Update on Water activities EIONET CCIVA Tuesday 22/5/2012 Brussels.

Update on Water activities

EIONET CCIVATuesday 22/5/2012Brussels

Update on Water activities

• ClimWatAdapt & on-going studies• Blueprint• Expert Group Climate Change & Water

ClimWatAdapt and on-going DG ENV assessments.

Vulnerability of Water Resources & Adaptation

Driving forcesDriving forces PressuresPressures StateState PotentialImpactsPotentialImpacts

ExposureExposureClimate

scenariosNatural variability

Climate scenarios

Natural variability

PrecipitationSnow coverEvaporation

Sea level riseEtc.

PrecipitationSnow coverEvaporation

Sea level riseEtc.

Water availabilitySoil moisture

River flowWater

temperatureSalt intrusion

Etc.

Water availabilitySoil moisture

River flowWater

temperatureSalt intrusion

Etc.

costs/benefits (health, assets,

production, land, jobs, biodiversity,

ecosystem services, etc.)

from water stress, flooding,

etc.

costs/benefits (health, assets,

production, land, jobs, biodiversity,

ecosystem services, etc.)

from water stress, flooding,

etc.SensitivitySensitivityProduction

ConsumptionDemography

Etc.

ProductionConsumptionDemography

Etc.

Land-useProcesses

Flood defensesStorage capacity

Etc.

Land-useProcesses

Flood defensesStorage capacity

Etc.

WithdrawalsLocation

ecosystems, population,

activity, assetsEtc

WithdrawalsLocation

ecosystems, population,

activity, assetsEtc

Adaptation

Water and Adaptation ModellingClimWatAdapt project (2010-2011)

ClimWatAdapt Scenarios

• Socio-economic and land use: SCENES. • Main drivers (socio-economic,

electricity production, technological changes, …)

• Climate: ENSEMBLES• Long-term annual average bias-

corrected temperature and precipitation data (baseline, 2025s and 2050s), 11 GCM-RCM combinations, SRES A1B scenario

Change in annual precipitation between 2050s and baseline

Adaptation measures inventory

Example of ClimWatAdapt results:Summer Water Exploitation Index (excl cooling water)

FP6 SCENES Scenario «Economy First» 2050

FP6 SCENES Scenario «Sustainability Eventually» 2050

Low stress (WEI < 20%)

Medium stress (20% < WEI < 40%

High stress (WEI > 40%)

Source: DG Environment, ClimWatAdapt database, 2011

ClimWatAdapt policy recommendations:

• Knowledge Gap• Additional research: focus

uncertainty and adaptive capacity. Integration into CLIMATE-ADAPT and WISE.

• Economic analysis under WFD: forecasts about future water use and related investments)

• Embed EU and national forecast systems in CLIMATE-ADAPT.

• • Define and agree on EU wide set of vulnerability indicators to measure the success of implemented adaptation measures.

• Mainstreaming• Ecosystem-based approach /

transfer into all EU policies targeting land use changes (CAP, Energy, Transport)

• Climate proofing measures in 2nd RBMPs

• Funding priority to “green” or “soft” measures and multi-objectives measures

• Start assessment of long-term radical measures

• transboundary water management adaptation strategies.

Support actions at EU level to foster the uptake and implementation of technical

adaptation measures.

Knowledge Integration:

• ClimWatAdapt results integrated in the Clearinghousehttp://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/

Current work

• Modelling of the cost-effectiveness of measures in the context of the Blueprint to safeguard Europe’s waters• Natural water retention measures• Water efficiency measures

• Preparatory Action Climate of the Carpathian Region• Litterature review on the potential climate change effects

on drinking water resources across the EU and the identification of priorities among different types of drinking water supplies

Natural Water Retention Measures

Slow down or reduce the flow of water downstream, leading to a more natural flow regime within a catchment, alleviate the effect of droughts, and to prevent floods, desertification and salination by:

• improving soil’s water storage capacity

• limiting soil erosion

• increasing groundwater recharge

• conserving water in natural systems

• decreasing flow velocity, controlling runoff

• reducing flood peaks

Outcome

• Report on litterature review on costs, benefits and policy implication of measures• To be circulated for comments• To be integrated into WISE catalogue of measures

• Quantitative modelling at EU level (JRC)• First results to be presented at Green Week• Included into Blueprint Scenarios

JRC modellingApproach

Building scenarios of -land use-agricultural practice-water retention, etc.

Multi -models-Land use model-Climate models-Hydrological model, etc.

Assessment of effectiveness of measures at EU level (flood risk prevention, low flows)

JRC modelling: Provide a first quantitative pan-European overview of the effects of ‘green’ measures on dischargeEncouraging Member States to further explore the use NWRM, foster communication between stakeholders

Water scarcity and droughts

• GAP analysis on water scarcity & droughts • Identification of the extent of water scarcity & droughts in Europe and assessment of existing and

potential selected measures for tackling water scarcity & droughts.• Water efficiency in Buildings• Leakage reduction in water distribution networks

• 5-8 pilot studies in water-scarce parts of Europe to analyse and quantify factors of relevance for leakages at a river basin level. Identification of best practices for reducing water-losses in the EU or other countries. Recommendations on policy options for water efficiency in distribution systems.

• Activities to halt desertification in Europe• 3-5 pilot projects on innovative technologies, techniques or practices in order to contribute to the

exchanges of good practice and innovation at the local level for halting desertification in Europe. • Water pricing in agriculture

• Case studies on water pricing policies for the agricultural sector in selected river basins. Recommendation on best practices.

• Water saving in agriculture• Clarification on the current situation of agricultural water use in Europe, and compilation of

conclusions from a range of studies on possibilities for water saving in agriculture.

Preparatory action — Climate of the Carpathian basin

• Objective approved by the European Parliament:

• 2010 Budget allocation:• Analysis of the

vulnerability of water and ecosystems of the region to climate change impacts and other man-made pressures

• Identifying potential adaptation measures, focusing on adaptive water management and ecosystem-based approaches..

Preparatory Action Climate of Carpathian Region (1/2)

• CARPIVIA project www.carpivia.eu • To gather information on vulnerability of environmental

resources to climate change in the Carpathian region, and on that basis identify and assess potential adaptation measures, with a focus on ecosystem based approaches

• To identify knowledge gaps to be filled in by additional field research or case studies (executed by a parallel project contract)

• To contribute to on-going national or regional adaptation strategies or related policy processes, and the EU Knowledge Base on Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation (a.o. EU Adaptation Clearinghouse)

• runs until 2013, complemented by the CarpathCC project started in 2012

Preparatory Action Climate of Carpathian Region (2/2)

• CarpathCC project: 6 in-depth studies for in-depth assessments of vulnerability of environmental resources and ecosystem-based adaptation measures:1. In-depth study on the key climate change threats and

impacts on water resources2. In-depth study on the impacts of climate change

threats on ecosystems3. In-depth study on the impact of climate change on

ecosystem based production systems4. In-depth study on adaptation measures 5. Supporting stakeholder interaction 6. Integral vulnerability assessments in focal areas

A Blueprint to safeguard Europe’s waters

EG CC & Water21/5/2012

What is the Blueprint?

• The Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources will present the policy response to the challenges presented in the State of Water Report, • long-term aim: to ensure sufficient availability of good

quality water for sustainable and equitable water use.

• Closely linked to EU 2020 Strategy and Resource Efficiency Roadmap.

Why a Blueprint?

• Improving the implementation of current EU water policy

• Fostering the integration of water and other policies

• When necessary, seeking the completion of the current policy framework

Synthesis of policy recommendations building on on-going assessments

Nov 2012Blueprint

ToSafeguardEU Waters

Report on 2009River BasinManagement Plans

ReviewWater Scarcity& Droughts Strategy

Climate ChangeVulnerability& Adaptation











Outlook of sustainability and

vulnerability of EU water resources

« Fitness Check» EU water

policy instruments

Policy Options

Impact Assessment


From Objectives to Policy Options

AdressingWater Stress

AdressingWater Stress

Resilience to Extreme EventsResilience to

Extreme Events

AchievementGood Ecological Status

AchievementGood Ecological Status

Increase the use of economic instruments

Increase the use of economic instruments

Achieve a more efficient water governance

Achieve a more efficient water governance

Improve knowledge and tools

Improve knowledge and tools

Foster integration of water into sectoral

policies

Foster integration of water into sectoral

policies

Unlocking MeasuresManaging water

demand

Soilmanagement

Restoring riparian area

Restoring lateralconnectivity

Reducing water pollutionat source

Water reuse& recycling

Water storage

Treatment of brackish or

sea water

Transfers

Restoring longitudinal continuity

Cropmanagement

Improvement of irrigation systems and management

Distribution networks

efficiency measures at the buildings level

water efficient products

Protecting the water ecosystems

Improvingavailability of clean water

Focus on measures serving multiple benefits

Unlocking barriers : Technical / Innovation

Knowledge (costs, benefits and impacts

of measures)Economic incentivesFinancial resources

Regulations

Managing water demand

Soilmanagement

Restoring riparian area

Restoring lateralconnectivity

Reducing water pollutionat source

Water reuse& recycling

Water storage

Treatment of brackish or

sea water

Transfers

Restoring longitudinal continuity

Cropmanagement

Improvement of irrigation systems and management

Distribution networks

efficiency measures at the buildings level

water efficient products

Protecting the water ecosystems

Improvingavailability of clean water

Drivers Pressures

Impacts

State

Responses

Identifying specific problems to be solved through the Blueprint

Level 1Level 2

Level 3Level 1

Level 2

Next Steps

• 15/3 – 7/6: 12-weeks public consultation on Policy Options

• Discussion options at 3rd EU Water Conference on 24-25 May

• Discussion at Informal ENV Council 7-8 July• 18 July : Impact Assessment Board• November: Publication Blueprint

Expert Group Climate Change & Water

Expert Group Climate Change & Water

• Main objective: Discuss how Member States and others Institutions are going about implementing the WFD-CIS Guidance document No. 24 “RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT IN A CHANGING CLIMATE”

• Share experiences and best practice• Look at emerging issues (to be taken into account

for the 2nd and 3rd RBMP).

Preliminary assessment River Basin Management Plans (RBMP)

• Most of the MS included significant information on climate change into the RBMP, however in a different level of detail

• Climate change issues have not influenced much the RBMP actions yet

• There is an indication in some plans that climate check of measures has already been done or preparations for it are started for the next RBMP cycles

Update on Water activities EIONET CCIVA Tuesday 22/5/2012 Brussels.

Documents

flow of water

water stress

future water use

water availability baseline

water withdrawals year

drinking water resources

adaptation slide

water distribution networks