The European Environment Agency (EEA) report, “Water Resources in Europe in the Context of Vulnerability,” analyzes the impacts of land use, water abstraction, and climate change, and recommends managing water sustainably through policy coordination between the agriculture and the water sectors, restoration and maintenance of the natural features of landscapes such as flood plains and forest cover, and the application of economic instruments to provide incentives for sustainable water use.
26 November 2012: The European Environment Agency (EEA) has released a report, titled “Water Resources in Europe in the Context of Vulnerability,” analyzing threats to water availability, including changes in land use, water abstraction, and climate change as drivers of alterations in natural cycles.
It provides recommendations for managing water sustainably, including through: building on synergies between agricultural and water policies; applying economic instruments; and compiling and making use of more detailed information about water demand and availability.
Specific measures recommended include the introduction or enhancement of natural water retention measures (NWRMs) such as wetlands, forests, and floodplains; taxes and subsidies to incentivize sustainable water use; and developing water account data that is comparable across borders at river basin and sub-basin levels. [Publication: Water resources in Europe in the context of vulnerability] [EEA Website]