EuroparlTV investigates two main points of the Rio+20 summit, water efficiency and green energy.

Reporter: Rio+20 revisits sustainable development

Wind as the main source of green energy?

The Rio Summit in Brazil will be looking at  sustainable development from every angle.

Water, this precious liquid,  has never been so valuable.

A litre of bottled water can sometimes  cost more than a litre of petrol.

Some Spanish farmers  have understood this well.

In South-East Spain, they use an irrigation  technique which uses water sparingly.

We are able to make better use  of our resources

because for many years now  we haven't used traditional flood irrigation

but drip irrigation instead,  which uses up to 30% less water.

Despite its efficient management,  the demand for water continues to rise.

Cultivable land is increasing each year.

The region's highly developed tourist  industry is also a water guzzler.

These two economic sectors can endanger  plants and animals due to a lack of water.

To counter this, several wastewater  treatment plants have been built.

At the same time,  by reusing the water,

we're preventing dirty, unhealthy water  from contaminating the rivers.

So we're keeping our rivers clean,  reusing the water,

and it also gives us a benefit we need  to keep our livelihood, agriculture.

On top of the problem of water shortage  is that of quality.

Here in Germany, tonnes of medicines  are released daily into the environment

and are found in water as microparticles.

This scientist is investigating the impact  of these chemicals on plants and animals.

Medicines are designed  to act on people and animals,

but they can also have  an effect on the environment.

For example, endocrinal effects  caused by contraceptives

have already been detected  in the environment.

Cases of hermaphroditism  have been identified in certain fish.

These hormonal disturbances are likely due  to traces of the contraceptive pill in water.

We're faced with contaminated  wastewater and groundwater.

Of course, it isn't just a German problem,  it's European, even global.

Water shortage and pollution -  two major issues in Europe.

In less developed parts of the world  there are other problems.

UNESCO says more than a billion people  do not have access to clean water

and more than two billion  lack access to improved sanitation.

The situation is in danger of getting worse

given the constantly  increasing global population.

After water, the desert.  We are in Tangier, Morocco.

A few kilometres from the Spanish coast  stands one of Africa's largest wind farms.

The Tangier wind farm  is made up of 165 wind turbines

For the construction phase  we had 350 workers on average.

The cost of the operation  was 240 million euros,

80 million euros of which  came from the EU.

The wind farm provides electricity and jobs  to Tangier and its inhabitants.

Morocco's unemployment rate is nearly 9%,  so these wind turbines are a godsend.

My name is Amine Zrida.  I'm 22 years old.

My job is to supervise the teams  and manage the turbine maintenance.

We produce electricity without producing  greenhouse gases. That's what I want.

This wind farm enjoys  optimal wind conditions.

Morocco hopes to cover 42% of  its electricity production in 10 years.

Professor Bennouna is a promoter  of this energy source in his country.

I'm convinced that renewable energies  can cover all of humanity's needs.

There is a demand for energy in Europe  that local production cannot satisfy.

There is a supply and potential in the South  that far surpasses local needs.

This energy could be exported  to Europe via Spain,

thus increasing the share of  renewable energy on the continent