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water.europa.euwater.europa.eu
Implementation of the Implementation of the Water Framework Water Framework Directive in Europe Directive in Europe ––state of play 2011 state of play 2011
Peter GammeltoftHead of Unit, DG ENV.D.1 “Water”DG Environment, European Commission
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This presentation
• EU water policy• RBMPs across the EU• Commission’s assessment of the plans • Pressures on Europe’s water resources• Key issues for successful implementation • Conclusions
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Why an EU water policy?
• All sectors and activities • depend on access to clean water• contribute to pressure on water resources
• Transboundary nature of water resources• EU Water Framework Directive (2000) established
joined up management of water resources• Objective: sufficient supply of good quality water as
needed for sustainable, balanced and equitable water use
• Growing pressure on water resources from global trends in population, and energy and food production
• Additional pressures from climate change
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WFD – a framework for water policy in Europe
• The river basin management plan concept – Covering the whole catchment– Covering all impacts on waters.
• Diversity of river basins -diversity of pressures – Provides flexibility to take specific
conditions into account– Harmonises objectives but not efforts
• Objectives– Achievement of good status in all water
bodies and no deterioration of status.
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RBMP adopted (20)Consultation finalised, awaiting adoption (3 –CY, DK, SI)Consultation on-going or not started (4)
• BE, ES : RBMP available part of the respective country, consultation partly ongoing and consultation partly not started depending on the region/RBD• EL, PT – no consultations have started
Status of adoption of RBMPs in Europe – still progress needed
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Infringement cases
• infringement cases opened for non-reporting shortly after the deadline for reporting of the RBMPs
Reasoned opinion issued, still relevant for : CY, SI, ES Application to court (April 2011): BE, DK, EL, PT
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Exemptions
• Exemptions are possible, e.g. – Time-derogation to max 2 additional cycles (2021, 2027) (Art
4.4)• Exemptions :
– are exceptions, and not the rule…– Apply to specific water bodies – Specific justifications in the RBMPs– Disproportionate costs or technical feasibility– Natural conditions
• EU wide overview of use of exemptions not yet available
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Commission’s assessment of the RBMPs
• Objective: 2012 implementation report• Covering legal, technical and strategic issues• Screening of all relevant topics • 170 plans in 21 languages!• 3rd implementation report due in end 2012
(+ Annexes)
Commission Communication
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Topics for WFD assessment1. Governance2. Characterisation of the RBD3. Monitoring of surface waters and groundwater4. Classification of the ecological status of surface waters5. Designation of HMWB and definition of ecological potential6. Assessment of groundwater status7. Environmental objectives and exemptions8. Chemical status of surface waters9. Programme of measures – general10. Measures related to groundwater11. Measures related to agriculture12. Measures related to chemical pollution13. Measures related to hydromorphology14. Measures related to Article 9 (water pricing policies)15. Additional measures in protected areas16. Strategy to deal with water scarcity and droughts17. Adaptation to climate change
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Diversity of uses, aspirations, pressures and impacts
Nature protection
Industry
Tourism
Waste Water
Agriculture
Navigation & hydropower
Drinking water
Flood protection
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Proportion of severe water stress EU river basins likely to increase from 19% today to 35% by 2070.• Areas affected by droughts will increase.•If t° rises by 2 to 3°C, water scarcity would affect 1.1 to 3.2 billion people
Southern Europe4 Eastern Central Europe
Examples of different pressures - 1 Expected impacts of climate change and economic development
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Several Member States have very high population densities and high pressures from urban waste water discharges.
Examples of different pressures - 2 Population density and pressures from waster water treatment
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Many Member States have developed hydropower and are expanding to meet renewable energy targets
Examples of different pressures - 3 Hydro-morphology & Artificial or Heavily modified water bodies
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Examples of different pressures - 4 Comparison of the freshwater aquaculture production with the overall
freshwater resources in a number of Member States.
Aquaculture pressures
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Examples of different pressures - 5Agriculture - a significant pressure in many EU countires
Regional distribution of cattle, sheep and pig livestock units per utilised agricultural area in 2000 (and change from 1990-2000) Eurostat
Nitrogen surplus, 2005. JRC(2010)
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Examples of different pressures - 6• Chemical pollution – significant emissions of Lead (E-PRTR 2009)
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Examples of different challenges – in conclusion
• Denmark is not the only country with significant pressures, also other MS have significant agricultural pressures
• Each MS need to address their specific and diverse set of pressures
• Implementation of basic measures are differently advanced
• Directive rewards those who have already made a lot of efforts
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Some key issues for a successful implementation of WFD
1. A solid technical basis2. An effective administrative set-up3. International coordination that delivers4. Integration: get the right balance5. Smart use of economic incentives6. Active public participation7. Political support / ambition
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Nature protection
Industry
Tourism
Waste Water
Agriculture
Navigation & hydropower
Drinking water
Flood protection
4. Integration: get the right balance• Starting early to work with the sectors to identify solutions
- making other policies deliver• Use the existing tools (e.g. rural development, EU funds)• Each Member State needs to address its particular key
sectors• Risks:
– RBMP development in isolation– Objectives under other policies/drivers get overriding priority
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5. Smart use of economic incentives
• Getting the prices right to promote rational and efficient use of water, avoid wastage and pollution
• Target the largest users and polluters• Ensure that our natural waters that ultimately will have to
deliver our water in the future are maintained in good status and that we do not wear down the natural capital on which we all depend
• Risks:– Reducing the scope of the application to water supply and
wastewater– Failing to get political support to address the most important
users (e.g. Agriculture)
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7. Political support / ambition
• Not everything can always be done before 2015 but…most of it! – High level of ambition
• Programme of measures showing determination to abandon unsustainable practices and end with long-lasting water problems (overexploitation, diffuse pollution, eutrophication, hydromorphological impacts...)
• Credible measures supported by clear financial commitments and assignment of responsibilities
• Risks:– Crisis leading to cuts in human
and financial resources
Percentage of surface water bodies in good status
0
20
40
60
80
100
NL CZ DE UK BG FR IE EE
Current2015
(based on draft plans)
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Conclusion
• Each Member Sate has its specific challenges to face !
• All projections show that pressures on water bodies will increase in the future.
• Efforts to preserve water resources quality and quantity must increase, rather than decrease, to maintain water resources for the future !
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Why are the plans not finalised in 7 Member States?
• Delays in the technical work• Difficulties in getting the new river basin
authorities operational• Difficulties to agree measures regarding specific
sectors• Political conflict between regions and/or the
central government• Lack of political priority
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Phased RBMP assessment – run-up to 2012• Countries are phased in accordance with when all
reporting was complete, including electronic reporting.• Phase 1 : 1st 10 MS includes SE and FI – results
spring 2011• Phase 2 : 2nd batch expected to include Norwegian pilot
RBMPs (arrangement with ESA) – results end 2011• Phase 3 : results spring 2012• Different stages :
– Thematic assessment – RBD/MS assessment – Balance our overall assessment comparing different MS
• Bilateral clarifications with the MS in question• At this stage, no firm view can be expressed on the
result of the assessment
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Examples of different challenges
The objectives for aquatic protected areas are integrated into the classification of waters Legal obligation to implement measures where necessaryExample
Natura 2000 sites for the conservation of Freshwater Pearl Mussel populations
Integrating protected area objectives :Example Ireland
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1. A solid technical basis
• Assessment methods for ecological status• Comprehensive monitoring programmes• Setting of objectives for HMWB• Multidisciplinary approach
• Risks:– Reduced monitoring programmes to cut down costs in the short
term... but can result much more expensive in the long term– Status quo as objectives for HMWB
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2. An effective administrative set-up
• Effective coordination– across surface (inland/coastal) and groundwater– across administrative levels (national, regional, local)– across drivers, pressures and impacts
• Coherent approach across the river basin district
• Risks:– Trying to superimpose coordination mechanisms over existing
structures which are not fit for purpose to implement the integrated river basin approach – leading to non-delivery due to unworkable complexity
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3. International coordination that delivers
• Increasing commitment– Sharing information– Pulling together national
measures– Joint identification of problems– Joint identification of solutions
• Risks:– Coordination “on paper”
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6. Active public participation
• Public means all interested parties• Start early• See it as an opportunity, not a threat
• Risks:– “We know what we are doing”– Turned into a bureaucratic tick-box exercise
HA
RM
ON
ICO
P P
RO
JEC
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2012Blueprint
ToSafeguardEU Waters
Blueprint for safeguarding EUs waters
Report on 2009River BasinManagement Plans
ReviewWater Scarcity& Droughts Strategy
Climate ChangeVulnerability& Adaptation
Report on 2009River BasinManagement Plans
ReviewWater Scarcity& Droughts Strategy
Report on 2009River BasinManagement Plans
Climate ChangeVulnerability& Adaptation
ReviewWater Scarcity& Droughts Strategy
Report on 2009River BasinManagement Plans
ReviewWater Scarcity& Droughts Strategy
Report on 2009River BasinManagement Plans
Climate ChangeVulnerability& Adaptation
ReviewWater Scarcity& DroughtsStrategy
Report on 2009River BasinManagement Plans Outlook of
Sustainabilityand
Vulnerabilityof EU waterresources
« Fitness Check»
EU water policy
instruments
AssessmentPolicy
Options
Impact Assessment
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Blueprint for safeguarding EUs waters
The Blueprint will:• Assess the implementation and achievements of
policies and measures in place• Look forward at the evolving vulnerability of the water
environment to assess the sufficiency of existing measures and tools, and evaluate potential new instruments
• Synthesise policy recommendations drawing from the evaluation exercise, and will be accompanied by a number of reports and new initiatives, including of a legislative nature if appropriate.