“The Water Resilience Strategy (WRS) is a critical and long-overdue initiative. It should be a key step towards appreciating the intrinsic value of water for our humanity, ecosystems and the EU’s Strategic autonomy“, stated MEP and Rapporteur for the EP Report on the WRS, Thomas Bajada, this morning during the ENVI Committee debate on the Water Resilience Strategy .
A cross-party consensus is clear on the need and urgency to have a holistic Water Resilience Strategy: water is a critical resource for the EU’s industrial competitiveness, food security and climate adaptation. But such an “ambitious strategy needs ambitious funding”, as supported by Rapporteur Bajada and by Shadow Rapporteur Crespo Díaz who called upon the creation of a dedicated funding line in the next MFF to ensure long-term investments in water security, infrastructure and in achieving water resilience.
Further, a strong call for digitalisation, innovation and the “integration of advanced technologies like smart water systems and AI for a water-smart society”, as stated by MEP Vasconcelos, echoed in the ENVI Committee. Digitalisation, AI and smart water monitoring enable real-time tracking of water use, quality and leaks, in addition to fostering fair and data-driven methodology decision-making and stronger enforcement of the EU water acquis, namely the Water Framework Directive, while mainstreaming water to all our policies.
Water is a key player in our economy and competitiveness: A sectoral industrial approach is needed and a right for economic activities to consume water needs to be pushed, in line with the EESC Declaration for an EU Blue Deal, as defended by MEP Tegethoff. Moreover, the value of water for the agri-food sector and the need to support water-smart agriculture practices.
The Water Resilience Strategy needs to be bold as the costs of not moving forward in ensuring the quantity and quality of our resources will be much higher than the costs of acting now.
