Ponencia de Sergiy Morov sobre la DMA

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10 years of EU Water policy reform: state of play, critical analysis and pointers for the future

Sergiy MorozWWF European Policy Office 17 February 2011

VII Iberian Rivers Congress

EU water policy reform

April 10, 2023 - 2

Contents– Past: 10 years of Water Framework Directive: good and bad news

– Present: State of play, key challenges and risks

– Future: 2012 Year of water policy in Brussels

April 10, 2023 - 3

Past: 10 years of Water Framework Directive: good and bad news

April 10, 2023 - 42011 WFD brochure, European Commission

April 10, 2023 - 52011 WFD brochure, European Commission

April 10, 2023 - 6

WFD and NGOs in Brussels

• Involved in its development…• … but also implementation• Part of the WFD partnership – Common

Implementation Strategy• Promoted it and used its requirements to stop

unsustainable developments• Independent assessment of its implementation• NGOs in Member States slowly recognised as

key partners in implementation

April 10, 2023 - 7

Good news: It’s possible to implement it

+15%Information descriptor

Can appear belowthe numbers

• WFD set in motion unique water reform process• One of the biggest, most coordinated consultation

exercises• Framework for international river basin

management• Joint monitoring, new data and research on

aquatic ecology, training and education• A number of good examples that it’s possible to

implement it well and on time• In some cases budgets secured for river

restoration

April 10, 2023 - 8

5 NGO priorities for better water management

• Transparent and publicly owned water management

• Reducing wastage and using water well

• More space for living rivers• Clean and healthy water

for people and nature• Visionary and adaptive

water policies

April 10, 2023 - 9

April 10, 2023 - 10

Transparent and publicly owned water management

• Draft plans do not reach wider pubic

• Lack of transparent objective setting and appraisal of measures

• Untransparent application of exemptions

• Lack of influence• Poor budgeting

April 10, 2023 - 11

Reducing wastage and using water well

• Surface water measures mainly not effective

• Progress with groundwater

• Water saving objectives missing

• Water pricing underdeveloped

April 10, 2023 - 12

More space for living rivers

• Many positive signs, effective measures proposed of floodplain restoration but few firm targets and prioritisation

• Some conflicting developments which would reduce space for rivers

April 10, 2023 - 13

Clean and healthy water for people and nature

• Progress with addressing well known pollutants mainly due to existing legislation

• WFD introduced elements are note yet sufficiently established

• Strategies to tackle emerging water pollutants unclear

April 10, 2023 - 14

Visionary and adaptive water policies

• Most respondents rated visionary and adaptive character of the RBMPs as poor

• Even most obvious links, e.g. with flood management not build on

• Economic analysis to inform decision making has been limited

• Integration with other policies not explored in detail, no strategies to resolve conflicts

• Climate change is dealt with reactively• Decisions that limit the flexibility of our systems

needed to adapt

April 10, 2023 - 15

Is this enough?

EC conference document, 2nd European Water Conference

April 10, 2023 - 16

Present: State of play, key challenges and risks

April 10, 2023 - 17

RBMP adopted (17)

Consultation finalised, awaiting adoption (5)

Consultation on-going or not started (5)

By the end of 2010 RBMPs cover

81% of EU territory

83% of EU population

April 10, 2023 - 18

Why are the plans not finalised in 10 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

April 10, 2023 - 1919

(+ Annexes)

Commission Communication

Assessment of the River Basin Management Plans

• Objective: 2012 implementation report• Covering legal, technical and strategic issues• Screening of all relevant topics • 170 plans in 21 languages

http://wfd.atkins.dk/ Username and password: wfduser

http://wfd.atkins.dk/



April 10, 2023 - 20

Topics for WFD assessment



• Governance• Characterisation of the RBD• Monitoring of surface waters and groundwater• Classification of the ecological status of surface waters• Designation of HMWB and definition of ecological potential• Assessment of groundwater status• Environmental objectives and exemptions• Chemical status of surface waters• Programme of measures – general• Measures related to groundwater• Measures related to agriculture• Measures related to chemical pollution• Measures related to hydromorphology• Measures related to Article 9 (water pricing policies)• Additional measures in protected areas• Strategy to deal with water scarcity and droughts• Adaptation to climate change

April 10, 2023 - 21

Key issues for implementation and risks



• A solid technical basisRisk: reduced monitoring, status quo objectives for HMWB

• An effective administrative set-upRisk: Superimposing existing structures, unworkable complexity

• International coordination that deliversRisk: Coordination on paper

• Integration: get the right balanceRisk: RBMP developed in isolation, other priorities deemed over-riding

• Smart use of economic incentivesRisk: Narrow application, failure to target most important water users

• Active public participationWe know what we are doing, turned into bureaucratic tick box

exercise

• Political support / ambitionRisk: Crisis leading to cuts / exemptions due to public budget cuts

April 10, 2023 - 22

Future: 2012 Year of water policy in Brussels

April 10, 2023 - 23

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

(e.g.Land-use

management

Economic instruments

Eco-innovation)

2012 year of water policy in Brussels

April 10, 2023 - 24

Policy options

• To be further identified as a result of the Outlook and the Fitness Check

• To be mainstreamed into Europe 2020 priorities• Potential areas:

– Demand management– Improved water efficiency– Spatial measures– Eco-innovation– etc.

April 10, 2023 - 25

Modus Operandi

• Stakeholder consultation

• Contracts• Contribution from

JRC, EEA and Research projects

• Other on-going processes

2010-IV

2011-I 2011-II

2011-III

2011-IV

2012-I 2012-II

2012-III

2012-IV

Main Blueprint Milestone Fitn

ess

Che

ck

Eva

luat

ion

Star

t IA

Out

look

EU

w

ater

s

Dra

ft p

olic

y op

tions

Dra

ft I

A

disc

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IA

B

oard

Ado

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Stakeholder Conferences

C C

Timing main DG ENV contracts

Modelling water & adaptation Natural water retention measures

Support Evaluation Fitness Check

W

Water efficiency of buildings Water related information on food/agricultural labelling

Water pricing & water allocation in agriculture

W

Water saving in agriculture Support for review of the Water Scarcity and Droughts Support to Blueprint IA

April 10, 2023 - 26

Thank youwww.panda.org/eu

© 2010, WWF. All photographs used in this presentation are copyright protected and courtesy of the WWF-Canon Global Photo Network and the respective photographers.

WWF IN SHORT

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Photo: © Michel Roggo / WWF-Canon

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Ponencia de Sergiy Morov sobre la DMA