1. Communicating progress under WFD
Diederik van der Molen , the Netherlands
Emmanuel Steinmann , France
Laurent Roy , France
Jan Busstra, the Netherlands
31 July 2019

2. Status (2014 and 2021) of 205 large water bodies in the Rhine river basin (draft 2nd RBMP of the ICPR)
2014
2021
Chemical status
2021
Ecological status
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment
31 July 2019

3. Is it really that bad….?
WWF: “The Rhine is now one of the cleanest rivers in Europe and faster than expected plants and animals return. The Rhine is ready to welcome back also the Atlantic sturgeon.”
WWF is preparing experimental reintroduction of French sturgeons in the Dutch part of the Rhine.
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment
31 July 2019

4. WFD indicators based on one-out-all-out
... do not represent the real status
... are insensitive for changes
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment
31 July, 2019

5. Are there additional indicators? - Chemical status
Directive on Environmental Quality Standards 2013 introduced ‘ubiquitous substances’.
Substances “that may be found for decades in the aquatic environment at levels posing a significant risk, even if extensive measures to reduce or eliminate emissions have already been taken.”
All substances
Without ubiquitous substances
Chemical
status
2014
Data: draft 2nd RBMP of the ICPR - Rhine
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment
31 July, 2019

6. Chemical status 2013 All chemical substances
Without ubiquitous substances
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment
31 July 2019

7. Are there additional indicators? - Ecological status
Presentation by biological quality element
Standardization and EU approval needed for comparability between member states and acceptability within member states
nr. water bodies
Data: draft 2nd RBMP’s of the Netherlands
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment
31 July, 2019

8. Indicator on the use of exemptions
The Netherlands:
1th RBMP 2009: 86% water bodies need extended deadline
Draft 2nd RBMP: 86.5% water bodies need (again) extended deadline
2015 compared to 2009:
More quality elements monitored
Different methods (QA/QC Directive, national improvements)
Changed standards (Intercalibration, new data, EQS Directive)
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment
31 July 2019

9. Conclusions Why do we need better indicators?
For the people working, living and recreating in and around water
Public and political support
Funding to tackle remaining pressures
One-out-all-out indicator works contra-productive
Way forwards:
Additional indicators needed for the status of water bodies
Additional work to be done on presentation of exemptions
Use of data already provided by electronic reporting
Standardization and approval needed for
Comparison between member states
Acceptability of the indicators within member states
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment
31 July 2019

10. Thank you for your attention!
31 juli 2019