Water management

Key messages

Climate change is increasing pressure on Europe's water resources. Europe's environment 2025 shows that changing rainfall patterns, higher temperatures and more frequent and severe droughts and floods affect water availability and quality, ecosystems, human health and economic activities. Water-related climate risks also extend across sectors, including agriculture, energy, transport, industry and urban development.
The Water resilience strategy strengthens the integration of climate resilience into EU water policy. Building on existing EU water legislation and policies, it aims to restore and protect the water cycle, build a water-smart economy and ensure access to clean and affordable water. It promotes the water efficiency first principle, more resilient water infrastructure and nature-based solutions, and sets an EU-level ambition to improve water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030.
Climate change adaptation is already integrated into key EU water policies. Under the Water Framework Directive, climate-related risks and adaptation are considered in river basin management, while the Floods Directive requires Member States to consider the likely impacts of climate change on flood occurrence. Other EU policies including the Drinking Water Directive and the EU Water Reuse Regulation and EU policies on nature restoration, soils and agriculture also contribute to water resilience.
EEA assessments show that Europe needs to accelerate action on water resilience. Europe's state of water 2024 identifies three overarching challenges: protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems, achieving the zero-pollution ambition, and adapting to water scarcity, drought and flood risks. The EEA’s briefing Water savings for a water-resilient Europe further identifies opportunities to reduce water abstraction through greater efficiency and more sustainable water use across key economic sectors.
Adaptation measures include reducing water demand and leakage, increasing water efficiency and reuse, restoring rivers, wetlands and floodplains, improving water retention in soils and landscapes, strengthening drought and flood preparedness, and making water infrastructure resilient to future climate conditions. Nature-based solutions can simultaneously reduce climate risks, improve water quality and support biodiversity.
European knowledge and funding support implementation. The first European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) highlights risks to water resources and ecosystems, while Climate-ADAPT, WISE, Copernicus and JRC services provide data, assessments and tools. EU programmes including LIFE, Horizon Europe, Cohesion Policy and the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change can support water resilience and adaptation measures.

Why climate change adaptation matters for the Water Management sector

Climate change is altering Europe’s water cycle, changing when and where water is available and increasing risks from drought, water scarcity, floods and extreme rainfall. Europe's environment 2025 shows that water stress already affects substantial parts of Europe and that climate change is adding further pressure on water resources and freshwater ecosystems.

Climate-resilient water management combines reducing demand and improving efficiency with ecosystem restoration, water retention, reuse and resilient infrastructure. Anticipating future climate conditions in water planning can help secure water supplies, reduce disaster risks and protect healthy freshwater ecosystems.