Droughts and floods are becoming increasingly frequent – EU Commission settles for non-binding action plan

EU water strategy: The European Commission today (Wednesday, 4 June) presented the EU Water Strategy for Resilient Water Supply. The aim is to manage water resources better and tackle water scarcity in the EU. The Greens/EFA welcome the fact that the EU Commission is presenting a water strategy at all and criticise the initiative for lacking clear legal requirements and commitments. Already, 41 per cent of people in the EU are affected by water scarcity, and the quality of groundwater and surface water is declining. According to the European Commission's calculations, the economic losses caused by droughts amount to up to nine billion euros annually, compounded by catastrophic damage caused by flooding. Jutta Paulus, Greens/EFA negotiator in the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, criticises the non-binding nature of the initiative and calls for more protection and renaturation of water reservoirs such as moors and wetlands, strict management of toxic chemicals and fewer pesticides and fertilisers: "Drought, aridity and flooding are on the rise, and the EU Commission is content with a non-binding action plan. It is good that the EU Commission has at least now decided to publish a strategy. Unfortunately, however, important levers such as the Common Agricultural Policy are not even mentioned. Nor do they even begin to address the need for comprehensive water management. The continent is teetering dangerously between drought and flooding, and the EU...