COP28: A call for strategic water action in Europe [Promoted content]

The 28th United Nations Climate Change conference just wrapped up in Dubai. 118 nations pledged to triple renewable energy by 2030. But what about their water dependency? The water crisis still needs to be tackled.

Globally, 69% of the publicly listed companies disclosing water-related data via the CDP report were exposed to substantive water risks with a  value at risk topping out at over US$225 billion, the moment that the cost of response was US$119 billion” (CDP, 2022).

A climate crisis is primarily a water crisis.

The 10^th December was dedicated to water at COP28. It was an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of water for climate adaptation policies. With a dedicated Water for Climate Pavilion, 60 partners from governments, international and intergovernmental institutions, NGOs, and the private sector got engaged through different sessions.

These actions were more than welcomed, as the strategic economic sectors identified for the green transition are water intensive. Hydroden, for example, requires 9kg of demineralised water for the production of 1 kg.

Meike van Ginneken the Water Envoy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands stressed in one of her interventions at COP28 that ‘’Climate change primarily manifests itself in water. We know it will rain more. We know there will be more droughts. So, let’s get prepared, let’s repair the roof before the rain starts.’’ Beyond this intervention, the sessions functioned as a call for a Water-Smart Society and a more strategic approach for water, in interaction with the nexus that came out of several discussions and debates.

Time to act now for water

This autumn, many areas across Thessaly in Greece were hit by a devastating storm and remained in a state of emergency, with damaged infrastructure, without water, electricity and access to basic sanitation, food and clothing for days. In response to this, the newly elected Regional Governor of Thessaly – Mr Dimitris Kouretas   stressed that we need fundamental reform changes, as well as more cooperation to achieve a Water-Smart Society and restore nature. It’s becoming evident that the urgency for having new political actions is coming from all sides.

Over the past five years, European institutions have taken proactive measures to update the European water acquis, aligning it with emerging sector challenges. The next crucial step involves capitalizing on synergies with various economic, social, and environmental stakeholders. Major European Institutions are already considering the pressing challenges to provide coherence and new regulatory tools beyond the water acquis.

Firstly, the European Council stressed in two resolutions in 2021 and 2023 the “strategic importance of water and the need to act”. Similarly, the European Parliament underlined for two consecutive years in its resolution for the COP27 and COP28 the importance of water in order to achieve the objective of the climate agenda.

In Europe, the The European Economic and Social Committee also established the reference in October 2023 with the call for an EU Blue Deal. As pointed out in the call “the current EU policy framework is not fit for purpose”.

The Water Resilience initiative: a step towards a EU water strategy

With the upcoming European election in June 2024, this is a pivotal opportunity to shape the European policy for the next five years.

In October 2023, the European Commission revealed its Work Programme 2024. This plan includes the Water Resilience Initiative, aiming to secure water access for citizens, nature, and the economy, addressing flooding, shortages, and climate risks across policy areas within the EU. This is a positive new step to reach out the other economic sectors and raise awareness about water in our society.

However, realising this initiative’s potential requires strategic political accountability within the next European Commission (2024-2029). Water is a transversal topic, fragmented between different services in the European institutions. The call from the European Economic and social committee for a water commissioner points out the need for more political leadership with a holistic approach.

COP28 brought to everyone’s attention the inseparable nature of the climate and water crises and emphasized the need for a strategic plan to ensure a water-resilient world. The best time to act was yesterday and the second best time is now. There is no better occasion to work together with all the economic, social and environmental actors to build a Water-Smart Society. A secure, sustainable and resilient water system is not an option. It’s the only way forward.