The European Environment Agency’s latest State of Europe’s Environment report paints a stark picture. Published every five years, it compiles EU-wide data on waterways, soil, air, habitats, and the impacts of climate change, pollution, and waste.
The report highlights biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and the urgent need for climate adaptation as the greatest challenges ahead. Yet shifting geopolitical priorities have pushed environmental concerns down the agenda.
The findings are sobering: over 80% of ecosystems are in poor condition, biodiversity continues to decline under unsustainable production and consumption, and water is under severe strain. Water stress affects 30% of EU territory and 34% of its people, while only 37% of surface waters reached good or high ecological status in 2021. This decline threatens water resilience, essential for health, food, industry, energy, and transport.
EurEau shares this assessment and calls for an overall reduction in societal water use, better protection of water resources from agricultural pollution and stronger chemical rules that prevent the emission of hazardous substances at source.
Speaking about the report, EurEau Secretary General, Oliver Loebel stressed that the findings highlight the urgent need for stronger support from EU institutions and Member States. “The EEA’s report is yet another wake-up call. Clean and resilient water resources are the foundation of Europe’s health, prosperity and security. If the EU is to deliver its vision of a strong and resilient Europe, it needs to invest; invest in water infrastructure, innovation, and pollution prevention.”
“Europe cannot afford to treat water as an afterthought in policy-making. Protecting this vital resource is essential to our collective future.”
According to the EEA report, agriculture remains the biggest driver of water stress, as fertiliser and pesticide runoff degrade water quality. Climate change amplifies pressures through rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns and more frequent droughts and floods. Over-abstraction of water, pollution, and physical changes to water bodies compound the crisis, threatening both ecosystems and the services they provide.
Protecting watersheds, maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems, and ensuring the replenishment of groundwater resources are identified as critical steps for safeguarding Europe’s water resilience.
Read our vision for a water resilient Europe.