In the face of the climate emergency and the increasing water tensions, the European Commission is launching a new strategy to strengthen the resilience of the Union against water crises. The stated objective: to encourage member states to collectively reduce their water consumption by at least 10% by 2030.
This target, although non-binding, marks a change in tone. The European executive reminds us that the EU is now the region of the globe where warming is accelerating the most. In 2022, droughts caused nearly 40 billion euros in economic losses. And between 1980 and 2023, floods cost more than 325 billion euros. In such a context, “water can no longer be considered an acquired resource,” warns the Commission.
The figures on water scarcity are also concerning: 30% of European land is affected each year by water shortages. In ten years, the number of Europeans facing restrictions has nearly doubled. Water insecurity is now identified as a major threat to the economy of the euro area.
Specifically, the strategy relies on close cooperation with the Twenty-Seven to define a common method for calculating water savings, while allowing room for adaptation to local specificities. “This is an indicative target, not an obligation,” clarified Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for the Environment.
Emphasis is placed on innovation, with a desire to encourage public and private investments in breakthrough technological solutions. Brussels announces the creation of an “investment accelerator for water resilience,” which will oversee twenty pilot projects. At the same time, the European Investment Bank plans to mobilize more than 15 billion euros between 2025 and 2027 to support water-related projects.
The industry is not exempt from the call for sobriety. Data centers, in particular, will be subject to minimum performance standards that include their water consumption. A first in the EU. For other sectors—batteries, electronic chips, hydrogen, or semiconductors—the Commission calls for a thorough assessment of water needs and increased efforts for reduction and reuse.
On the agricultural side, which alone accounts for more than half of the water consumed in the Union, the strategy remains cautious. Brussels mainly relies on the levers of the Common Agricultural Policy to support more water-efficient practices while promoting water retention in soils and combating diffuse pollution.
Another priority area is the state of infrastructure. In some countries, up to 57% of drinking water is lost due to leaks in networks! The Commission wants to encourage renovations but without setting binding targets at this stage.
Finally, pollution remains a background issue. While public-private partnerships are announced to tackle persistent chemical substances like PFAS, concrete measures are still awaited. Most efforts today focus more on the quantitative than qualitative management of the resource.
With this roadmap, Brussels is initiating a shift towards a more preventive and resilient management of water. But without clear obligations, the success of the strategy will largely depend on the real mobilization of member states and the commitment of the private sector.