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Conference
Results
Key
messages (70 KB)
Conclusions
(354 KB)
Symposium
Report
About
this conference
Climate
change is widely recognised, and commitments to prevent and minimise
its causes and to mitigate its adverse effects were agreed upon
by many countries. The EU and its Member States have implemented
strategies to achieve the objectives for reducing greenhouse gases
under the Kyoto Protocol and are driving forces in the negotiations
for more ambitious reduction targets. However, even if these commitments
are fully implemented, it must be assumed that significant changes
in climate conditions will occur, impacting on water resources and
water systems in Europe. Scientific evidence suggests that climate
change will result for example in more frequent and severe extreme
events (floods and droughts) and that it will have long term effects
on the availability of water in different regions in Europe as well
as on the quality of water and water related ecosystems. Water management
needs to take these effects into account, and long term strategies
for water dependent economic sectors need to be designed with a
view to their vulnerability and their options for adaptation.
As part of the German EU presidency’s activities, the Federal
Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
will host an international symposium titled “Time to Adapt
- Climate Change and the European Water Dimension“ from 12
to 14 February 2007 in Berlin. The initiative is strongly supported
by the relevant services of the European Commission, who are currently
preparing a Green Paper on adaptation strategies. In September 2006,
the European Commission (DG Research, DG Environment, and Joint
Research Centre) organised a workshop (http://ec.europa.eu/research/environment/newsanddoc/other_pubs_en.htm)
in Brussels which discussed climate change impacts on the water
cycle and promoted dialogue between scientists and policy-makers.
The Symposium aims to provide a platform for representatives from
governments, science and research, stakeholder groups and non-governmental
organisations to discuss the likely impacts of climate change on
water management and water dependent sectors such as agriculture,
energy, inland navigation and tourism, as well as options for adaptation,
and to strengthen the political profile of these issues. The results
of the Symposium will be summarised in a set of conclusions and
recommendations which will be brought to the attention of responsible
Ministers during the German EU-Presidency in the first half of the
year 2007.
Preparing
the Conference
Preparation
of the international Symposium involved consultation with scientific
groups and major stakeholders, as well as close cooperation with
the European Commission. An international Steering Group was set
up to advise the convenors in all organisational and content-related
matters in the course of conference preparations. The Steering Group
comprises representatives from governments, international organisations
and non-governmental organisations, and ensures that specific regional
and sectoral views and experiences are considered during the preparation
phase.
In order to provide a sound basis for discussion, a research project
is carried out by Ecologic and the Potsdam-Institute for the Federal
Environment Agency and the Environment Ministry which evaluates
and presents the current state of research on water-related climate
change impacts in Europe, and which compiles information on adaptation
options and adaptation initiatives in the EU Member States. Project
work was co-ordinated with the European Environment Agency’s
activities, and the recently published EEA report “Climate
change and water adaptation issues” (http://reports.eea.europa.eu/technical_report_2007_2/en)
contains contributions by Ecologic. A detailed report by Ecologic
and the Potsdam-Institute will published towards the end of 2007.
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