As of October 15, 2024, only 37% of Europe's surface waters are in good or very good ecological health, prompting urgent calls for improved management of water resources, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA).
Leena Yla-Mononen, the EEA's director, stated, "The health of European waters is not good. Our waters face unprecedented challenges that threaten water security in Europe." The chemical health of surface waters is deemed satisfactory in only 29% of cases, contrasting with 77% for groundwater, which supplies the majority of drinking water consumed by Europeans.
Good chemical health indicates the absence of excessive pollution from nutrients and harmful substances such as PFAS and microplastics. Surface water is increasingly threatened by atmospheric pollution from coal burning and vehicle emissions, alongside significant agricultural runoff.
The EEA report recommends that European agriculture adopt more sustainable natural and agro-ecological practices, coupled with incentives and a shift in dietary habits. The agency analyzed 120,000 bodies of surface water and 3.8 million km² of groundwater across 19 EU member states and Norway, advocating for a 50% reduction in pesticide use by 2030.
Yla-Mononen emphasized the need to double efforts to restore the health of rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and other bodies of water to ensure this vital resource remains resilient and healthy for future generations. Climate change effects, including droughts and floods, alongside over-extraction of freshwater resources, also exert pressure on aquifers.
Governments are urged to prioritize water conservation and ecosystem restoration, particularly as water resources are under additional strain from climate change impacts such as excessive rainfall, glacier melt, and drought.