Climate change policy and water resources in the EU and Spain. A closer look into the Water Framework Directive

• Published in: Environmental science & policy Vol. 69; pp. 1 - 12
• Main Authors: Escribano Francés, Gonzalo, Quevauviller, Philippe, San Martín González, Enrique, Vargas Amelin, Elisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2017
• Subjects: Climate change; Economic impacts; EU policy; Spain; Water Framework Directive; Water resources; EU policy; Climate change; Economic impacts; Water Framework Directive; Water resources; Spain
• ISSN: 1462-9011; 1873-6416
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2016.12.006

•Overview of climate change impacts in water resources in the EU and in Spain.•Assessment of policies, strategies and management tools.•Overview of research projects and science–policy interface.•Economic considerations and emerging issues such as the water–energy–food nexus.•Identification of policy gaps and needed reviews. Climate change effects are becoming evident worldwide, with serious regional and local impacts. The European Union (EU) has launched and developed initiatives and policies that scratch the surface of water resources impacts. This article presents an introduction of the existing environmental policy and more concisely in the areas of climate change and the interactions with water resources. It also addresses main management tools, and plans linked to policies, recent updates on the Science–Policy Interface, highlighting major results from research and development projects. Establishing appropriate policies to tackle climate change impacts on water is essential given the cross-sectorial and flowing nature and the importance of water in all environmental, social and economic sectors. There are still some pending reviews and updates in the current EU policy and its implementation, as well as at the national level in Spain. This article identifies existing gaps, and provides recommendations on how and where reforms could take place and be applied by decision makers in the water policy sector.