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Environment

Be water wise

Our water cycle is broken

Less than 1% of Earth’s freshwater is available to sustain its 8 billion people. We need a healthy water cycle to keep it flowing. But the water cycle is spinning out of balance, made worse by climate change. No part of Europe is untouched. We are experiencing more and more floods and droughts, and life is disappearing from our rivers and seas. Crops are failing, wells are drying up, and our economies are stalling.

We need a new approach to water

After decades of mismanagement, unsustainable land use, river alterations and unchecked pollution, our water systems are buckling under pressure. We cannot continue down this path. The EU is already taking action, with robust legislation and considerable funding, but we need to go further. What if we all saw water differently? Together, let’s change the way we treat, use and consume water. We have the solutions. It’s time to work with nature and be water wise.

Which water issue affects you? Join the campaign to find and share solutions

farmer looking at the sky
Not enough

Droughts are becoming more frequent and severe across the EU, fueled by climate change. But we can work with nature to protect our homes, cities and farmers from the impacts of droughts. What if we could increase the capacity of our landscapes to store and release more water?

Too much

The frequency of river floods is surging, impacting millions and wreaking havoc on lives and economies. It's time to tap into nature's resilience. How can we anticipate and prepare for floods, using nature’s amazing ability to absorb water?

polluted red water
Polluted

We all need clean water. But many of our rivers, seas and groundwater are polluted: from chemicals, plastics and agriculture among others. How can we tackle water pollution at its source?

Poorly managed

We need water to produce our food and power our economies. Poorly managed water leads to overuse, loss or waste. We need to reduce the demand on water by using it more efficiently and reusing it when possible. How can we manage water in a smart and integrated way?

Events around the world

  • Info days
  • Wednesday 29 May 2024, 10:00 - Monday 2 September 2024, 01:59 (GMT+0200)
  • Online only
  • Live streaming available