Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-10-08-Speech-3-235"
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"en.20081008.24.3-235"2
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"−
Mr President, I would like first to thank the shadow rapporteurs and the Commission for their excellent cooperation on the preparation of this report.
In summary, I believe that we have been presented with a paper that makes important improvements to the Commission document.
We all know that water is the basis of all life. However, this basis is not infinitely available. In the future, up to three billion people will be affected by lack of water. Already in 2007, a third of Europeans lived in regions in which water resources were limited, according to the European Environment Agency. This problem particularly affects countries such as Cyprus, Bulgaria, Belgium, Hungary, Malta, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and, unfortunately, many others. That means that water is being overused. Of course, climate change is also exacerbating the problem. Drought events have therefore become more frequent over the last 30 years, costing more than EUR 100 billion so far. The EU economy suffered losses of approximately EUR 8.7 billion in the drought of 2003. These extreme weather situations have not only economic, but also social and human effects. Apart from the general impairment of human health, approximately 35 000 people in Europe died as a result of the heatwave in 2003.
We also note that patterns of water use vary greatly within Europe. The average consumption in the EU fluctuates between 100 and 400 litres, although in fact 80 litres per person per day should be enough for a European standard of living. This is caused by inefficiency owing to out-of-date technologies and also to the wasting of water. For example, 30% of the water in France’s distribution networks simply disappears. For us, this means that there is tremendous potential for saving water here in Europe.
It is high time for the Community to take action as well. The Commission has already addressed the topic of water in several directives, such as those on bathing water, drinking water, floods, environmental quality standards for water, etc. Without a doubt, the milestone so far was the Water Framework Directive in 2000, with its implementation steps. It is now particularly important for the Commission to make sure that the Member States perform their obligations arising from that legislation.
Changed environmental and climate framework conditions, greater use of water by business, agriculture and households, and of course changed consumption habits have exacerbated the water shortage. Unfortunately, we are seeing extreme weather situations more and more often. On the one hand, there is heavy rainfall accompanied by flooding, while on the other, periods of drought that devastate entire swathes of Europe are becoming more frequent.
The communication that the Commission has now laid before us represents an important step in the right direction, but essential improvement measures are imperative. Firstly, water shortage and drought must be seen as a global phenomenon. Here in Europe, we must not concentrate only on our own problems – let us not forget the huge numbers of migrants descending upon Europe, very often because of droughts.
Secondly, the Member States need to work together across borders to combat water scarcity and drought. The management plans of the Water Framework Directive need to be supplemented with regard to drought and water scarcity. Mutual solidarity between the Member States as regards their water resources does not, however, mean that their sovereignty for making decisions about their water resources has to be abolished. In my view, transporting water over long distances is no solution to the problem, either.
Thirdly, the Commission document does not contain a specific timeframe or verifiable goals. Without these, this strategy cannot be implemented.
Fourthly, Europe really ought to try to become a global leader in water-saving technology. That requires dealing with both the human side of the problem and of course also the economic needs of the moment."@en1
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