Water and Climate Change: Adapting for the Future

1. WG F Brussels, 16-17 April 2008 Water – the key to adapt to Climate Change Unit ‘Protection of Water & Marine Environment’ • DG Environment, European Commission

2. Content Part I : • EU water policy & Climate change • CIS Strategic Steering group on Climate and Water • Key conclusions on CC in WFD RBMP • Discussion – implications for the implementation of the Floods Directive Part II: • Green and white paper on Climate change adaptation

3. Part I: CIS activity on Water and climate change

4. Climate Change effects on Europe’s Waters • Increasing differentiation within Europe and the exacerbation of existing problems • The story is about too much and too little water, but let’s not forget effects on water quality • Water is a cross-sectoral adaptation issue (agriculture, tourism, energy, biodiversity, navigation) • There is enough knowledge to act and adaptation has started, but there is much more to do within each of the policy sectors • WFD, FD, Marine Framework Strategy Directive, Communication Water scarcity & droughts - are all tools for adapting to climate change, but full implementation is key!

5. Challenges • Sustainable Water Management = Adaptation • Ample tools for Adaptation exist at EU level But: • Full implementation of existing instruments • Further integration & involvement of all other sectors • Water pricing: polluter/user pays should become more regular

6. CIS SSG Climate and Water • In June 2007, the Water Directors decided to start an activity on Climate and Water • A Strategic Steering Group was established • First workshop Nov 2007: how to take into account climate change in river basin management planning: • First river basin management plan should have a climate chapter: setting the scene, outlook to action in next cycles • First Programme of Measures should undergo a climate check • Further guidance for 2nd/3rd cycle to be developed

7. Recommendations 1st RBMP (1) • It is recommended that a chapter on climate change is established in the first RBMPs (national and international plans), aiming at: • Facilitating the public consultation • Improving general awareness of all actors for climate change trends and impacts • Paving the way for more climate change related actions in 2nd/3rd cycle • Allowing for incorporating international, national and regional information on predictions in a descriptive way (with reference to the used models and methodology)

8. Recommendations 1st RBMP (2) • Contents of such a chapter could be: • Summary of existing knowledge on climate change trends and scenarios • Identifying the main impacts, also on other sectors. • Outlook on future steps for incorporating climate change impacts into the planning process with a view to ensuring the adaptiveness of the programmes of measures

9. Recommendations 1st RBMP (3) • An attempt should be made to do a climate check of the Programme of Measures on the basis of common sense and available knowledge - as in many cases, the direction of the main possible climate change impacts is known. First suggestions for this climate check of the PoM were given at the Bonn workshop, and will be further exchanged at the next CIS SSG Climate & Water meeting with the aim of making this information widely available. • Win-win situations (=already planned measures in water-dependent sectors that could be adapted to be able to deal with climate change impacts) should be identified and irreversible actions should be avoided. • For water scarce areas, this first climate proofing should focus on the sustainable use of the existing available water.

10. Recommendations 2nd & 3rd RBMP (1) • Monitoring should be more focused to detect climate change impacts, when possible (e.g. surface water quantity, additional quality elements, biodiversity and influence of extreme event). Specific indicators could be developed. This could be further elaborated by relevant CIS groups. • Use exemptions in the same way as without climate change (i.e. are measures disproportionality expensive/technical feasible). Infrastructural adaptation measures might invoke Article 4(7) more often. • As part of the 6 year planning cycle, consider type changes for particular water bodies - on the basis of supporting data. • As part of the ongoing work at the EU level on ecological status, possible needs to adjust the reference conditions may be explored.

11. Recommendations 2nd & 3rd RBMP (1) • Programmes of Measures need to be made climate proof(1) as a default and on the basis of constantly evolving knowledge and new, more differentiated data. Guidance at the European level could be developed for this on the basis of the Ecologic input paper. • For particular measures, the contribution to mitigation as well as the climate impact (e.g. carbon emissions) need to be assessed. • The RBMPs plan should look into broader water management issues related to climate change (flood management, sediment management, land use, spatial planning, water demand/supply management). • Consider a long-term water management vision (25-50 year horizon), reflecting the timescale of climate change impacts. (1) Climate proofing = ensuring the sustainability of investments over their entire lifetime, taking explicit account of a changing climate. Therefore, the Programme of Measures should be robust enough to cope with changing conditions.

12. Discussion in SSG CC and water • Full implementation of existing water legislation, but: • Is more guidance needed? • How to avoid that climate change is used as an excuse for bad implementation? • Further integration & involvement of all other sectors: • Do ‘good examples’ exist in your networks/MS? • Are there data on costs/benefits of early adaptation in your networks/MS?

13. Next steps SSG CC and water • Strategic paper on Climate change and water : • currently in consultation, foreseen to be presented to Water Directors in Slovenia • 1st RBMP: • Collection of good examples of climate change considerations in the first RBMP is ongoing. • 2nd and 3rd RBMP : • Guidance document to be prepared.

14. Next steps SSG CC and water • 2008: • Strategic input paper for WD in Slovenia – June (to be discussed by SCG in May) • Document with best practices of a climate check of the first Programme of Measures - end 2008 • 2009: • Guidance on how to take into account climate change in implementation of water legislation in second WFD cycle - end 2009 • Input from other working groups (e.g. ECOSTAT on reference conditions/objectives. Other groups will be requested after summer) • 2008 and 2009: • Information exchange on relevant research projects

15. Discussion in WG F • What are the implications for the implementation of the Floods Directive? • Are there examples of good practice in how to take climate change into account in relation to floods which can be feed into the process ? • Further flood related issues to be taken into account in this process ?

16. Part II: Climate change adaptation - from the green to the white paper

17. Introduction Green Paper ‘Adapting to Climate Change in Europe’ • Adopted 29 June 2007 • Early action could bring clear economic benefits • The EU plays an important role in adaptation • Four lines of priority actions to be considered: • Early action where current knowledge is sufficient; • Integrating adaptation into the EU’s external relations; • Filling knowledge gaps with EU-level research; • Setting up a European advisory group on adaptation • Follow-up • Broad public debate in 2007 - 2008, including 4 regional workshops in autumn 2007 and web-based consultation; • White Paper and Impact Assessment November 2008.

18. White Paper End 2007: -Closure web-based stakeholder consultation - results will be made available in April 08 on website 2008: -February: DG ENV Task Force established for preparations White Paper - lead by Peter Gammeltoft -EP vote on resolution on Green Paper - end March 08 -Stakeholder meeting 16 May 2008 (see webpage) -Broad scope (cf Green Paper) -Impact Assessment -Foreseen adoption end 2008

19. More information EC Water Website: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/index_en.htm Water Information System for Europe (WISE): http://water.europa.eu Outcomes CIS workshop November 2007: http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/implementation_conventio/workshop_november&vm=detailed&sb=Title Thank you for your attention!