Water.europa.eu Water Management Policy context DEVCO-EIB meeting Brussels, 30 June 2011 Peter Gammeltoft Water Unit DG Environment, European Commission

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Water Management Water Management Policy contextPolicy context

DEVCO-EIB meeting

Brussels, 30 June 2011

Peter Gammeltoft

Water Unit

DG Environment, European Commission

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Content

• Water Framework Directive State of implementation

• 2012 Blueprint to safeguard EU waters

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Some key principles of WFD integrated river basin

management• protecting all waters, surface and groundwaters;

• covering all impacts on waters;

• good quality (‘good status’) to be achieved, as a rule, by 2015;

• water quality comprehensively defined in terms of biology, chemistry and morphology;

• water management based on river basins;

• monitoring programmes for surface and groundwaters, both as a planning tool and as an assessment instrument;

• economic instruments: getting the prices right - to promote prudent use of water;

• mandatory public participation;

• … and complemented/guided by an unprecedented cooperation on implementation.

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Transposition into national law Dec 2003Administrative arrangements Dec 2003Environmental analysis:

Analysis of characteristicsAssessment of human impacts

Economic analysis of water use Dec 2004 Monitoring programmes Dec 2006Public Participation starts Dec 2006Significant water management issues Dec 2007Draft river basin management plans Dec 2008Final river basin management plans Dec 2009Measures implemented at the latest Dec 2012Implementation, adjustment 2015 till

2027

WFD Timetable


RBMP adopted (21)

Consultation finalised, awaiting adoption (2)

Consultation on-going or not started (4)


2012: A Blueprint to safeguard EU Waters

• The Blueprint is the convergence of 3 assessments scheduled for 2012– Assessment of 1st river basin management plans under Water Framework

Directive– Review of the Strategy for Water Scarcity and Droughts– Assessment of the vulnerability of water and environmental resources to climate

impacts and man-made pressures.

• The Blueprint will:– Look back and assess the implementation and achievements of policies and

measures in place to ensure the protection and availability of EU water resources

– Look forward at the evolving vulnerability of the water environment to assess the sufficiency of existing measures and tools, and evaluate potential new instruments to ensure a sustainable use of good quality water in the EU in the long term.

– The Blueprint will synthesise policy recommendations drawing from the evaluation and impact assessment exercises, and will be accompanied by a number of reports and new initiatives, including of a legislative nature if appropriate.


Review Water Scarcity and Droughts Policy – WS&D (1/2)

• Communication 2007 and follow-up:– Council conclusions - review & further develop WS&D policy by 2012

– EP report – new initiatives incl. pilot projects preparatory actions

– Annual follow up reports

• Policy Review 2012:• GAP Analysis

– Overview of problem & existing measures

– Identification of gaps

– Proposal of new measures

– Assessment of Impact of new measures


Review Water Scarcity and Droughts Policy – WS&D (2/2) – Building Blocks

• Water Efficiency– Water Supply Infrastructure – Buildings – Agriculture

• Better Planning– Demand management – Integration WS&D management in RBMP– Land use planning

• European Drought Observatory– European level information platform being developed by JRC– Building on National & regional data - Subsidiarity principle

• Indicator development– Water exploitation index – not very informative (Annual & national

average)– Development of more informative indicators for WS&D (EEA & pilot

countries)


Vulnerability of Water & Environmental Resources and Adaptation

• White Paper on Adaptation: Actions under DG ENV responsibility:

– Guidelines for River Basin Management Plans (delivered in Dec 2009)– Measures to enhance water efficiency in agriculture, households and

buildings– Natural water retention measures– Inclusion of climate change in the implementation of the Floods Directive– European guidelines on adaptation in coastal and marine areas– Measures to boost soil storage capacity for both carbon and water– Follow-up Green Paper on Forest Protection– Integration biodiversity loss and climate change– Guidelines for the management of Natura 2000 sites– Adaptation Guidelines for the EIA and SEA Directives

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2012 Blueprint to safeguard EU Waters:2012 Blueprint to safeguard EU Waters:

Nov 2012Blueprint

ToSafeguardEU Waters

Report on 2009River BasinManagement Plans

ReviewWater Scarcity& Droughts Strategy

Climate ChangeVulnerability& Adaptation












Outlook of sustainability

and vulnerability of

EU water resources

« Fitness Check»

EU water policy

instruments

Policy OptionsLand-use

Resource efficiency

Economic Instruments

Governance

Knowledge Base


Policy Options

• Objectives: Fit EU policy to ensure good quality water in sufficient quantities for all legitimate uses. – maximize compliance with WFD objectives, to – tackle Water Scarcity and Droughts (WSD) – build a robust policy framework to address extreme weather events and

the potential impacts of global changes. • 7 key areas. Policy options to be selected on the basis of the IA and

presented in the Blueprint.– Land Use– Economic Incentives– Quantitative water resources use targets– Governance– Knowledge Base– Innovation– Global Dimension

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Calendar / Next steps2011-II 2011-III 2011-IV 2012-I 2012-II 2012-III 2012-IV

ClimWatAdapt

Studies Water saving, pricing, footprint

WSD Gap Analysis

Natural water Retention measures

Assessment RBMP – Pressures & Measures

Support to Impact Assessment

Modelling Use Water Resources

Water resource balances

Fitness Check

Events

Adoption

10/5 WWF GW Fin16/9

IAB IAB

OptionsFC/ WSDPub. Cons.

ISC 16/11

IA Revision Groundwater Directive

Water Efficiency in Buildings

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Thank you for your attention

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Documents

Water.europa.eu Water Management Policy context DEVCO-EIB meeting Brussels, 30 June 2011 Peter Gammeltoft Water Unit DG Environment, European Commission