19 Feb The European environment — state and outlook 2020 now published
Besides the considerable progress, Europe continues to face serious environmental challenges. This is the conclusion reached in the new Environment Report 2020 from the European Environment Agency (EEA).
The report says that Europe will not achieve its 2030 goals without urgent action during the next 10 years to address the alarming rate of biodiversity loss, increasing impacts of climate change and the overconsumption of natural resources.
Concerning water, while the report reiterates the principle that securing water and its sustainable use remains a key challenge globally and within Europe, also states that Europe’s waters are significantly affected by diffuse pollution, hydromorphological changes and water abstraction.
Action is needed
The report specifies that improved implementation and increased coherence between EU water-related policy objectives and measures are needed to improve water quality and quantity as well as it will become increasingly critical to address and monitor the climate‑water-ecosystem-agriculture nexus and connection with energy needs.
The report suggests that it is at a river basin scale that effective solutions for water management can be found and essential knowledge is being developed through the implementation of river basin management plans under the Water Framework Directive, which perfectly fits with the Water Europe Vision and the Living Labs approach for achieving a Water Smart Society.
The coming decade will, therefore, be of decisive importance in determining Europe’s opportunities in the 21st century.