Copenhagen, 4 December 2024
Europe’s water is under pressure from pollution, over-use, habitat degradation and increasing impacts of climate change. Improving the resilience and health of Europe’s lakes, rivers and groundwaters is an urgent priority to secure good-quality water for people and nature.
‘EEA Signals 2024 – Towards healthy and resilient waters in Europe’ gives an overview of key challenges and opportunities about improving the health and resilience of Europe’s waters. The report consists of an editorial by EEA Executive Director, Leena Ylä-Mononen, and collection of interviews and short articles that are based on previously published EEA knowledge.
Based on the recently published ‘Europe’s state of water’ report, EEA Signals articles focus on water and nature, pollution and climate change, and also have a closer look at the story of improving bathing water quality in Europe. Each article also includes a box on what citizens can do.
Leena Ylä-Mononen, EEA Executive Director:
By prioritising water efficiency, investing in sustainable infrastructure, and protecting our natural environments, we can build a more resilient Europe.
In the interviews, Dr Sharon McGuinness, Executive Director of European Chemicals Agency, discusses the need to move towards more sustainable and safer chemicals.
Monika Mörth, Director General for Water Management in the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, talks about her country’s efforts to safeguard good water quality.
And Dr Zongsu Wei tells about his work at Aarhus University in Denmark to find solutions to remove harmful chemicals from water.
Water resilience is a growing priority across Europe. Earlier this year the European Commission launched the #WaterWiseEU campaign to promote the topic and sustainable water management across Europe.
This week, the One Planet Summit focuses on international cooperation on water, and the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) seeks renewed commitment to restore land and boost drought resilience
The EEA Signals report is an annual, easy-to-read web publication that looks at key issues related to the environment and climate. Recent EEA Signals reports have looked at health and environment (2023), energy (2022), nature (2021), and zero pollution (2020).
Link
Source – EEA
Editorial – Strong action needed to strengthen Europe’s water resilience
4 December 2024
By Leena Ylä-Mononen, EEA Executive Director
Water is fundamental to life, sustaining ecosystems and supporting our societies with everything from drinking water to food production and energy generation. Yet, Europe’s freshwater resources are under increasing pressure. Climate change, pollution, and unsustainable water management are worsening water stress, and the challenges are only growing. Urgent action is needed to safeguard Europe’s water security and build resilience in the face of these evolving pressures.
This year, the European Environment Agency (EEA) completed its largest assessment on the health of Europe’s water bodies. The assessment shows that the goal of achieving good status for European waters is still unmet. As of 2021, only 37% of Europe’s surface water bodies met the standards for good ecological status, and just 29% reached good chemical status.
Despite ongoing efforts, pollution, particularly from agriculture and energy production, continues to hinder progress. While these sectors provide essential services to our societies, we must find ways to reduce their impact on water quality.
Positive opportunities and examples exist, too. Technological advancements and changes in farming practices can help reduce water pollution while maintaining productivity. Decarbonisation of Europe’s energy production continues, reducing pollutant releases.
With water, too, one specific area has seen substantial progress. Over the past decades, Europe has improved the quality of its bathing waters significantly. Last year, 85% of EU bathing waters were rated excellent, and 96% met the minimum EU quality standards.
Resilience key to addressing challenges
Yet, both our ‘state of water’ assessment and an earlier analysis on Europe’s climate risks point to the same, alarming direction. Climate change is making water management more challenging than ever. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events are putting unprecedented pressure on water resources.
Water stress already affects 30% of Europe’s population each year, a trend that is set to worsen as climate change intensifies. Across Europe, shifting rainfall patterns have led to both more frequent droughts and more intense rainfall events and floods.
Our existing systems are poorly adapted to cope with these rapid changes, threatening both water security and the health of people and nature. As weather extremes become more common, our management of water must adapt too. We need decisive action to protect communities and preserve the health of our natural environments.
To improve resilience, we must focus on reducing water use and enhancing efficiency. This includes cutting water leakage, investing in water-efficient technologies, and increasing water reuse. In addition, expanding the use of nature-based solutions, such as restoring wetlands and increasing green infrastructure, can improve water retention, reduce flood risks, and restore biodiversity.
We must also strengthen our data and monitoring systems. Timely, accurate information about water quantity and quality is essential for making informed decisions and ensuring fair distribution of water resources. A better understanding of water availability will help balance the needs of agriculture, industry, and the environment.
A shared responsibility
Building water resilience is a shared responsibility. The EU and its Member States, industries, farmers, and citizens must work together to reduce water consumption, limit pollution, and protect freshwater ecosystems. The European Environment Agency will continue to support policy makers with data and knowledge to help meet these challenges.
By prioritising water efficiency, investing in sustainable infrastructure, and protecting our natural environments, we can build a more resilient Europe. Water security is not just about ensuring supply; it is about safeguarding ecosystems, enhancing the health of our communities, and securing a sustainable future for all Europeans.
Web report content
- EEA Signals 2024 – Towards healthy and resilient waters in Europe
- Editorial – Strong action needed to strengthen Europe’s water resilience
- Healthy waters depend on healthy nature
- Interview – Safeguarding water quality in Austria
- Reducing pollution is vital for better water resilience
- Interview – Removing ‘forever chemicals’ from drinking water
- Interview – Towards more sustainable and safer chemicals
- Extreme climate events highlight the need for better water management
- European bathing waters – a health and wellbeing success story
- Infographics
Source – EEA