Commission launches Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform to accelerate action on Europe’s water resilience
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The European Commission launched [...Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform] together with the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Committee of the Regions. [...]
The launch comes just days after President von der Leyen put water firmly on the EU’s political agenda in her State of the Union address, announcing a new European Water Initiative.
After a summer of extreme heat and record droughts, Europe's need for water resilience has never been clearer. From farmers facing dwindling water resources to energy producers reducing output because of shortages, changes in the water cycle are affecting society and the economy.
The Commission is therefore stepping up efforts to ensure that no community is left behind and that the Water Resilience Strategy is implemented effectively and fairly across the EU.
Achieving Europe’s water resilience objectives by 2050 will require transformational change at every level. Member States, cities and regions will play a key role, alongside businesses, academia, young people, civil society and financial organisations. Europe’s strongest path forward remains fully implementing the EU’s water legislation and the Water Resilience Strategy.
To support this effort, the new Platform will bring together a broad range of European stakeholders, including business representatives, the water sector, civil society, regional and local authorities, and Member State governments. It will focus on selected priority areas linked to strengthening water resilience, including digitalisation and water efficiency, as well as opportunities to accelerate water reuse.
The Platform will help identify implementation barriers, propose practical solutions and ensure that the Strategy’s actions reflect a wide range of public and sectoral interests.
Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Seamus Boland, and Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Carlos Moedas, will launch it jointly. The three institutions will serve as co-chairs throughout the Platform’s mandate. [...]
[... The] launch opens a series of stakeholder consultations taking place in September to advance the Water Resilience and Zero Pollution agendas.
The launch will be followed by the first meeting of the European Water Academy. A flagship action under the Water Resilience Strategy, the Academy aims to build on Europe’s world-leading water sector and wide expertise, upscale Europe’s response to the water crisis, and boost preparedness and professional skills.
Earlier this month, the Commission also launched a Water Resilience Investment Accelerator under Green Assist. The accelerator aims to support 20 innovative pilot projects focused on natural water retention and water efficiency. It will bring together local water investors, solution providers and those facing water-related challenges to inspire similar action across the EU.
[... on 22.09.] as part of the wider zero pollution agenda, the first meeting of the revamped Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform will take place, with a renewed membership. The Platform will continue supporting the European Commission in realising the objectives of the Zero Pollution Action Plan.
(PM European Commission, gek.)