A new OECD vision aims at coordinating and country efforts and foster international co-operation among G20 members

This Policy Guidance, prepared by the OECD at the request of the Italian G20 Presidency, is intended for G20 Leaders, as well as Economic, Finance and Environment Ministries. Based on insights from across the G20 membership, this report presents possible elements of a common G20 policy vision on resource efficiency and the circular economy for different levels of government. It is expected that the vision would help to coordinate and align individual country efforts and foster international co-operation among G20 members.

Key elements:

• National and sub-national action to advance towards a more resource efficient and circular economy.
• Mainstream resource efficiency and circular economy principles into domestic policy.
• Take a phased approach from waste to resource (eg. ensure that hazardous substances in waste are managed in an environmentally sound manner).
• Fully leverage the role of cities in advancing towards a more resource efficient and circular economy (eg; cities have competencies in water supply and sanitation. Cities  can enforce regulation on commercial and residential buildings and operate public buildings to improve water and energy efficiency. Cities also commonly control water management infrastructures and are well placed to increase water efficiency).
• International cooperation and coordination to advance a more resource efficient and circular economy: Support businesses in their value chain management efforts towards improved resource efficiency, Alleviate barriers and investment in environmental goods and services to ensure the diffusion of best available environmental technologies, Harmonize environmental labels and information schemes, Improve data, indicators and accounts on resource efficiency and waste, Mainstream resource efficiency and material recovery into official development assistance more systematically

Other elements related to water:

⇒ Environmental impacts of material use: acidification (water), eutrophication, freshwater toxicity.
⇒ The circular economy is systemic by nature and as such, policy-making requires a holistic approach across all sectors. Almost all the respondents of the OECD survey identified the waste sector as key for the circular economy (98%), followed by the built environment (75%), land use and spatial planning (70%), food and beverages and water and sanitation (65%), amongst others.
⇒ Circular economy strategies and projects in surveyed cities are often based on experimentation and pilots, allowing to test new technologies, foster innovation and raise awareness. For example, in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) the Home of Innovation Demonstration Villa Project explores the construction of a sustainable dwelling leading to a 40% reduction in energy and potable water use (U20, 2020).
⇒ The circular economy can play an important role in reducing energy and water demand of existing buildings.
⇒ The operation phase can include circular solutions for the use of renewable energy and new technologies to improve resource efficiency in buildings. For example, the City of Paris (France) recovers heat from wastewater and uses it for the heating and cooling in public buildings. Paris also developed a network of non-potable water taps for cleaning purposes, to optimise drinking water use.
⇒ The transition to the circular economy requires conducive regulation in key sectors such as water. Identifying available tools (such as specific requirements for land use), environmental permits (e.g. for decentralised water, waste and energy systems) and regulation for pilot projects would clarify potential regulatory uncertainties across different legal entities, gaps and future needs.

The ZERO BRINE Project releases New Policy Brief

In the context of the public consultation opened by the European Commission on the revision of the Urban wastewater treatment directive, the ZERO BRINE project has released a new policy brief, expressing some recommendations in line with the political options suggested by the European administration.

Which are the key recommendations?

1. Set up integrated management plans for large agglomerations (prevention and optimal management of the collection/storage network + treatment)
2. Reduction of use: obligation to connect when there is a centralised system
3. Impose track and tracing of pollution at source (prevention and optimal management of the collection network + treatment
4. Disconnect all industrial wastewater releasing industrial pollutants not treated in the public treatment facilities from urban wastewater (to ensure that the sludge is not polluted with industrial pollutants.
5. When the disconnection is not possible, the exploitation of the value of water must consider the Circular Economy of minerals in the brine flows, more than just the agricultural flows of phosphorous.

To read the full list of ZERO BRINE’s recommendations, check the policy brief here.

To learn more about ZERO BRINE developments, click here.

How can we fight cyberattacks to water infrastructures?

Cyberattacks to water infrastructures are increasingly growing across the world. On February 2021, hackers tried to poisoned water supply in a small city of Florida. This attack raised alarm about just how vulnerable the nation’s water systems may be to attacks by more sophisticated intruders. 

Indeed, the Florida’s attack is just one in the long line of cyber or physical attacks since then. The European research project STOP-IT has developed a number of tools to meet those kind of risks and threats but in particular three tools that could detect an attack such as it happened in Florida. Find out more about the STOP-IT tools here.

The European Commission step up new strategies to protect and restore EU forests

Forests are indispensable for all life on Earth, and yet we are losing them at an alarming rate. On July 16, the European Commission adopted the New EU Forest Strategy for 2030, a flagship initiative of the European Green Deal that builds on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

The strategy contributes to the package of measures proposed to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions of at least 55% by 2030 and climate neutrality in 2050 in the EU. It also helps the EU deliver on its commitment to enhance carbon removals by natural sinks as per the Climate Law. By addressing the social, economic and environmental aspects all together, the Forest Strategy aims at ensuring the multifunctionality of EU forests and highlights the pivotal role played by foresters.

– Protection, restoration and sustainable management of forests: The Forest Strategy sets a vision and concrete actions for increasing the quantity and quality of forests in the EU and strengthening their protection, restoration and resilience. The proposed actions will increase carbon sequestration through enhanced sinks and stocks thus contributing to climate change mitigation. The Strategy commits to strictly protecting primary and old-growth forests, restoring degraded forests, and ensuring they are managed sustainably – in a way that preserves the vital ecosystem services that forests provide and on which society depends.

✅ Ensuring the multifunctionality of EU forests: CAP will be an opportunity for more targeted support.

✅ The Forest Strategy announces a legal proposal to step up forest monitoring, reporting and data collection in the EU.

✅ The strategy is accompanied by a Roadmap for planting three billion additional trees across Europe by 2030 in full respect of ecological principles – the right tree in the right place for the right purpose.

Which are the water-related elements in the strategy?

☑ We depend on forests for the water we drink. Forests have long held a hugely important role in our economy and society, providing clean water.

☑ Protecting, restoring and enlarging EU’s forests to combat climate change, reverse biodiversity loss and ensure resilient and multifunctional forest ecosystems => ecosystem services provided by forests that are vital for human health and wellbeing such as water regulation

☑ Forest management practices that preserve and restore biodiversity lead to more resilient forests that can deliver on socio-economic and environmental functions. Taking care of forests soil is particularly important.

☑ A strong research and innovation agenda to improve our knowledge of forest (inc. soils restoration, multiple benefits from forest ecosystem services and their interdependencies, digital innovations)

☑ Good examples on public and private payment schemes for ecosystem services exist eg. on protection of drinking water:

– In Germany, Federal water legislation entitles forest owners to receive compensation payments for management restrictions in groundwater protection areas.
– As part of the green heart of cork initiative developed by WWF Mediterranean, a private drinks company paid forest land owners to protect a water aquifer that was used for their production process.

UN launches an ambitious post-2020 biodiversity framework to secure the future for people and planet

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat on 12 July 2021, released the first official draft of a new Global Biodiversity Framework to guide actions worldwide through 2030 to preserve and protect nature and its essential services to people.

The framework includes 21 targets for 2030 that call for, among other things:

♦ At least 30% of land and sea areas global (especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and its contributions to people) conserved through effective, equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas (and other effective area-based conservation measures).
♦ Reducing nutrients lost to the environment by at least half, and pesticides by at least two thirds, and eliminating the discharge of plastic waste
♦ Nature-based contributions to global climate change mitigation efforts of least 10 GtCO2e per year, and that all mitigation and adaptation efforts avoid negative impacts on biodiversity
♦ Redirecting, repurposing, reforming or eliminating incentives harmful for biodiversity, in a just and equitable way, reducing them by at least $500 billion per year
♦ A $200 billion increase in international financial flows from all sources to developing countries.

More than two years in development, the Framework will undergo further refinement during online negotiations in late summer before being presented for consideration at CBD’s next meeting of its 196 parties at COP-15, scheduled for Kunming, China 11-24 October. The draft framework proposes four goals to achieve, by 2050, humanity “living in harmony with nature”. The four goals each have 2-3 broad milestones to be reached by 2030. The framework then lists 21 associated “action targets” for 2030 which address reducing threats to biodiversity, meeting people’s needs through sustainable use and benefit-sharing, and tools and solutions for implementation and mainstreaming.

We analysed the framework and we found 3 water-related elements:

Target 2. Ensure that at least 20 per cent of degraded freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems are under restoration, ensuring connectivity among them and focusing on priority ecosystems.

Target 9. Ensure benefits, including nutrition, food security, medicines, and livelihoods for people especially for the most vulnerable through sustainable management of wild terrestrial, freshwater and marine species and protecting customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities.

Target 11. Maintain and enhance nature’s contributions to regulation of air quality, quality and quantity of water, and protection from hazards and extreme events for all people.

How can we integrate water across sectors, stakeholders and scales?

The European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) published a new report “Water and Beyond”  to contribute towards efforts to achieve global sustainable development objectives by integrating water-and-sanitation-related interventions into multi-sector strategies and programmes designed for partner countries and regions.

The document first introduces the policy context for water and sanitation, and how action in these areas is essential for achieving globally agreed sustainable development objectives and EU policy priorities. It then considers how water and sanitation can support priorities for EU external action:

⇒ the European Green Deal;
⇒ digital;
⇒ science and technology;
⇒ sustainable growth
⇒ jobs;
⇒ migration partnerships;
⇒ governance, peace and security;
⇒ human development.

In each case, the document sets out opportunities, challenges and examples of operational strategies. This publication charts a course for EU international partnerships on water, identifying not just what a ‘water and beyond’ approach entails, but how it can be achieved. Check the full report here.

Registrations are open per the Summer Edition of Water Knowledge Europe 2021

Discover the Winners of Water Innovation Europe 2021

🏆 Water-Smart MEP Award: Christophe Hansen
🏆 SME Award: H2OLL
🏆 Water Governance Award: Central Solutions
🏆 Water Technology & Infrastructure Award: BIOAZUL
🏆 Digital Water Award: AM-TEAM
🏆 Global Water Challenges Award: KWR

See the full announcement to explore their outstanding innovations.

The European Commission has opened the 1st calls for proposals for the Work Programme 2021-2022 of Horizon Europe for all pillars!

The European Commission adopted the first calls from the programme and more details about the calls will be shared during the EU R&I Days. ERRIN continues to closely follow Horizon Europe and has already organised two matchmaking events relating to the programme. Learn more here.

On June 16, the Commission has adopted the main work programme of Horizon Europe for the period 2021-2022, which outlines the objectives and specific topic areas that will receive a total of €14.7 billion in funding.

Processes4Planet launch event on June 23 to commit for climate-neutrality

The Processes4Planet co-programmed Partnership launch event to celebrate their new vision for a climate-neutral, circular and competitive process industry.

The event is scheduled for June 23rd and it will host an exclusive line-up of speakers to kickstart the #Processes4Planet adventure. The objective of this event will be to showcase the pledges to achieve climate neutrality and the engagement of A.SPIRE companies to the climate neutrality goals of the European Green Deal, while also portraying the three ambitions of Processes4Planet. For more info about the event, visit the official website.