A proactive and anticipatory approach to climate risk management to mitigate the impact of Europe's increasingly frequent and destructive droughts and floods was at the heart of a debate on ‘The Water Crisis’ added to the agenda of the European Parliament's plenary session on Tuesday 6 February, to tie in with the debate on the Commission's communication on the EU's 2040 climate target.
This was an opportunity for the European Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, to set out once again the thrust of the forthcoming initiative for water resilience, advocating a radical change of approach (see EUROPE 13329/2) and stressing the importance of dialogue with all stakeholders. Having been given an advance preview in October (see EUROPE 13274/18), MEPs welcomed the forthcoming initiative and called for a European strategy for resilience and sustainable water management.
The Commission's wide-ranging communication, due on 12 March according to the Commission's provisional indicative timetable, “will combine immediate action with the launch of a wide-ranging public debate involving the EU institutions, the Member States and all stakeholders, such as local and regional authorities, the private sector, NGOs, academia and citizens”, said the Commissioner.
In his view, the first challenge is to reduce all pressures on water, which means tackling pollution at source, reducing overuse and over-allocation of water, preserving minimum ecological flows to enable rivers to deliver the ecosystem services on which we depend, and ensuring the full deployment of technological solutions.
This also involves “ensuring that major water users, such as the digital and energy sectors, internalise water efficiency and water protection” and more rigorous application of the ‘polluter pays’ principle in water pricing policies, while ensuring that water is affordable for all, the Commissioner added.
Better implementation of EU legislation, including the Water Framework Directive and the Directive on water reuse in agriculture, is a prerequisite, but will not be enough, Sinkevičius warned, adding that it will be necessary to reduce demand, improve planning, internalise water efficiency in economic sectors and invest more in efficient infrastructure.
“These days, there is too much of a tendency to respond to water shortages and droughts with ad hoc emergency measures. We need to move towards anticipatory planning to reduce risks. However, to date, only 14 Member States have drawn up drought management plans, despite the fact that drought is affecting all Member States”, and although a European atlas of drought risks by region is available (see EUROPE 13270/12), he pointed out.
He concluded: “By strengthening the resilience of water supply systems and the sectors that depend on them, we will move away from crisis management towards proactive risk management. This is the best solution to help citizens and farmers”.
Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez (EPP, Spanish) felt that “the impact on the economy and on the population is serious enough”, and called for water objectives to be set, using European funds.
In the opinion of Javi López (S&D, Spanish), “drought is the new normal that threatens our way of life, our economy and our agriculture”, and the time has come to take action through cooperation between administrations, the mobilisation of European resources and raising public awareness.
For Klemen Grošelj (Renew Europe, Slovenian), “immediate action and an integrated approach” are required.
Stressing that “recurring drought every summer is a structural problem”, Benoît Biteau (Greens/EFA, French) called for “European governance, prioritisation of uses (with drinking water in the lead) and a vast wetland restoration programme to provide drinking water for all”.
Cutting-edge technologies are favoured by the right wing of the House (EPP, ECR, ID). Aurélia Beigneux (ID, French) was critical of “the low level of ambition when it comes to investing in cutting-edge technologies for seawater desalination and reuse, when we have found €50 billion for Ukraine”.
For Sandra Pereira (The Left, Portuguese), “access to water is a right and people are asking for concrete solutions”, such as tanks to conserve water. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)