Water scarcity and drought (JP)

The Mediterranean Water scarcity and drought WG (MED-EUWI Water scarcity and drought WG) is one of the three thematic groups launched for the Phase I (2004-2006) in the framework of the Mediterranean Joint Process between the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Mediterranean Component of the EU Water Initiative.

This group is strongly interfaced with the Drafting Group set up by the EU Water Directors in the Framework of the 2005-2006 work programme of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS). In order to merge the efforts and share experiences between EU and non EU water experts, the CIS drafting group (see activity sheet of the EU group and report below) includes two representatives of the Mediterranean working group.

A first Mediterranean report on Water Scarcity and Drought) has been prepared as a result of the first phase (see below). It includes technical specifications and specific recommendations for the Mediterranean, based on the WFD approach and the experience of the EU and non-EU countries of the region as well as the regional and international organisations.

At the Euromed water directors meeting held in Athens in November 2006, it was decided to include this theme for the second phase of the Med Joint Process (see JP phase II mandate below).

The overall objective of the Med WG is to share information on definitions and possible actions in order to react on scarcity issues.  For the 2nd phase, the objective is to have an overview of the magnitude of the problem of water scarcity and droughts in the Mediterranean, particularly an assessment of their impacts, and exchange information on possible alternatives of water use that contribute to its saving and could be applied by different types of users.


Contact persons for the 2nd phase:

	Water Scarcity and Drought Survey
	Water Scarcity Private Area [Restricted access]
	WG meeting, Seville, 2007-06-19
	WG meeting, Brussels, 2006-09-26
	Phase I documents 2004-2006
	Background documents
	Desertification, Drought and water scarcity
	Working group mandate Phase II - Water Scarcity and Drought Med Joint Process
	Draft questionnaire on the impacts of climate change on water resources, and on adaptation strategies prepared by the ad hoc core group on water and climate
	Informal Council of Environment Ministers: Water Scarcity & Drought (WS&D) - EU Presidency Conclusions
	Mediterranean Water Scarcity and Drought Report Technical report on water scarcity and drought management in the Mediterranean and the Water Framework Directive. Produced by the MEDITERRANEAN WATER SCARCITY & DROUGHT WORKING GROUP (MED WS&D WG) - April 2007 – The Mediterranean report is based on the EU document produced in June 2006. It has been prepared by the Mediterranean WS&D WG, in the framework of the MED-EU Water Initiative / Water Framework Directive Joint Process. The document is a technical report which consists of five parts. The introduction presents the situation of water scarcity and drought in the Mediterranean region and the linkages between the WFD and Water scarcity. In chapter I, the definitions and assessments of the different phenomena are described. Chapter II reports on planning and management of drought events. Chapter III deals with long-term imbalances in supply and demand. The conclusions and recommendations are presented in Chapter IV. The main objective of this report is to present the Mediterranean specificities regarding water scarcity situations and droughts events and the role of the WFD. Examples of strategies and measures taken in the Mediterranean region for addressing WS&D illustrate the different sections of the reports. In addition, the specificities of the WFD implementation related to WS&D are identified for non-EU countries.
	Presentations - Experts Workshop, 2007-07-03/04 - Madrid Some presentations on "Drought and water scarcity indicators"
	Water Scarcity and Drought Working Group – Members [1 comment(s)] (version 2007-07-10)
	Water Scarcity and Drought discussion at the Informal Council of Environment Ministers In advance of the discussions at the Informal Council of Environment Ministers, which will take place in Lisbon from 31 August to 1 September 2007, we would like to share with you our views on the EU’s strategy to address water scarcity and droughts as proposed by the European Commission on 18 July 2007. For your information, we therefore forward you the letter which we have sent to each Environment Minister from the EU. Pieter de Pous and Sergey Moroz
	Water Scarcity and Droughts, Second Interim report, June 2007 Version no.: 1.0 Date: June 2007 Author(s): DG Environment, European Commission Background: Following the presentation of a first analysis of water scarcity and drought issues during the Water Directors meeting in June 2006 and the Environment Council meeting on 27 June 2006, Member States asked for further discussion on specific measures. The Commission proposed to come back with an in-depth assessment identifying the magnitude of the problems linked to water scarcity and drought and the size of the residual gaps in the implementation of EU existing policies. The Expert Network on Water Scarcity and Droughts supported the Commission's further data collection and analysis carried out through a questionnaire. A first interim report was presented to the Water Directors in November 2006. The conclusions of the report pointed out the need to better assess the scope and the impacts of the issues. A second questionnaire was disseminated to all Member States in early 2007 in order to fill in the gaps identified by Member States and the Commission. This document is the second interim report on Water Scarcity and Droughts. It updates the first interim report on basis of Member State replies to the second questionnaire and information provided by other DGs of the Commission. It is presented to the Water Directors on 18 June for discussion.
	EU Water scarcity and droughts - Policy summary Policy summary of the report prepared by the EU group on Water scarcity and droughts for the EU water Directors meeting 2 June 2006
	EU Water scarcity and droughts - main report Main section of the report prepared by the EU group on Water scarcity and droughts for the EU water Directors meeting 2 June 2006
	EU Water scarcity and droughts - Report annex Appendix of the report prepared by the EU group on Water scarcity and droughts for the EU water Directors meeting 2 June 2006
	Med-EUWI Joint Process The water scarcity working group is part of the Mediterranean Joint Process, a collaboration between the Mediterranean component of the EU Water Initiative and the Common Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD).
	Draft report of the Water Scarcity working group Presented to the Euromed water directors at their conference in Athens, 6-7 November 2006
	Joint Process - Phase II -2007-2009 Description of the Joint Process phase II