Towards EU Water Resilience Strategy: key priorities to be addressed

The critical importance of water is gaining recognition at the EU level. The EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen included this vital topic in her Political Guidelines for 2024-2029 and water was also featured in the Mission Letter of the Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and Competitive Circular Economy.

As the EU Institutions begin to develop a European Water Resilience Strategy, they should take the below points into consideration. They are inspired from the energy sector. While water and energy are very different, some elements from existing EU energy policy can serve as food for thoughts.

1. Water Efficiency

A Water Efficiency First Principle should be developed (following the model of the Energy Efficiency First Principle) and enshrined in law. The principle should be supported by guidelines for its implementation across the whole water cycle.

Accompanying water efficiency standards should be developed either per sector or for key water intensive industries – the best approach should be defined through consultations and expert discussions.

2. Risk Preparedness Plans for Water

In the electricity sector, each Member State has developed comprehensive national risk preparedness plans based on local situations, risks, and how to address them proactively. Developing similar national risk preparedness and resilience plans for water by each Member State will be instrumental in managing current and future water-related risks.

3. Financing

A total of €255bn needs to be invested in the EU water supply and sanitation sector by 2030 to comply with EU legislation and for some climate mitigation measures.

In the next EU Multi-annual Financial Framework for 2028-2034 we need cross-cutting funds from existing funding streams to be grouped around the strategic priority of water, following the RePower EU model. These funds should be available to all EU Member States, to both public and private actors including municipalities, industry and buildings.

 

Tania Pentcheva
Director Europe Government and Industry Relations 
Xylem

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Energy Efficiency First: Unleashing the water-energy-food nexus

On 15 October 2024, the event “Energy Efficiency First: Unleashing the water-energy-food nexus” addressed the critical intersections between water, energy, and food systems due to increasing climate change impacts and growing water scarcity. The key objectives included enhancing the understanding of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, promoting EU policies driving sustainability, and emphasizing cross-sectoral collaboration, particularly through energy efficiency.

Speakers:
Silvia Bartolini – Head of Unit, DG ENV
Carlos Álvarez Aguilera – International Relations Officer, DG ENER
Tania Pentcheva – Director of Europe Government and Industry Relations, Xylem
Patrick Pagani – Team Leader for Sustainable Growth, Copa-Cogeca
Goksen Sahin – Senior Advocacy Officer, ICLEI Europe

During the event, it was stressed the importance of integrating water, energy and food into future planning and policymaking, noting significant gaps in funding, stakeholder coordination and capacity to manage both water scarcity and excess, depending on regional conditions. The discussions underscored that a holistic approach can enhance sustainability and efficiency across these sectors. Investments from both public and private sectors will be crucial, particularly in the EU’s upcoming MFF, which should focus on innovative financing mechanisms and smart technologies.

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White Paper: Energy System Efficiency for Competitiveness and Security of Energy Supply

As Europe seeks to enhance its competitiveness and resilience while addressing climate and social goals, a transformative approach to energy has become more urgent than ever.

This white paper introduces Energy System Efficiency (ESE) as a critical pillar for ensuring energy security, affordability, and decarbonisation. A holistic focus on ESE will allow Europe to boost its industrial competitiveness, strengthen energy security, and lead the global effort against climate change.

Achieving Europe’s energy transition will require cooperation across sectors. Policymakers, industries, and civil society must collaborate to align legislation, investment strategies, technologies, infrastructure, and practices that will drive the future energy system. By adopting and implementing Energy System Efficiency, Europe can secure a sustainable, competitive, and carbon-neutral future by 2050, ensuring stronger energy security and a higher quality of life for all.

Read more in our White Paper: Energy System Efficiency for Competitiveness and Security of Energy Supply

 

 

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Financing Energy Efficiency

On 25 September 2024, the event “Financing Energy Efficiency” brought together experts from EU institutions, civil society, and the private sector to discuss about financing energy efficiency (EE) improvements across Europe. As the EU prepares for the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) in 2025, the conversation centered around how to mobilize sufficient resources, improve the implementation of existing funds, and engage private investors to meet the EU’s energy transition goals.

Moderated by: Monica Frassoni, President, EUASE

Speakers:
Olivier Vardakoulias –
Finance and Subsidies Policy coordinator, CAN Europe
Robert Nuij –
Deputy Head of Unit for energy efficiency policy and financing, DG ENER
Myriam Bovéda-
Team Leader for Sustainable Growth, DG REGIO

The event provided an interesting yet non-exhaustive overview of the challenges and opportunities in financing energy efficiency within the EU. As the MFF revision approaches, stakeholders must work together to ensure that public and private resources are aligned with the EU’s energy efficiency goals.

Key recommendations include:

  • Eliminating fossil fuel subsidies within national energy efficiency programs.
  • Expanding the One-Stop Shop model to provide more accessible technical and financial support across Member
    States.
  • Introducing new financial instruments to support energy-poor households and low-income homeowners.
  • Increasing consumer awareness and providing measurement of real performance of energy efficiency improvements
    and its benefits to drive demand for green mortgages and zero-interest loans.
  • Continuing to mobilize the private sector to ensure that energy efficiency projects are fully funded and successfully
    implemented.

 Read the full event report here.

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Mission efficiency : Games are opening, let’s perform, now !

Writing this note on my way back from the first European Parliament plenary session, I can’t help but draw a parallel with the 2024 Olympics game opening soon in Paris.

I always thought of our Energy Efficiency game as a marathon, including trainings and a solid “never-give-up” mindset, whatever the political winds. We first succeeded in the initiatory 2012 EED negotiations and we made it in the 2030 climate & energy package. Things then got more serious and we managed to take our medals from the Fit for 55 real marathon. We even secured that everyone would start exercising with mainstreaming our Energy Efficiency First principle into the broader policy spectrum.

So, what are we up to at the start of the 2024-29 mandate ?  

First, time to perform! And our performance – called implementation in the EU jargon – is about delivering more savings and valorising the genuine value of energy efficiency. It is not just about running and being resilient, efficiency will help with changing cycling gears in the energy transition towards 2040, and be faster at integrating renewables in the grid. It is empowering our industry to swim better in the global competitiveness race. In fact, energy efficiency looks more like a triathlon game.

Second, our Efficiency Club should get bigger, as everyone trying it gets a more stable future, a healthier home and an extra protection against energy price volatility. In this perspective, efficiency is key to solve housing issues and secure low bills in the long run. But as many good things, its benefits have been kept secret for too long. So let’s get more affiliates in the club – not only the geeky ones – and a bigger crowd celebrating successes.

Last but not least, we need sponsors. Continuity and diversity will be key here, as we certainly need continuous public funding e.g. from the EU recovery, cohesion, ETS and modernisation funding streams, but crucially also a more diverse set of private sponsors. If you or any of your friends happen to be interested in good investments, come and talk to me at the end of the Olympics !

 

Céline Carré
Head of Public Affairs
Saint-Gobain

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