The state of Europe’s waters – EEA report

Europe’s population, environment and economy depend on water, its adequate quantity and quality. However, due to existing pressures and the effects of climate change, we are increasingly hearing that it is not possible to guarantee the availability of sufficient water of good quality. As indicated in the European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA), climate change is a critical pressure that is likely to threaten Europe’s future water security.

Published in 2024. report State of Europe’s waters 2024. the need to improve water resilience indicates that water stress is increasingly found in Europe, affecting 20 percent of its territory and 30 percent of its population each year. These numbers are likely to increase in the future due to climate change.

The report, prepared by the European Environment Agency (EEA), outlines three overarching challenges facing future European water management. These challenges include:

• Protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems;
• Achieving the ambition of zero pollution;
• Adaptation to water scarcity, drought and flood risk.

The EEA report entitled State of Europe’s waters 2024. the need to improve water resilience can be downloaded from the website of the Publications Office of the European Union.

General context

The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) indicates that water is not a commercial product like any other, but rather a heritage that must be protected, defended and treated as such.

Good water quality and sufficient water in rivers, lakes, groundwater, transitional and coastal waters or wetlands is essential for nature to thrive. In return, healthy ecosystems support many services for society, such as water purification and lowering water supply costs. They are also a source of food, mitigate droughts and floods, and contribute to carbon storage.

Water also plays a key role in Europe’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy, and in supporting the green and digital transformation.

The European Union’s (EU) water policy includes regulations and strategies that view water from different angles. Ensuring a balance between competing water demands appears to be a key challenge.

Threats from climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity affect water quality and availability, which in turn affects water use, including water for the environment. Recent extreme weather events in Europe, such as floods, droughts and high temperatures, are raising awareness of these risks.

As the report points out, in addition to solving the problems already present in water policy, it is necessary to identify new problems that are emerging or could emerge, and then find effective solutions.

Report State of Europe’s waters 2024. the need to improve water resilience

The report, published in 2024, is based on data and information reported by all 27 EU countries, among others, as part of reporting on WFD implementation. It presents the state of water resources in Europe and addresses three key challenges facing water resources management, viz:

1. Protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems;
2. Achieving the ambition of zero pollution;
3. Adaptation to water scarcity, drought and flood risk.

In addition, the report points out that the European Green Deal has set ambitious plans for a circular economy. Integrating water resilience into the green transition seems necessary, making it an important element in water-dependent sectors.

Since water is not an option, but the basis of life and the functioning of society and the environment, and given the assessment of the state of water submitted to the EC by the Member States, more decisive action is needed.

Current trends indicate that decisions must be made between competing needs such as public water supply, agriculture, nature, industry. To ensure long-term water security, Europe needs to restore the natural character of water, reduce water pollution and better manage water resources. This requires increased effort, innovation and cooperation at all levels of governance, from local water or land management to European strategic policy.

Increasing water stress, droughts and floods

Water stress in Europe affects 20 percent of its territory and 30 percent of its population each year, the report indicates. The scale of this phenomenon is likely to increase in the coming years due to climate change. And this one poses a serious threat to water resources and water-dependent ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide.

In addition, with climate change on the horizon, managing flood risk in Europe in an affordable and sustainable manner will become increasingly important, but also increasingly challenging. As we have seen in recent years, and the autumn of 2024 has shown Europeans the true scale of the problem, sudden and intense rainfall leads to flash floods and flooding and increasing flood risk. Floods affect human well-being and ecosystems, threatening loss of life, significant economic losses and environmental pollution.

As the report points out, floods and water shortages threaten food and water security and the health of the population. They also come at a high economic cost. These stresses are projected to increase with climate change, which, the report points out, will potentially lead to competitive pressures and could undermine the EU’s internal cohesion.

Costs generated by increasing water stress, droughts and floods

As the report points out, events in recent years, such as the 2021 floods in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, cost 44 billion euros. Drought and heat across the continent cost 2022. ca. 40 billion euros.

Among other things, water scarcity affects aquatic and water-dependent ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide. For example, if a drought reduces wetlands, it will result in a decrease in habitat, poorer water purification and less carbon sequestration and storage, and consequently increase the costs required for water purification or air protection.

Without climate change mitigation and more effective adaptation, it is estimated that without mitigation, the direct damage caused by floods alone by the end of the century will increase by a factor of six over current levels.

Water quality in Europe

The Water Framework Directive laid the foundation for integrated water management at the level of river basin districts. It set a target – to achieve good water status by 2015, and by 2021 or 2027, if warranted.

As a result, European Union (EU) member states have made significant efforts to monitor surface and groundwater and invest in measures to help reduce pressure on them. As the report indicates, since 2010, EU member states have achieved some improvements in biological quality elements and reductions in some chemical pollutants. The list of monitored chemicals has expanded, and a better scientific understanding of toxicity has led to more stringent quality standards to protect human health and the environment. However, as the report points out, such efforts have rarely translated into overall improvements in water quality.

In 2021. Only 37 percent of surface water bodies in Europe had good or high ecological status, and 29 percent had good chemical status. In the same year, 9 percent of groundwater bodies were assessed as being in good quantitative status, 77 percent in good chemical status. At this point, it is worth noting that groundwater supplies two-thirds of the EU’s drinking water and supports ecosystems such as wetlands and rivers.

As the report points out, difficulties in achieving good ecological status mean that Europe’s aquatic ecosystems remain degraded.