Polski
A Committee for the Development of the Polish Enterprise Federation has been established. Water – Poland’s first initiative by companies and industry organizations to participate in the EU’s work on a future comprehensive water strategy. It was established by: FPP, Amiblu Poland, the Polish Association of Construction Employers and the Chamber of Commerce-Polish Waterworks. The Committee on the Future of the World. The Water Council is an open initiative that can be joined by companies operating in the water and construction sectors, companies for which water is an important element of production, such as the agri-food industry, as well as institutions, organizations and industry associations.
The Committee on the Future of the World. Water – water initiatives and strategy
Water is an essential but increasingly scarce resource. Summer 2022. Europe has been hit by the most severe droughts in 500 years. Climate change will further affect the availability, quality and quantity of water. Without action to protect the Earth’s most important resource, drinking water shortages could affect a growing proportion of societies around the world. Currently, more than 2 billion people do not have sufficient access to water, and it is estimated that by 2025. This problem will affect half the world.
According to the Central Statistical Office, one of the poorest water-poor countries in Europe is Poland, with about 1,800 per capita per year. m³ of water, and in periods of drought up to 1,100. m³. The average in Europe is almost three times higher at about. 5,000. m³. Meanwhile, the limit of water stress, or the threat of water scarcity, is a threshold of 1,700. m³ of water per person.
The Committee on the Future of the World. Waters was created as a response to the so-called “water”. Blue Deal, an initiative of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), launched in the face of growing problems with water availability on the Old Continent. The Committee has formulated a series of proposals on, among other things, water conservation, predictions of the effects of water shortages and ways to reduce them. It plans to present these assumptions in October 2023, when the Blue Deal is due to be established in the EU – it is expected to lead to the European Commission’s recognition of water as a priority, and to implement a comprehensive water strategy in the Community linked to the Green Deal already underway.
Blue Deal – Poland may become an important beneficiary
“We are forming a committee for the development of the country. Water to prepare companies for future regulations, as well as to push for the most favorable legislative solutions for Polish stakeholders, especially in infrastructure investment and public procurement,” said Marek Kowalski, chairman of FPP. – “We will act domestically, but also at the EU level, inform, educate, build coalitions around specific projects and support for Polish demands in the field of water management.”
Through the exchange of information, views and experiences, the Committee wants to strengthen cooperation between different communities, develop appropriate legislative solutions for the management of water resources, and ultimately have an important voice in the work on the EU Blue Deal.
The Committee on the Future of the World. Water – primarily increasing retention in Poland
Within the framework of the EU Blue Deal, investments of various scales are to be made, primarily to increase retention, but also concerning, among other things. gray water and closed-loop water, the use of water in nuclear power or water and wastewater monitoring. The EESC already has working groups working on the details of the proposal. These will include. sustainable and resilient water infrastructure and distribution networks, water-efficient technologies or the need for a strategic plan to guarantee access to safe water for agriculture. The value of the projects is estimated at several hundred billion euros.
“The Committee on the Future of the World. The Water Council is a pioneering initiative that will give water business a chance to participate in the European legislative process. Poland is one of the countries with the lowest water resources in Europe and funds for investment, especially in retention, are essential. Our company has been working for years to protect the environment, including minimizing water loss and conserving water resources. For this reason, we are keen to ensure that future tenders, conducted under the Blue Deal, also take into account environmental factors, such as carbon footprint or recycling area.” – stressed Tomasz Wojtczak, managing director of Amiblu Poland.
In the coming months, Committee members are planning to meet with representatives of the EECS and the Parliamentary Group on the Status of Women. The EP’s Water Committee in Brussels, participation in working teams, the creation of a Polish corporate stakeholder group, as well as the earliest possible talks with MEPs, including representatives of countries that, like Poland, are struggling with water scarcity and retention problems.
Source: based on a press release from the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs
