Unlocking Insights: Three oganizations share their perspectives on the vital role of water in their mission
Since the beginning of this year, Water Europe has launched a new interview series that dive deep into the pivotal role of water across diverse economic sectors, gathering insights from representatives of various organizations. In this month’s edition, we have the pleasure to feature insights from representatives of three different organisations. Who are they? Jurate Svarcaite, Director General of the Association of the European Self-Care Industry, Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe and Lucile Sever, Policy Officer at the European Biogas Association.
Jurate Svarcaite, Director General of the Association of the European Self-Care Industry: ‘’AESGP acknowledges the global water challenges and recognizes the importance of sustainable water management. In our sector, understanding and addressing water risks are integral to maintaining a resilient supply chain. We have implemented a robust set of guidelines outlined in our Responsible Manufacturing Effluent Management Technical Guidance, which provides detailed steps for our members to manage effluent responsibly, minimize water consumption, and adopt environmentally friendly practices.’’ Read her full interview.
Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe: ‘’A holistic water strategy in the EU would be a great step towards establishing a coherent framework regarding the use, reuse, and management of water in an increasingly interlinked industrial value chain. European industries have seen firsthand over the last few years that stability and competitiveness of essential feedstocks is the basis of well-functioning sectors. Therefore, stress and risks need to be mitigated, and sectoral cooperation and synergies need to be strengthened to achieve resilience, with an established enabling framework. There is no doubt that the hydrogen industry will integrate many stakeholders in the course of its water strategy’’. Read his full interview.
Lucile Sever, Policy Officer at the European Biogas Association: The topic of water stress is gaining a lot of visibility in our sector also because biogases plants are often linked to agricultural holdings. We are aware that the cost of inaction in this area would be much higher, so we need to start planning at EU level in order to avoid a water crisis. Read her full interview.
Read MoreConsensus for a Water Strategy at the Stakeholder Consultation of the Committee
On the 21st of February, the Committee of the Regions organized a stakeholder consultation for its opinion on ‘Towards a resilient water management to fight the climate crisis within an EU Blue Deal.’ A consensus among the participants has, once again, emerged to develop a water strategy with an action plan. During the event, the Water Europe community was strongly active, with speakers including Mijriam Wolfrum (CDP Europe), Geoff Townsend (Ecolab), Vasileios Latinos (ICLEI), and Ana Margarida Luis (Aguas de Portugal).
As the Water Resilience initiative has been put on hold indefinitely, Water Europe welcomes the work of the European Committee of Regions to mobilise local and regional authorities on this topic. Moreover, Water Europe members particularly stressed the importance of data interoperability and digital tools, as well as public health aspects. Nature-based solutions and biodiversity are also recognised as part of the solution to build a Water-Smart Society in cooperation with local and regional authorities.
Read MoreHans Goossens, President’s Editorial
Dear Water Europe friends,
With all our activities running, the days of this month have passed by so quickly. Over the previous weeks, we received the news that the Water Resilience Initiative of the European Commission was postponed. This is a very disappointing development, but also a moment to stress once again that there is an established broad consensus among European stakeholders for an ambitious and holistic water strategy. Such a strategy should provide European economic actors with a competitive and strategic asset, while guaranteeing enough water of the right quality at the right time. At Water Europe, we are ready to support the Commission in its efforts to build a Water-Smart Europe and work simultaneously towards establishing an environment that enables water resilience, sustainability, and security.
During this month, our Water Europe secretariat also had the chance to lay the foundation for all this year’s activities with the presentations of each programme’s plan and activities in the team meeting that took place in Barcelona, Spain.
Looking ahead to March 2024, we have much to anticipate. We are happy to start the month by co-hosting, together with the European Commission and UNEP, the side-event “Shaping a water-resilient world, with water security for all’’ at the 6th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly. Our board member, Pär Larshans, will be there representing Water Europe. This event will explore the key tools and practices, such as the Water-Oriented Living Labs, as essential tools towards achieving global water resilience. This is how we are following up on the UN2023 Conference in New York and how we aspire to make tangible contributions to the preparations for the upcoming UN Water Conference in 2026.
Water Europe is also going to make its contribution to the Belgian Presidency Water Conference that will be held on March 12th, while we are eagerly awaiting the 2024 edition of our Water Market Europe event (WME2024) coming up on March 26th and 27th, 2024.
Even if the steps are gradual, there is no doubt that each one of these endeavours brings us one step closer to our vision for a Water-Smart Society and a sustainable water future. We look forward to seeing you all at WME2024 in less than a month!
Read MoreRESURGENCE Kicks Off Its Activities in A Coruña
On January 30 and 31, the newly EU-funded project, RESURGENCE, officially launched its activities in A Coruña, Spain. With a comprehensive approach that integrates efficient technologies and digital solutions for water circularity, energy, and feedstock recovery for EU process industries, RESURGENCE aims to make significant contributions to EU climate neutrality, circularity, and competitiveness.
The project will focus on four case studies spread over Portugal, Turkey, Poland, and Spain, encompassing the pulp & paper, chemical, and steel sectors, and exploring synergies between urban water treatment and industrial operations.
At the core of RESURGENCE are innovative solutions for water treatment. These solutions will not only enhance water quality but also facilitate the recovery of energy and valuable feedstocks. In addition to technological advancements, RESURGENCE will develop and apply digital tools such as energy, water, and risk management models, physical and software sensors for data acquisition, digital twins, and decision-support tools. These tools will optimize water treatment technology setup and day-to-day operations.
The four-year project is funded by Horizon Europe and coordinated by CETIM. With a consortium of 20 partners from 11 countries, including international cooperation with Turkey and Pakistan, RESURGENCE aims to create seeds for future circularity hubs, working towards a significant and lasting impact.
The coordinator of the project, Rebeca Varela, European Project Office Manager at CETIM, expressed her enthusiasm for the project’s launch, stating: “ At CETIM we are thrilled to start this adventure together with such a great consortium, representing the top tier EU research and industrial partners and the most innovative consultants. Helping industries in their transition towards a green digital future is part of our DNA at CETIM, and RESURGENCE is a great opportunity to continue to contribute to this goal at the EU level”.
RESURGENCE technical leader, Xuefei Yang, Researcher from the ECO BIO technologies Area at CETIM, believes that: “I am very excited to launch this comprehensive project, in partnership with our EU and international partners. By employing innovative water treatment technologies, optimising process management, and leveraging intelligent data analysis, we are committed to achieve a closed-loop system for industrial wastewater treatment.”
The project is already active on social media. To stay updated on the project, follow RESURGENCE on LinkedIn and X.
Read MoreRevolutionizing Water Resilience: From Wastewater to Resource Plants at UNEA6
Last Friday, Water Europe co-hosted, together with the European Commission and UNEP, the side-event “Shaping a water-resilient world, with water security for all’’ at the 6th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
Pär Larshans, representing Water Europe started his speech, saying ”The world’s biggest, almost unused resource should be utilized to increase water resilience, that is today’s wastewater”. Larshans especially stressed the importance to have a policy shift in today’s wastewater plants, transforming them into resource plants that produce nutrients for food production, energy, and water for agricultural and/or industrial use.
Pär also presented the Water-Smart Society model, where all stakeholders are included, as a way to enable the transformation to take place.
The UNEA6 water resolutions, decided upon after the session, bring hope that global efforts towards achieving a water resilience future will be possible, with the need to utilize resources in water was a key component.
Pär Larshans ended his contribution stating that “Ragn-Sells solutions to produce high quality phosphorus from the sewage sludge and the possibility to produce a nitrogen fertilizer by using the wastewater as the source was examples of innovations, necessary parts, in a future where we only have resource plants that will secure water for all” .
Read MoreAdvancing Water Resilience: Water Europe Co-hosts Key Event at UN Environment Assembly
Water Europe is very happy to co-host, together with the European Commission and UNEP, the side-event “Shaping a water-resilient world, with water security for all’’ at the 6th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
The event will take place this week, on the 1st of March in Nairobi, Kenya and aims to address the following topics:
💧Promoting action on water resilience and water security
💧Building Water-Smart Societies
💧Discussing the consequences of unsustainable water management and ecosystem degradation.
Moreover, the event will explore key tools and practices, such as the Water-Oriented Living Labs, as essential tools towards achieving global water resilience.
With this event, we aspire to make tangible contributions to the preparations for the upcoming UN Water Conference in 2026. You can check out more info at this link.
Read MoreInterview with Sue Arundale, Director General at EFCA
Can you please introduce your association and describe the role that water plays in your work?
EFCA has national members in 27 countries, representing more than 10,000 consulting engineering firms. Engineers are pioneering climate mitigation solutions and are critical to the sustainable future of water infrastructure, itself essential to supply, as well as wastewater management. In addition, some consulting firms are working in Africa and other very hot regions, where water is already extremely scarce. Water was the focus of our most recent position paper on the Blue Deal and will be the theme of our conference, so at the federation level, we are engaging with this vital topic on behalf of our community.
The World Resource Institute predicts a 56% gap between water supply and demand by 2030. Water stress is also perceived among the main global risks, highlighting the need to move away from temporary measures to systematic, risk-based management. How are the current water risks perceived in your sector, and what policies/regulations do you consider important for addressing these risks?
Simply put, we are heading for an emergency ; and yet water is being wasted, both when we have too much as a result of floods and when water infrastructure is poorly maintained. Existing policies do not go far enough so we are supporting the call for an EU Blue Deal, to address the lack of investment and ensure that existing and new regulation will tackle the root cause and guarantee supply for the long-term. Water problems are often tackled at a local level and only when they present an immediate threat to citizens and industries. This is not good enough. We need to work together with the big picture in mind and take into account that water systems and climate emergencies are not contained within national borders. This is an EU – and global – problem and must be tackled that way.
Collaboration and innovation are at the heart of building a Water-Smart Society. How does your organization actively support collaboration and innovation within your sector to improve environmental performance, competitiveness across the value chain? Could you provide specific examples of your efforts in this regard, particularly related to water?
We will not solve the water crisis without collaboration and innovation. Engineers work across the entire value chain and we actively support partnership for example, through Early Contractor Involvement and strong co-operation with clients. Furthermore, a Water-Smart Society needs stakeholder involvement much wider than the construction value chain.
Amongst innovative projects already completed are nature-based solutions to shore up supply, storage, climate resilience and quality. Working with nature’s own infrastructure reduces materials and protects the environment, as well as avoiding adding to the emissions that have contributed to water shortages in the first place. Re-meandering of rivers, reinforcing flood plains, natural aquifers and other examples of best practice are available, to avoid us having to resort to more traditional solutions such as desalination plants, which are energy-intensive, meaning they only add to the bigger climate problem we are trying to solve, of which the water crisis is a symptom.
Would a water strategy be relevant for your sector to strengthen competitiveness and reduce potential disruption on the value chain by ensuring water resilience, security, and sustainability?
Absolutely! We are calling for this to ensure that we avoid a situation where there is no longer enough water for our citizens, industry, agriculture and essential services.
Read MoreEuropean Commission Puts Water Resilience Initiative on Hold: Call for a Water-Smart Europe
The European Commission has put the Water Resilience Initiative on hold. While this is a disappointing development, Water Europe stresses that there is an established broad consensus among European stakeholders for an ambitious and holistic water strategy. Such a strategy should provide European economic actors with a competitive and strategic asset, while guaranteeing enough water of the right quality at the right time.
We stand ready to support the Commission in its efforts to build a Water-Smart Europe. Even if the steps are gradual, they need to be steady and consistent to unlock the potential and establish an environment that enables water resilience, sustainability, and security.
In its EU24 Manifesto, Water Europe calls for:
🔵 Addressing water strategically as a stand-alone topic.
🔵 Repairing our governance to ensure strong political accountability at all levels.
🔵 Financing our transition towards a Water-Smart Society with a Blue Transition Fund.
🔵 Investing in collaboration, research, and innovation to develop relevant solutions for Europe and beyond through Water-Oriented Living Labs.
To learn more, read our full Manifesto.
Read MoreInterview with Ray Pinto, Senior Director for Digital Transformation Policy at DIGITALEUROPE
With the European Elections 2024 coming up and the different initiatives around water, from the EU Blue Deal to the Water Resilience Initiative, Water Europe is excited to introduce a new interview series that dive deep into the pivotal role of water across diverse economic sectors, gathering insights from representatives of various organizations. We will explore their challenges, innovative solutions, and the potential advantages they can derive from a water strategy. The first interview of this month is with Ray Pinto, Senior Director for Digital Transformation Policy at DIGITALEUROPE.
Can you please introduce your association and describe the role that water plays in your work?
DIGITALEUROPE is the leading trade association representing digitally transforming industries in Europe. We represent over 45,000 businesses who operate and invest in Europe and include 108 corporations which are global leaders in their field, and 41 national trade associations from across the continent.
Water assumes a pivotal role in the digital economy, being indispensable for the manufacturing of ICT components like semiconductors, as well as for cleaning, maintenance, power generation, and the cooling of data centres. Harnessing digital technologies becomes imperative for more efficient water management solutions, implementing water-saving practices, and optimizing overall water resource management. It is paramount to safeguard water, recognising it as one of our most precious resources, all the while enhancing the operational efficiency of utilities and mitigating their carbon footprint.
The World Resource Institute predicts a 56% gap between water supply and demand by 2030. Water stress is also perceived among the main global risks, highlighting the need to move away from temporary measures to systematic, risk-based management. How are the current water risks perceived in your sector, and what policies/regulations do you consider important for addressing these risks?
We recognize that water scarcity and mismanagement pose significant risks to the operations and sustainability of our sector. This is why voluntary industry initiatives, such as the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact are setting high standards for water conservation, via water usage effectiveness (WUE) targets. Simultaneously, water utilities must confront the escalating risk of cyberattacks, necessitating the development of a robust cybersecurity culture.
It is imperative to highlight the transformative impact of digital technologies. Innovations such as IoT, data analytics, and AI empower the water industry to analyse, automate, predict, and mitigate risks. Through scenario-based simulations, these digital tools address ongoing challenges, enhancing water quality, ensuring supply reliability, and optimizing revenue through operational efficiencies. Communicating and incorporating these technological advancements is crucial for a resilient and sustainable water sector.
Collaboration and innovation are at the heart of building a Water-Smart Society. How does your organization actively support collaboration and innovation within your sector to improve environmental performance, competitiveness across the value chain? Could you provide specific examples of your efforts in this regard, particularly related to water?
DIGITALEUROPE is dedicated to fostering collaboration and innovation across sectors. In our Twin Transition Thought Leadership paper (2021)[1], we advocated for increased funding in Research and Innovation (R&I), underscoring the importance of backing public-private partnerships and clean tech initiatives, particularly those led by SMEs. Recognising the pivotal role of data exchange in sustainability, we actively champion the establishment of interoperable data spaces, notably in vital sectors like energy and manufacturing, which would support endeavours such as water optimization.
As a Partner of the European Green Digital Coalition (EGDC) we contribute to developing methods for assessing the net impact of green digital technologies on the environment and climate and therefore contributing to ensure global competitiveness and industry scaling.
Would a water strategy be relevant for your sector to strengthen competitiveness and reduce potential disruption on the value chain by ensuring water resilience, security, and sustainability?
A comprehensive water strategy recognising the water-energy nexus, equipped with clear KPIs on the investment and deployment of digital technologies to improve water conservation and bolstering infrastructure resilience would be instrumental. In our Manifesto 2023[2], we proposed that a Twin Transition Fund is launched, building on synergies between digital and green solutions and support projects targeting technologies like digital twins, industrial data spaces, and virtual worlds.
We quantified the benefits of a unified water operating centres for water utilities[3]. Overall, we estimate they add up to a 15% reduction in water lost before reaching the customer, 30% energy savings and renewable management, 20% operational efficiency improvement through faster detection of issues and subsequent intervention. By embracing a twin transition approach, we can secure a resilient water future for Europe.
[1] https://www.digitaleurope.org/resources/europe-2030-a-digital-powerhouse-digitaleuropes-manifesto-for-the-next-commission/
[2] https://www.digitaleurope.org/resources/europe-2030-a-digital-powerhouse-digitaleuropes-manifesto-for-the-next-commission/
[3] https://www.digitaleurope.org/resources/upgrading-water-management-how-to-turn-digital-investment-into-real-sustainability-gains/
Read MoreHans Goossens, WE President’s editorial
Dear Water Europe friends,
We are already one full month into the new year, and this year will be marked by activities that extend beyond the span of a single year. The European elections are approaching in June, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of European policies. For the water agenda, this presents a significant opportunity to elevate water’s position on the policy agenda. This could result, among other things, in a more holistic approach to water, improved legislation, and funding opportunities to drive the transition to a European Water-Smart Society. Additionally, it could lead to increased funding for water-related research and innovation.
2024 has also started with great news. This week, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament reached an agreement on the recast of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. After 30 years, this new legislation finally adapts wastewater management to current water challenges. This is a crucial step towards achieving circular, green, and smart water management.
In parallel with these developments, we have been organizing several activities. First on the list is the side event that Water Europe is co-organizing with the EC and UNEP at the 6th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly on “Shaping a water-resilient world with water security for all.” The event will provide an opportunity to highlight the consequences of unsustainable water management and ecosystem degradation compounded by the effects of climate change. It will also address key tools and practices to tackle these causes, moving towards global water resilience. The event will tangibly contribute to the preparation of the next UN Water Conference in 2026.
Our Water Market Europe event is also returning on the 26th and 27th of March in Brussels, with a focus on the efficient extraction of water and valuable resources from desalination brines, urban, and industrial wastewater streams. This edition of WME is sponsored by our EU-funded WATER-MINING project. While WME 2024 is on the horizon, the preparations for our annual Water Innovation Europe 2024 conference have already started.
2024 holds great promise for the European water sector. It’s on us now to make sure that we seize all opportunities ahead and make an impact. The realization of our vision of a Water-Smart Society is not a quick fix and requires passion and perseverance. It is the performance in our everyday work that will lead us there. Enjoy the journey!
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