The European Commission is launching a European Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform and a European Water Academy on Monday as part of its work on the EU’s Water Resilience Agenda.
Europe’s water resources are under growing pressure from pollution, ecosystem degradation, ageing infrastructure, over-consumption and climate change, the Commission stated in a release on Friday.
Water scarcity poses risks to farmers, energy production and supply chains, it said, citing remarks by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union address.
The two initiatives are being launched in partnership with the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee.
Two new EU forums
The Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform will bring together civil society, businesses, regional and local authorities and EU member states, the Commission said.
It will identify barriers to implementing the EU’s Water Resilience Strategy, propose practical solutions and feed a range of public and sectoral interests into the Strategy’s actions.
The European Water Academy will work on developing and connecting skills, knowledge, innovation and partnerships linked to water challenges.
Both initiatives will also contribute to a new European Water Initiative announced in von der Leyen’s State of the Union address.
Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall will open both launch events.
The platform launch will be live-streamed from 09:30 CEST and the academy event from 14:00 CEST.
