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The Minister of Environment revealed today that water will be a priority for the next European Commission, following a letter she addressed to the executive about the need to prioritize it.
“Everything suggests that this area of water will indeed be a significant priority [in the next European Commission]. For us, it is crucially important because we need many investments,” said Maria da Graça Carvalho, in statements to journalists in Brussels, after several technical meetings on the subject.
The Minister of Environment and Energy added that she had confirmation that “water will play an important role in one of the portfolios of one of the commissioners” of the next executive.
Asked about where this priority might go in the next European Commission, whether it will have a dedicated commissioner or remain aggregated to the Environment portfolio, Maria da Graça Carvalho said she knew nothing about the composition of Ursula von der Leyen’s next executive and that any comment would be speculation.
“We don’t need more legislation,” the minister admitted, adding that what is necessary is to ensure funding so that water is prioritized and the projects considered in this regard are carried out.
According to a letter addressed by Portugal and 20 other countries in July, the Minister of Environment and Energy requested that water be a priority during the next term and “that this commitment be materialized through comprehensive EU-wide actions, including adequate and effective funding, promotion of innovation, evidence-based decision-making processes, and the strengthening of international cooperation.”
The Portuguese minister, the first signatory of the letter, warned of the “increasing frequency and intensity of droughts, floods, and water scarcity throughout Europe.”
“According to the European Environment Agency, around 20% of the territory and 30% of the European population suffer from water stress every year. The associated economic cost is estimated at 9 billion euros annually and could reach 65 billion euros by the end of the century, not even counting environmental damages,” she stated.
In the letter, the minister highlighted the increasing frequency and intensity of droughts, floods, and water scarcity throughout Europe, emphasizing that “the losses are mainly felt in agriculture and food systems, in the energy sector, and public supply.”
Regarding floods, “a study published by the European Commission in 2021 estimated the total costs of flood risk mitigation for the period 2016-2021 at at least 14 billion euros,” she added.
The document also states the need for greater coordination at the European level, covering water in all its dimensions: freshwater and seawater resources, ecosystem protection, human consumption, agriculture and food systems, energy, and industries.
Maria da Graça Carvalho also highlights the importance of research and innovation in the water sector to “find new solutions to address water scarcity, as well as to improve existing ones.”
“This document underlines the importance of scientific research and the need for increased funding in these areas through traditional financial instruments but also through innovative forms that can mobilize private investment,” said the minister, quoted in the communiqué released by the ministry.
This letter is also signed by Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, and Romania.