Brussels, 22/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - Nearly three quarters of European citizens think that the EU should propose additional measures to address water problems in Europe and 68% think that water-related problems are serious, in terms of both quality and quantity, according to a Eurobarometer survey published on Thursday 22 March - World Water Day. These findings would seem to give the Commission carte blanche on raising the level of ambition of the new water programme it is drafting. Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik is delighted.
“The European Union has been working for years to improve water quality, and we have results to show for it - the quality of drinking water and bathing water is much better than it was, and many more towns and cities have proper treatment of their waste water. Species like salmon have reappeared in a number of European rivers where they were no longer found. But droughts and floods are becoming more common, and Europe's waters are under increasing pressure from challenges such as pollution and climate change. Citizens realise this and they are asking the EU to respond”, he said in a press release.
The Eurobarometer survey was conducted in all 27 member states of the EU between 5 and 7 March 2012. The responses from a representative sample of 25,524 reveal that droughts, floods and chemical pollution are seen as significant challenges. Droughts are a stronger concern in the Mediterranean countries, with citizens in Portugal (96%), Spain (95 %) and Italy (94 %) seeing it as a serious problem. Floods are seen as a serious problem by a large majority of Europeans (79%), and the issue is a major concern for an overwhelming majority of people in Romania (96 %), Bulgaria (94%), and Poland (94%).
Among Europeans 23% believe that water quality has improved, 25% think there has been no change over the last ten years, while 44% believe it has deteriorated. Chemical pollution is cited as the biggest threat to water resources by a majority of Europeans (84%), followed by climate change (55%) and changes in water ecosystems (49%).
The number of citizens who also feel they are not sufficiently well informed count for 62%, while 67% think the most effective means of reducing water-related problems would be awareness-raising about water-related problems. Europeans support heavier fines for polluters, a fairer pricing policy or financial incentives (tax breaks or subsidies). Against that backdrop, 73% of Europeans call for more measures at EU-level to reduce water problems.
The results of the Eurobarometer survey will all be considered by the European Commission in the “Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources” planned for November 2012. The Blueprint will identify current gaps and future priorities, and propose measures to steer water policy development until 2020. It will be based on an analysis that integrates economic and climate modelling in the period up to 2050. (AN/transl.rt)
The Eurobarometer survey can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm