental policy, sustainability, and integrated resource management.
Lavarde is a graduate of France’s prestigious École Polytechnique and École Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts (ENGREF). He built a long public service career in environmental administration, culminating in leadership at ONEMA (2007–2012) and senior roles advising the French government on water policy. Internationally, he served as Co-Chair of the 9th World Water Forum in Dakar (2022), guiding the International Steering Committee to deliver a fully in-person global event during the pandemic. He also helped develop innovative initiatives such as the project-labeling mechanism to strengthen financing for water infrastructure.
Throughout his career, Lavarde has earned recognition for his commitment to sustainable water management and environmental stewardship. He has collaborated with international organisations, NGOs, basin authorities, and national agencies to advance shared water objectives, strengthen governance, and improve access to safe water and sanitation.
Lavarde’s work emphasises integrated, basin-based water governance, conflict resolution, and sustainable financing. As Co-Chair of the Dakar Forum, he championed inclusive dialogue across ministers, technical experts, civil society, and youth, culminating in the adoption of the action-oriented “Blue Deal” declaration. His leadership has focused on linking water policy to food security, peacebuilding, and development, reinforcing the essential role of water in achieving global sustainability goals.
The IWRA Fellow membership is granted to an existing IWRA member who has been with IWRA for at least ten years and has made major contributions to IWRA, been involved in the field of water resources management, held a position of high responsibility, and attained a high level of academic qualification, or carried high responsibilities in the field of water resources management. IWRA Fellows receive discounted membership for life.
