The EU is scrapping the promised “initiative for water resilience” despite the increased dangers of flooding and drought.

The initiative, announced last September as a 2024 priority under the European Green Deal, joins a growing pile of row-backs and U-turns on rules. The Commission's decision to “pause” the initiative for water resilience comes after the summer of 2023 that was the hottest on record globally and this trend is predicted to continue.

Claire Baffert, senior water policy officer at WWF European Policy Office, said: “I am appalled that the von der Leyen Commission has taken the irresponsible decision to halt the water resilience initiative when intense floods and droughts are already drowning or parching parts of Europe at an immense cost to communities, farmers, our food supply and nature. It makes absolutely no sense and can only be intended to make political gains in the run-up to the election. I urge the European Commission to put water resilience back on the political agenda.”

Living Rivers Europe, a coalition of six NGOs, is calling for a new EU climate and water resilience law that prioritises restoring and protecting freshwater ecosystems. It would see the creation of a network of natural water reserves to protect critical water supplies and their catchments in water-stressed areas, provide adequate finance for protecting and restoring natural “sponge” landscapes, and the establishment of water saving targets.

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