This new action group that unites members from Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Bernd from New Zealand sharing their expertise about rivers. The first session took place in its HQ in Lyon, France. The discourse, lead by Academie Française member Eric Orsenna, was focussed on river ecology, river urbanism, hydropower, navigation, and irrigation. The group wants to put rivers on the agenda of the COP21 climate summit in Paris in November/December. Therefore the paper produced in Lyon will be presented to the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Laurent Fabius, the Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, Ségolène Royal, and the President of the Republic François Hollande. The next meeting of the Initiatives is scheduled for April 2016 in Montréal, Canada.