From Water Scarcity & Droughts to Water Accounts Henriette Faergemann Water Unit Directorate General for Environment European Commission 1 1

Water Quantity in WFD implementation Previous CIS phase – water scarcity & droughts EG: Agreeing definitions of WS & D Starting up work on e-flows Development of WS & D indicators SPI, fAPAR, Soil Moisture, SRI, Snowpack, WEI+ This CIS phase: activities related to quantity in several groups e-flows PoM: Leakage reduction, Water re-use Water accounts

Why is water quantity a concern in EU? Balance between demand and availability has reached a critical level in many areas of Europe (water scarcity) More and more areas are affected by weather changes, in particular less rain (droughts) Climate change will almost certainly make the situation worse More frequent and severe droughts expected across Europe and the neighbouring countries Total water abstraction in EU 247 billion m³/year 44% for energy production, 24% for agriculture, 17% for public water supply 15% for industry Business as usual scenario: Total abstraction will increase by 16% by 2030 3 3 3 3

Droughts in Europe Reservoir, Sicily Reservoir, Cyprus River Elbe, Dresden Spring. 2007 4 4 4 4

Water Exploitation Index Increasing stress 5 5 5 5

Climate change is already here 6 6 6 6

Increasing impacts of water scarcity & droughts in the past 30 years Water scarcity Droughts Cost to the EU economy: Min € 100 billion in past 30 years In 2003: Min 100 Mio inhab., 1/3 of EU territory Cost of € 8.7 billion to the EU economy 33 EU river basins affected so far Min 100 Mio inhab., 17% of EU territory Significant extension in past 30 years 7 7 7 7

And it is getting worse….. 8 8 8 8

Predicted impacts of climate change and economic development Proportion of severe water stress EU river basins likely to increase from 19% today to 35% by 2070. Areas affected by droughts will increase. If t° rises by 2 to 3°C, water scarcity would affect 1.1 to 3.2 billion people Southern Europe Eastern Central Europe

What have we done about it so far? Water Framework Directive – not so strong on SW quantity Commission Communication WS&D 2007 - 7 policy options Putting the right price tag on water Improving drought risk management Fostering water efficient technologies and practices Fostering the emergence of a water-saving culture Allocating water & water-related funding efficiently Considering additional water supply infrastructures Improve knowledge and data collection Annual implementation reports Launch of Policy Review in 2010 Blueprint in 2012 CIS mandate 10 10 10 10

Blueprint objectives Voluntary Regulation Conditionality Funding Efficient incentive water pricing CIS Guidance on trading schemes by 2014 Enforcement of Art. 9 WFD (ongoing) Ex-ante conditions under RD&C policy funds 2014 Metering take up Water use reduction in agriculture Precondition for some irrigation projects under RD as of 2014 Reduction of illegal abstraction/impoundments Apply GMES as of 2013 Possible EU initiative on inspections - 2013 Cross-compliance under CAP Awareness of water consumption Support voluntary labeling & certification schemes Maximisation of the use of NWRM (Green Infr.) CIS Guidance by 2014 Greening of CAP pillar I as of 2014 S&C Funds & EIB loans Efficient water appliances in buildings EU Ecolabel & GPP criteria 2013 Eco-design Working Plan in 2012 Reduction of leakages Best practice/tools on SELL in 2013 Maximisation of water reuse Possible Regulation in 2015 Improvement of governance Peer review of RBMPs (2013 – 2016) 11

Blueprint objectives Voluntary Regulation Conditionality Funding Implementation of water accounts, e-flows & target setting CIS Guidance on WAs / E-flows & Target setting by 2014 Reduction of flood risk Through Green Infr. European Flood Awareness System Flood Risk Management Plans by 2015 Reduction of drought risk Through Green Infr. European Flood EDO in 2013-2014 Enforcement of WFD requirements (ongoing) Better calculation of costs and benefits CIS Guidance by 2014 Better knowledge base Upgrading WISE by 2015 Support to developing countries Tackling pollution Report on pharmaceuticals & the environment 2013 Targeted enforcement of WFD, EQS/PSD, NID, UWWTD, IED … Cross-cutting EIPs on Water and Agriculture as of 2013 Overall enforcement of WFD, EQS/PSD, NID, UWWTD, IED Possible European Semester Recomm. 2013 CAP, S&C Funds & EIB loans 12

In conclusion Better integration of water quantity in the WFD is needed Possible tools: Eflows Water efficiency Hydro-economic models Water accounts This group will Facilitate the use of water accounts in River basins by developing the guidance Follow the work on-going at EU level on WA and modelling 13 13 13 13

Thank you for your attention. http://ec. europa Blueprint Communication COM(2012)673+ Impact Assessment SWD(2012) 381 & 382 Report on River Basin Management Plans COM(2012)670 Commission Staff Working Document, European Overview on River Basin Management Plans, Volumes 1 and 2 SWD(2012) 379 Commission Staff Working Document, River Basin Management Plans, Volumes 3 to 30 (All Member States + Norway) SWD(2012) 379 Communication on the Review of the European Water Scarcity and Drought Policy COM(2012)672 + accompanying Commission Staff Working Document SWD(2012)380 Fitness Check SWD (2012)393 14