Download The French Water agencies take action against climate change

The French Water agencies
take action against climate change
The six Water agencies are public institutions that promote balanced and sparing management of water
resources and aquatic environments, and organise the supply of drinking water, flood regulation and
sustainable development of economic activities. Each agency manages one of the major river basins in France.
Climate change affects water resources throughout the country, e.g.
drops in the natural discharge of rivers, notably during low-flow
periods, rises in air and water temperatures, lower water quality
harming aquatic species, risks of saltwater wedges rising along
coasts and of flooding, etc.
In response to the increasingly clear signs of climate change, the
Water agencies have funded research and prospective studies,
developed partnerships to increase the available knowledge and
mobilised local stakeholders to jointly identify practical means to
adapt to climate change.
Basin management plans take climate change into account
The 2016-2021 RBMPs (river-basin management plans) span a total of six years and include adaptation
measures for climate change on the basin level. Measures address an array of factors, including reductions in
the sources of pollution, improvements in ecological continuity, limiting soil sealing, saving wetlands and
controlling water abstractions.
The development of adaptation plans, mapping of vulnerabilities and the mobilisation of stakeholders are all
signs of the firm intention of the Water agencies to take action now for the generations to come. This
commitment was confirmed by the signature of the Paris agreement, by the Basin committee presidents, during
the COP 21 meeting.
Programmes of measures proposing solutions
The programmes of measures set up by the Water agencies include efforts to reduce water consumption. They
are thus consistent with the main measure in the National plan for adaptation to climate change that has set the
target of a 20% reduction by 2020 (not including water storage in the winter). The projects eligible for funding
can target reductions in consumption by local governments, industrial companies and agriculture. Projects to
recover rain water may also be funded.
The Water agencies fund projects that contribute to preserving water resources as well as to mitigating and
adapting to climate change, for example by restoring rivers to their natural condition and preserving wetlands
(that play a role in water regulation during both floods and low-flow periods), by safeguarding supplies of
drinking water, etc.
Contact
Sylvie BRISSOT.
Seine-Normandie Water agency
+33 (0) 141 20 18 08
[email protected]
www.lesagencesdeleau.fr