Policy Department Economic and Scientific Policy: Water Scarcity and Droughts

IP/A/ENVI/ST/2007-17
PE 401.002

This study was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Only published in English.

Authors: Andrew Farmer (Ed), Samuela Bassi and Malcolm Fergusson (IEEP)

* Institute for European Environmental Policy, London, United Kingdom

Administrator: Yanne GOOSSENS
Policy Department A: Economic and Scientific Policy
DG Internal Policies
European Parliament
Rue Wiertz 60
B-1047 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 283 22 85
Fax: +32(0)2 284 90 02
E-mail: yanne.goossens@europarl.europa.eu

Manuscript completed in February 2008.

Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and receives a copy. E-mail: poldepscience@europarl.europa.eu.

Water scarcity and droughts affect many parts of Europe. For example, all Mediterranean EU countries are already affected, being 130 million inhabitants or nearly 30% of the EU population. Climate change is predicted to make the existing problems worse in many regions. Thus it is important for the EU institutions, the Member States and individual stakeholders to adopt strategies and take action to manage such problems now and in the future. The European Parliament Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI), therefore, requested this briefing specifically to consider the following questions:

1. Economic effects of water scarcity and droughts – regional differences and the link with Lisbon goals and meeting its targets.
2. Effects of water scarcity and droughts on ecosystems and public health.
3. Effects of climate change of water scarcity and droughts – regional differences, impacts on different sectors and adaptation strategies.
4. Water price policies in the Member States.
5. Integration of the issue into other policy areas.
6. Information availability for strategic decision making.
7. Research and technology development related to efficient water use – knowledge gaps and research for new technologies for industry/agriculture and private households.
8. EU institutional roles for decision making.
9. Situation in neighbouring countries/areas.

Creator	The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) (email: yanne.goossens@europarl.europa.eu ; poldepscience@europarl.europa.eu)
Publisher	The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)
Type of document	Report
Rights	Public
File link	http://www.ieep.eu/assets/427/water_scarcity.pdf
File link local	water_scarcity.pdf (PDF, 759 Kb)
Source of information	The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)
Keyword(s)	water scarcity, drought
Subject(s)	HYDRAULICS - HYDROLOGY , METHTODOLOGY - STATISTICS - DECISION AID , POLICY-WATER POLICY AND WATER MANAGEMENT , RISKS AND CLIMATOLOGY , WATER DEMAND
Relation	http://www.ieep.eu/assets/727/Challenges_of_Developing_an_EU_Strategic_Approach_to_Water_Scarcity_-_ICWRAE_Final.pdf
Geographical coverage	n/a