1 Water scarcity & droughts Progress on indicator development

State of Play  EG has agreed on 2 levels of indicators: an overall level for awareness raising to show developments and trends & have a comparable picture for the whole EU an overall level for awareness raising to show developments and trends & have a comparable picture for the whole EU more detailed indicators to be used primarily for management purposes by national or local authorities or in the RBDs. more detailed indicators to be used primarily for management purposes by national or local authorities or in the RBDs.  The group has decided to focus on the "awareness raising indicators" in the first instance  The EG has tentatively agreed a list of awareness raising indicators which in combination will give an overview of the developments as regards water scarcity and droughts give an overview of the developments as regards water scarcity and droughts allow distinguishing between natural and man made phenomena allow distinguishing between natural and man made phenomena  Draft indicator fact sheets have been developed and these are currently being finalised

 The Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) - indicator to reflect drought situations, in comparison to historical records  SRI, Groundwater, Snowpack, Soil moisture and Vegetation Response indicators reflect the combined action of droughts and water scarcity and their social, economic and environmental effects  The improved Water Exploitation Index (WEI+) shows water scarcity situations and highlights areas of improvements for better water management 7 tentative WS&D Indicators :

 Finalisation of factsheets till end May  Testing exercise in voluntary Pilot River Basins  Next EG Meeting June in London to discuss the first findings from the testing exercise and/to solve major obstacles  Testing will continue over the summer and the factsheets will be adapted following the findings  Next EG during autumn 2011 to analyse the indicator development process analyse the indicator development process recommend the full set of indicators recommend the full set of indicators Come up with proposals for the kick-off for an EU-wide implementation of the indicators Come up with proposals for the kick-off for an EU-wide implementation of the indicators  Once the indicator set has been validated we will explore the possibility to : integrate WS&D data and information under WISE & EDO integrate WS&D data and information under WISE & EDO support to the development of drought risk maps in Member States support to the development of drought risk maps in Member States Next steps:

Water Directors are requested to:  Endorse the set of indicators for testing  Agree on the process and time schedule  Agree on involvement of more MS in the process in particular in the next meeting and the planned testing exercise