1. Water scarcity & droughts
Progress on indicator development
SCG 11 May 2011
Henriette Faergemann,
DG ENV/D1
Water scarcity & droughts team

2. Scope EG has identified several purposes for the indicators:
management and policy purposes
monitoring (e.g. SoE reporting)
identification of hazard/risk assessment; early warning
awareness raising
other purposes, e.g. financial support
Agreed to group these purposes in two levels:
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.
The group has decided to focus on the "awareness raising indicators" in the first instance

3. State of Play
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
allow distinguishing between natural and man made phenomena
Draft indicator fact sheets have been developed and these are currently being finalised.

4. 7 tentative WS&D Indicators :
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

5. Next steps: 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.
Further testing will happen later, and the factsheets will be adapted
The EG recommends other MS and institutions to get deeper involved in the indicator development and to participate at the London meeting

6. Next steps:
It is envisaged to hold another meeting in Italy during autumn 2011 to
analyse the indicator development process
decide on the kick-off for an EU-wide implementation of the indicators
By that time, decision should have been taken regarding the full set of indicators
Once the indicator set has been validated we will explore the possibility to :
integrate WS&D data and information under WISE & EDO
support to the development of drought risk maps in Member States

7. Information to Water Directors
Endorsement of the set of indicators for testing
Agreement on the process and time schedule
Agreement on involvement of more MS in the process in particular in the next meeting and the planned testing exercise

8. Thank you for your attention
Please contact
for further involvement in the process