MEPs debate with Commission growing water scarcity and droughts ahead of the summer season. MEPs call for increased action to preserve and improve EU water resources, already affected by several years of dry conditions and diminishing groundwater levels. The impact of the emerging drought is already visible in France, Spain, and northern Italy and raise concerns about water supply for human use, agriculture, and energy production. Extracts from the debate.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

natural disasters (T)

SCHALDEMOSE, Christel (S&D, DK)

fight against climate change (T)

BITEAU, Benoît (Greens/EFA, FR)

BOTOŞ, Vlad-Marius (Renew, RO)

SIMSON, Kadri (EE, EC)

DE MEO, Salvatore (EPP, IT)

The water crisis in Europe: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner for Energy, Despite our efforts to improve watter efficiency, water demand continues to grow. At the same time, availability is declining and becoming unpreditctable. Largely due to deforestation, overexportation, and climate change.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner for Energy, An exit from the crisis will require a firm action by all parties involved, including water management authorities in sectors like agriculture and a standing nature. The focus should be on solving problems at river basin scale as most river basins are transboundary. This also requires close cooperation between member States.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner for Energy, However, we must work on ensuring that we protect the well that nourishes a soil, and that means seeing the role of all the actors in tackling the water crisis flourishing forests, protected river basins, healthy soils, sustainable water usage and efficient water treatment.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Salvatore DE MEO (EPP, IT), As we've just heard from the Commissioner. We need a medium and long term plan which looks to modernise our old infrastructure and the creation of new reservoirs. We need more use of technology and data from space so that we can improve water efficiency.

SOUNDBITE (Danish), Christel SCHALDEMOSE (S&amp;D, DK), This means is that we need to install water filters there. That is a potential solution, though not an ideal one. But it is my view that we need to take a more proactive approach to protecting our drinking water, which is of course a crucial resource. This can be done by banning certain chemical substances. In order to do this, we must review the REACH regulation in order to defend our water resources. Furthermore, we need to take action now. This is essential because our water resources must be defended.

SOUNDBITE (Romanian), Vlad-Marius BOTO&#350; (Renew, RO), We cannot merely of find that there is a problem and notify member states. We need a European level water strategy and more. Moreover, we need short, medium and long term solutions that can be applied depending on the specificities of every region. Some restrictions may work, but in agriculture, where water is essential, this won't work. And in the medium and long term, we need viable solutions that need to be properly financed. Scientific data show that not all regions are facing this problem at the moment. So there is there is not pressure on all regions in the EU, but data also shows that the problem is worsening.

SOUNDBITE (French), Beno&#238;t BITEAU (Greens/EFA, FR), We need to have cross-border management of rivers which cross Europe and make sure that we go beyond administrative limits. For sharing to be possible, we need to make progress on European Conference on Water, as I called for in September of last year in a resolution which was broadly supported. And we have a date with history on biodiversity, health and the sharing of water, a public good, and that would be the first victim of any inaction on our part. So there is urgency.