Droughts, floods and severe storms are increasingly wreaking havoc across Europe, posing significant challenges for households, industries and agriculture. Against this backdrop, the European Commission's postponement of its much-awaited Water Resilience initiative is yet another blow to the European Green Deal. It is a missed opportunity to bolster long-term planning capacity, foster enhanced coordination among sectors and stakeholders and address governance fragmentation. Aqua Publica Europea urges the European Commission to reinstate water resilience as a top priority on its agenda and ramp up efforts in better managing the risks posed by extreme weather events and the adverse effects of climate change on our water resources.

“While millions of people in Portugal and Spain grapple with stringent water restrictions, and while the frequency of droughts and floods is worryingly increasing across the whole Europe, the postponement of the European Commission’s Water Resilience initiative sends a highly concerning signal. Now is not the time for hesitation, but a time to step up efforts to increase our resilience against the impacts of climate change on Europe’s scarce water resources. Urgent action is imperative to strengthen water governance to avoid water conflicts and ensure a sustainable management of water resources. There is also a crucial need to explore new financing instruments beyond water tariffs to invest in mitigation and adaptation while maintaining water affordability.” – said Milo Fiasconaro, Executive Director of Aqua Publica Europea.

You can read two joint letters sent to the President of the European Commission that we co-signed (here and here).