18
Chapter2
EU
policy
Overall policy
objective(s)
Explicit and implicit links to
NWRM or similar
Source
Water
Framework
Directive
To achieve good status
for all waters in Europe
Annex VI of theWFD provides a list of measures
that can be considered in the programmes of
measures. These include
inter alia
the recreation
and restoration of wetland areas.
DIRECTIVE 2000/60/EC OF THE EUROPE-
AN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of
23 October 2000 establishing a frame-
work for Community action in the field
of water policy
Floods
Directive
To reduce and manage
the risks that floods
pose to human health,
the environment,
cultural heritage and
economic activity
Article 7 of the Floods Directive specifies that
Flood risk management plans may also include
the promotion of sustainable land use practices,
improvement of water retention as well as the
controlled flooding of certain areas in the case of
a flood event.
DIRECTIVE 2007/60/EC OF THE EUROPE-
AN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of
23 October 2007 on the assessment and
management of flood risks
Climate
Change
Adaptation
Strategy
To make Europe
more climate-resilient
and enhance the
preparedness and
capacity of all
governance levels to
respond to the impacts
of climate change
The EU Adaptation Strategy calls for a strong
emphasis on incorporating win-win, low-cost and
no-regret adaptation options. These include sustain-
able water management and early warning systems.
Ecosystem-based approaches are usually cost-ef-
fective under different scenarios. They are easily
accessible and provide multiple benefits, such as
reduced flood risk, less soil erosion, improved water
and air quality and reduced heat island effect
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE
COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE
OF THE REGIONS An EU Strategy on
adaptation to climate change
Green
infrastructure
To promote the
development of Green
Infrastructure (GI) by
creating an enabling
framework to encourage
and facilitate GI
projects within existing
legal, policy and
financial instruments to
exploit their benefits for
sustainable development.
Green infrastructure solutions that boost disaster
resilience are also an integral part of EU policy
on disaster risk management. […] The impacts of
such events on human society and the environment
can often be reduced using GI solutions such as
functional flood plains, riparian woodland, protection
forests in mountainous areas, barrier beaches and
coastal wetlands that can be made in combination
with infrastructure for disaster reduction, such as
river protection works.
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE
COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE
OF THE REGIONS Green Infrastructure
(GI) — Enhancing Europe’s Natural
Capital
Table 1 - Illustratinghow selectedEUpolicy initiatives recognise
thepotential roleofNWRM incontributing to theachievementof theirobjectives
