1. The EU strategy on adaptation to climate change
State of play

2. River basin management and adaptation to climate change=
Adaptation to climate (change)
In water management, everyday practice is adapting to the current climate. Depending on how far you look ahead, we can speak of adaptation to the effects of climate change. The water sector has a tradition of long term continuous monitoring and investment

3. What are we doing 3 priorities Promoting action by member states
Better informed decision making
Enhanced resilience in key vulnerable sectors

4. Member States take Action
First priority in the Adaptation Strategy:
Member states embed adaptation to climate change in their national decision-making, policies, strategies
The aim: each Member State drafts a National Adaptation Strategy by 2017.
20 Member States have already done their Strategies

5. National Adaptation Strategies
Priority sectors
Evaluation through adaptation scoreboard
Preparing the ground (policies)
Assessing risk and vulnerability
Adaptation options
Implementing adaptation
Monitoring and Evaluation

6. Support informed decision-making
Climate adapt
MS action
Projects
Adaptation in sectors
Knowledge and research
User friendliness, interactive forum, newsletter

7. Support informed decision-making
Define knowledge gaps
Vulnerability assessments on various scales
Adaptation options
Resilience of vulnerable sectors

8. Resilience of infrastructure
Revision of standards
European Standardisation Organisations
List of standards that should be revised in Transport, Energy, Construction
Actual revision
Future damages to infrastructure due to climate change

9. Infrastructure: impacts of CC on investments
JRC study, draft results, Structural and Cohesion Fund investments ( )
'Increase of extreme events' paradox
Vulnerabilities of sectors
Climate risks related to investments in infrastructure

10. Critical infrastructures (CI)
Transport
Energy
Roads
Non-renewable power plants
Railways
Coal
Inland waterways
Gas
Ports
Nuclear
Airports
Oil
Renewable power plants
Industry
Biomass
Metals
Hydro
Minerals
Solar
Extraction sites
Wind
Refineries
Energy transport
Chemical
Electricity distribution/transmission
Water and waste treatment
Gas pipelines
Social
Education
Health 10

11. Example: Coastal Flooding in Western Europe
Coastal floods
Future frequency
Frequency of events now compared to future frequencies, for various projections (2020,2050,2080). Extreme events getting less extreme: floods, wildfires, droughts (in Southern and Western Europe). Extreme events getting very extreme, or even rare, are cold waves na droughts (in Northern Europe)

12. Example: heat waves and droughts
Future frequency
Future frequency
Current frequency
Current frequency

13. Funding and financing
Beyond policies, adaptation to climate change is mainstreamed into EU funds and financial instruments
EU Budget
At least 20% of the expenditure must be climate-related
This includes adaptation
European Structural and Investment Fund
'Climate proofing' of projects, promoting climate
change adaptation, risk prevention and management
H2020
LIFE and Natural Capital Financing Facility
Cross-border floods management, coastal management, urban environment, mountain and island areas, drought-prone areas (water, desertification, fire risks)

14. Urban adaptation: Mayors Adapt
First pan-European initiative to support cities in leading the way on adaptation to climate change
More than 130 European cities have already voluntarily committed to develop local adaptation strategies/plans
mayors-adapt.eu

15. How does this relate to WFD work?
Extreme events (Floods & Droughts)
Relation to other sectors (agriculture, transport, energy, economy)
NWRM, water accounts, ecosystem based adaptation, water re-use
Revision!

16. Policy/legal link Blueprint WFD Climate change and disasters
Mainstreaming into multi-annual financial framework (20% expenditure related to climate change)
Disaster risk reduction
Water efficiency
WFD
Potential (indirect) links with Art. 4.6/4.7?

17. Avoid the circle National adaptation strategies
'water is priority, hence implementation of WFD and FD'
Programme of Measures
'adaptation to climate change is important, hence adaptation strategies at national level'

18. RBMP's and measures The RBMP's will render
information showing adaptation practice in water management
an inventory of measures that enhance adaptation capacity to climate change

19. Looking ahead
2017: report to EP and Council on the state of play of climate adaptation in the EU
RBMP relevant information on climate change will be included
Look at links between climate change and the WFD (and the FD)