The blueprint for a water-resilient Europe
Around two-thirds of Europe's rivers, lakes, and coastal waters fail to meet good ecological or chemical standards. Without urgent action, more than half of Europe's river basins could face severe water stress by 2050. Increasing demand for water won't be able to keep up with a decreasing supply. This has two main culprits: agriculture and the climate crisis.
Agriculture accounts for almost 60% of freshwater use in the EU and is the biggest net user. Additionally, due to the climate crisis, droughts will increase significantly, particularly in Southern Europe, making agriculture all the more water-dependent.
Then, what is the EU doing to take action? Last week, the European Commission launched its Water Resilience Strategy to restore Europe's water cycle and adapt to climate change.
The plan focuses on five key actions: enforcing EU water rules, boosting funding and investment, advancing digital and AI tools, promoting research and innovation through a Water Academy, and improving early warning systems for floods and droughts.
Will the Commission's current efforts be enough? Not yet. Unfortunately, the Commission lacks the legal and institutional backbone to respond effectively. While the Commission's Communication lays important groundwork, it does not contain binding targets, a legal act, or a dedicated governance mechanism.
The strategy risks being little more than a wishlist. At the national level, member states still guard their water policies jealously. The EU's Water Framework Directive (WFD), for example, which mandated member states to restore water bodies where necessary and prevent their deterioration, has suffered from inconsistent implementation.
A recent review showed that most member states are on track to miss the 2027 deadline for achieving “good” status in water bodies. Political will has often been lacking. Moreover, Europe continues to treat water as a secondary issue, a mere subtext of energy policy, agriculture, or climate.
Calls for a standalone EU Blue Deal, a water equivalent of the Green Deal, have gained traction among some MEPs and think tanks, but the idea remains politically uncertain. Ultimately, ensuring water security in Europe requires more than just better pipes and data. It requires a cultural shift: recognising water as a political good, not just a technical challenge.