1. Resource Efficiency and the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s waters Henriette Færgemann, DG ENV Water Unit June 2011 Henriette Færgemann, DG ENV Water Unit June 2011

2. 2012 Blueprint to safeguard EU Waters: Nov 2012 Blueprint To Safeguard EU Waters Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Sustainability and vulnerability of EU water resources « Fitness Check» Policy Options

3. Outlook of sustainability and vulnerability of EU water resources Driving Forces Pressures State Impacts Responses EEA 2012 State of Water Assessment Scenarios (e.g. ClimWatAdapt)

4. Fitness Check Final report on the adequacy of current water policy to be available end-June 2011 A starting point:  Help scoping the issues to be analysed in more detail in the 2nd semester 2011 Next Steps:  Stakeholder and Public Consultation September-November 2011  2 nd Stakeholder Workshop December 2011  Fitness Check Report: Spring 2012

5. 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

6. Develop a positive role for land-use Land Use change is one of the main drivers of the degradation of water resources and vulnerability to extreme events. Identify and analyse natural water retention measures that could be widely implemented at EU level  Reforestation, soil management, sustainable urban drainage systems, floodplain restoration, etc Define the policy instruments that can accelerate the implementation of those measures.  Guidelines for RBMP  Integration into territorial management instruments (CAP, Cohesion Policy, local planning)  Payment for Ecosystem Services

7. Economic incentives for a more efficient water resources management Develop a consistent approach for the internalisation of costs from water use and water pollution. The options to be developed include:  More concrete criteria for pricing, taxation, removal of harmful subsidies, etc.  Setup of water allocation schemes (including tradable permits) in water scarce areas.  Payment for ecosystem services  Certification schemes

8. Water efficiency targets and measures to protect water resources Starting point: ClimWatAdapt project  Indicators of the water gap in Europe in 2020 or 2050 between water demand and water availability, combining climate change and socio-economic scenarios Link with Water and Ecosystem accounts, currently developed by the EEA The Blueprint will provide indicative water efficiency targets  at EU level taking into account the great variety of situations across economic sectors and geographic areas.  Sensitivity analysis: physical/virtual water transfers Policy Options:  Development of targets for water efficiency (and quality improvement) in the MS at sectoral and river basin level while providing a conceptual framework for robust decision making against uncertainty (e.g. climate change)

9. Why focus on water efficiency? Water scarcity & droughts problems are on the increase Water abstraction expected to increase with 16% by 2030 in a business as usual scenario The water hierarchy is the basic principle – addressing demand management first Water efficiency is usually cost-effective when water is correctly priced

10. Potential for water savings in the EU total: 40%  technological improvements alone  further increased by changes in human behaviour & production patterns Water Supply infrastructure: up to 33% of abstraction Agriculture: 43% of current agricultural abstraction:  Improved efficiency - 15% to 60% of water use.  changes in irrigation practices (30%)  use of more drought-resistant crops (up to 50%)  reuse of treated sewage effluent (around 10%) Industry: estimated savings 15 - 90% average 43% Tourism: potential of 80-90% savings Irrigation of golf courses & sports areas: 70% Potential for water savings - first indications:

11. Water Efficiency – building blocks: Water Supply Infrastructure  Estimate water & economic loss + impact  Study best practices for minimising water-losses  Provide recommendations on the possibilities to reduce losses Buildings  Up to 30% of the volume of water consumed in buildings could be saved  Analysis of available information & identification of gaps  Identification & analysis of regulatory and non-regulatory options for water performance requirements for buildings  Assessment of the social, economic and environmental impacts Agriculture  Options for water savings in agriculture  How can agriculture contribute to water savings and to reducing unsustainable water abstraction  Water pricing in agriculture Industry  possibilities for re-use & recycling of waste water  further introduction of low-consumption industrial processes  how to reduce energy consumption of urban water systems

12. Governance The FC will provide a set of specific objectives for improving the governance system stemming from EU water policy On that basis, and building on the RBMPs assessments, options to be developed will aim at:  Supporting an administrative setup (at both national and trans- boundary level, e.g. enhancing the role of River Basin Authorities)  Improve the efficiency of the implementation (e.g. reporting requirements) while providing the reactive capacity needed to face emerging challenges (e.g. climate change adaptation)

13. Knowledge base for water policy making  Stronger statistics activity on pressures on water resources  Increased use of satellite and land GMES observations  Enhanced Water Information System for Europe (WISE) to include policy relevant indicators  Development of a roadmap for water research under the next Framework Programme

14. Innovation Plans for an Innovation Partnership on Water Efficiency:  To identify barriers to innovation in water resource management and ways to overcome them The IP is being defined with stakeholders  3 work packages: Urban, Rural and Industry 30-40 Innovation sites to be established across Europe to test innovative solutions (technology, management practices, etc.)

15. Global aspects  Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on access to drinking water and sanitation  Relevant outcomes of the Rio+20 Conference  Supporting integrated water management in developing countries  Trade implications (water footprint)

16. 2012 Blueprint to safeguard EU Waters: Nov 2012 Blueprint To Safeguar d EU Waters Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Outlook of sustainability and vulnerability of EU water resources « Fitness Check» EU water policy instruments Policy Options