1. Applying EU earth observation data and services (COPERNICUS) to detect non-authorised water abstraction
DG Environment
Thomas Petitguyot
SCG meeting 2nd October 2014

2. Blueprint proposal on illegal abstraction
Over-abstraction of water = 2nd most common pressure on EU ecological status (16 MS)
Over-allocating water to users ≠ Illegal water abstraction
Member States responsibility to enforce EU and national law
Possible use of satellite imagery and derived information (notably GMES) to identify areas irrigated well beyond allowance by national permits or even without permits
EC and affected MS to propose GMES services to detect illegal abstraction making full use of the information held at MS level
Included in CIS mandate (WG Agriculture)

3. Abstraction and water rights in the agriculture sector
Irrigated agriculture = major contribution to quantitative stress of water resources - about 80% of the water consumption in some southern Member States (MS) of the EU
Regulation of water right varies greatly across MS, +/- formal water rights with basic attributes describing the water (quantity and quality, source and location), the holder (use, location and duration) and the administration of the right (ownership and transfer, security and enforcement)
Water authorities strive to regulate and plan water use in agriculture to ensure long term viability and compatibility with co-existing uses and good status of water bodies.

4. Scope of the study
Study on how to use earth observation systems (e.g Copernicus), together with other data to identify and address non-authorized water abstraction where this is an issue in the EU
Conducted by BIO by Deloitte and Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) – started: end of September 2013
Deliverables:
a guidance document to support Member States in developing use of available EO tools to monitor irrigation abstraction and assist the detection of non-authorised abstraction.
a discussion paper to assess the opportunity to develop new tools and services at EU-level in Copernicus targeted at monitoring irrigation abstractions.

5. Approach for the study
Initial presentation in WG Agriculture 5 Sept 2013 – call for interest
Review of literature and existing projects
Experience of FP7 project Sirius
Case studies in MS: 4 workshops organised in Spain& Portugal, Italy, France and Greece (1st semester 2014) hosted by local/national authorities and with the participation of numerous stakeholders.
Consultation of national representatives of water authorities and international EO experts (expert meeting in June 2014 and written consultation in July).

6. Outline of the guidance document
Confirms the opportunity of such EO tools, making clear some limitations
Policy summary
5 steps to guide MS in applying EO to support the detection of non-authorised water:
1 - Identifying water managers’ objectives and needs
2 - Exploring the opportunities of using EO to detect and monitor abstractions
3 - Assessing the suitability of EO in the given legal and institutional framework
4 - Exploring alternative applications
5 - Roadmap for water managers towards implementation in new areas
Detailed annex:
Workshops' documents (presentations and outcomes)
Status of water rights and non-authorised abstractions in the EU MS
EO-based methods to monitor abstractions
Existing EO tools and services
Contributors

7. Follow-up on the guidance document
Check factual information about MS situation, for correction before report publication (by 10th October)
Coming presentation in WG Agriculture early consider the opportunity to endorse the guidance document as a CIS guidance, possibly with minor changes
IMPEL (European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law) also intend to develop a specific action on EO methods for the detection and assessment of illegal abstraction and over-abstraction of water, as part of their commitment towards focusing more on implementation of water issues in their new mandate
 Opportunity for coordination / joint development of guidance

8. Discussion paper
Intended to inform the Commission (DG ENV) and MS: inclusion of such tools and services in Copernicus work programme?
Different scenarios explored, regarding the relative contribution of EU and MS in the delivery of such a service:
Processing of EO data
Provision and processing of additional data (on usual crops, meteorology, soil, and irrigation practices
Integration with water rights)
Circulated in the coming weeks – to be disseminated by MS to their representatives in Copernicus User Forum, possibly with support