Thirteen European environment ministers have published an open letter in which they urge the European Commission to keep up its ambitions to move towards a green and sustainable economy.
As EU Member State governments try to tackle the health crisis and take measures to mitigate its immediate impact on the economy, EU environment ministers recently signed an open letter urging a green economic recovery and the importance of the European Green Deal in this process.
The open letter states that while Europe prepares to rebuild the economy, it “must not lose sight of the persisting climate and ecological crisis. Building momentum to fight this battle has to stay high on the political agenda.” The letter adds the importance of the European Green Deal as a “roadmap to make the right choices in responding to the economic crisis while transforming Europe into a sustainable and climate-neutral economy.”
To the same extent, the Value of Water and a Water-Smart Society should be important building blocks in the recovery plans. Water Europe envisions a Water-Smart Society in which the true value of water is recognised and realised, and all available water sources are managed in such a way that water scarcity and pollution of water are avoided. Water and resource loops are largely closed to foster a circular economy and optimal resource efficiency, while the water system is resilient against the impact of climate change events.
Achieving the Water-Smart Society requires leadership, strategic action, and persistence. WE will drive the transition to a Water-Smart Society with the support of nine Vision Leadership Teams each representing a key dimension of Water Europe’s Water Vision.
With the support of our WE ambassadors, Water Europe has been able to respond quickly to the request of the European Commission to provide input on the value of water in the EU post-COVID-19 strategy. As a result, Water Europe is preparing a position paper on water in post-COVID-19 that will soon be released.
