Effective water management system: an approach to innovative solutions

This article was published under the 2015-2020 European Committee of the Regions mandate.

Summary

ENVE-VI/014

Last updated
3 December 2019

8 February
Adopted at CoR Plenary

w

28 September 2016
Stakeholder meeting

Water management: thirsty for innovation

Climate change and intensification of land-use present major challenges for our water management. Cees Loggen (NL / VVD) sets out to improve the implementation of EU water legislation with innovative solutions.

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Objective

Water management is a capital-intensive policy area in which major investments are made, and these investments will only increase. We need to have a comprehensive approach by including all related policy areas such as agriculture, energy, economy, health… This would reduce possible disinvestment, and create new opportunities and grounds for innovation. The challenge lies in making sensible decisions that do justice to what we wish to preserve now, but that also provide sufficient scope for tackling uncertain future challenges, in order to manage water, the source of life.

Impact

2018

16 November 

Cees Loggen delivered the opening speech at the “Validation Conference for the Evaluation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive” in the European Committee of the Regions, stressing that Europe needs to build a water-smart society, recognising the true value of water. Water management should be included as a horizontal element in all policy areas that are closely connected with this resource.

19 – 21 September

Cees Loggen took part as speaker for the opening session at the first edition of H2Orizon, the first hall of innovation and technology for the water sector, held in Seville. The main objective of H2Orizon is to promote cooperation between national and international companies and present the technological advances that will determine the future of the water sector. To do this, the show featured an exhibition area where companies developed their network platforms, a technical conference where innovative issues of interest were addressed, complemented by B2B meetings, new business models as well as company presentations and corporate events.

15 June

Cees Loggen spoke about the challenges of rising sea levels and the scarcity of fresh water at WssTP Water Innovation Europe Conference in Brussels. He highlighted the need for a more comprehensive, flexible and differentiated water policy in Europe.

7 February 

Cees Loggen discusses his opinion in the newsletter of the European Water Platform WssTP – the interview covers the role regions play in realising a sustainable and circular water-smart society and how a flexible and differentiated water policy can be achieved.

2017

14 February  

Retema (revista técnica de medio ambiente) article on the opinion. Retema is a Spanish publication specialized in the environment.

13 February

Efeverde (EFEverde.com, la plataforma global de noticias y periodismo ambiental de la Agencia EFE) reports on European cities and regions call for action program for innovation in the water sector.

8 February Cees Loggen’s opinion has been adopted unanimously at the CoR plenary.

28 September 

The rapporteur on the opinion, Mr Cees LOGGEN (NL/ALDE), Member of the Executive Council of the Province of Noord-Holland, invited representatives of local and regional associations and other stakeholders for a consultation and an exchange of views on the relevant topics of his report. The Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU has taken the issue of water as a ‘national topic’ priority.

Cees LOGGEN

Rapporteur

Additional documents

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