As part of Green Week 2024 organised by the European Commission, Euromontana is hosting an online webinar on water issues in mountain areas and how to prepare for resilience in these territories, between awareness and action.

Mountains are real water towers for Europe. The Alps alone provide 40% of Europe’s fresh water and many areas, both mountainous and lowland, depend on mountain run-off. Mountain areas are therefore key to Europe’s water resilience. However, as a result of global warming, water resources are shrinking due to melting ice and precipitation is becoming more erratic and unpredictable.

Water is a vital resource and many communities are already experimenting with water cut-offs during periods of water scarcity. In a context of diminishing resources and increasing consumption, conflicts over water use are on the rise. In addition to the primary water needs of ecosystems, many economic sectors depend on access to water, such as mountain agriculture, tourism and energy. Water resilience is a key priority for Europe.

However, policy makers and local stakeholders in mountain areas are still not sufficiently aware of the challenges related to water management. There is currently little data on current and future water resources and few strategies for adapting and rationalising water use. Given the importance of mountain areas in the water cycle, they have a key role to play in the EU’s Blue Deal.

This webinar aims to raise awareness of the challenges of water management in mountain areas and to share experiences in order to build resilience. The webinar will address fundamental issues such as the water crisis in mountain areas, the lack of data and knowledge on water, and the role of local and regional authorities in water management.

In a second part, the webinar aims to illustrate how Europe’s mountain areas are approaching water resilience. Practitioners will share inspiring and replicable experiences that help to value, conserve or rationalise water.

Join us on 25 June from 10:00 to 12:00 to discuss these key issues with stakeholders from across Europe’s mountain regions. Registration closes on 24 June 2024 at 13:00 CEST.

Event material