5 July 2019: Water Europe has put forward recommendations on the role that the EU, the European Commission and science, civil society and industry actors in the water sector can play in contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its report, published in partnership with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), highlights the potential for information technology, social innovation, and business action on water stewardship to achieve water-related targets in Europe and beyond.
The report titled, ‘Water in the 2030 Agenda: How Can Europe Act?’ outlines existing EU frameworks for water governance, and the Union’s achievements on water-related targets, especially on sanitation access, freshwater quality, and sustainable use of water resources. It also provides case examples of companies or projects that illustrate the kinds of progress being made.

If we do not solve water challenges now, the very basis of well-being and growth in Europe and the world are at risk.

The authors highlight many areas of innovation, including the possibilities for data-driven and process-based models and artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor water resources, and for European technologies and practices to be adapted and tailored to the needs of other countries with differing capacities and governance structures. They call for promoting open sharing of data and citizen engagement in data collection, and encourage companies to scale up their water stewardship action through engagement with governments, communities, other companies, and the financial sector. The authors also highlight the need for water awareness campaigns that result in improved knowledge, greater involvement of stakeholders, and changes in business and financing practices.

The report draws attention to the risk posed by water insecurity as a driver of social unrest and migration. The authors warn that, “If we do not solve water challenges now, the very basis of well-being and growth in Europe and the world are at risk.”

The report was presented at the Water Innovation Europe 2019 event, which took place in Brussels, Belgium, from 12-13 June 2019.

Water Europe is a membership-based multi-stakeholder platform for water sector actors, which aims to achieve “a European water-smart society.” The platform, initially established by the EU, is in the process of organizing a series of International Water Dialogues with EU partner countries to offer European experience and know-how to international research and business collaboration, in partnership with UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP). In 2012, Water Europe published a report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) titled, ‘Setting the Water MDGs Research Agenda for the Urban Poor.” [Publication: Water in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: How Can Europe Act?] [Publication Landing Page]