Green week presentation eu rivers - Chris Baker
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Transcript of Green week presentation eu rivers - Chris Baker
Richer river environments through restoration: policy opportunities and
challenges
Chris Baker, Head of Strategy and programme Wetlands and Water Resources22nd May 2012
Restoration
• Ecological river restoration refers to a large variety of measures aiming at
restoring the natural state and functioning of the river and the riverine
environment.
• Ecological River Restoration is an integral part of sustainable water management
• River Restoration is eco‐system based
Why is river restoration relevant and important now?
• Increased pollution• Water shortages• Increased disaster risk
• Ecosystem services provide options
• River Restoration is a cross‐cutting tool – Sustainable– Cost effective– Multiple benefits are possible
Existing policy environment Restoration drivers• Water Framework Directive and Flood Risk Management Directive
– WFD Programme of measures – Flood risk management planning – But, limited use of River restoration as a tool
• Habitats Directive– Conservation and restoration of ecosystems– Focus on biodiversity rich areas– Important driver of restoration
Restoration Delivery• Supporting delivery of river restoration
– E.g. Nitrates Directive, CAP
Typical river restoration characteristics• Biodiversity focus
• Limited size and scope
• Single policy goals
• Regionally focused on west and north
• ‘Nice to do’ ‐ not a mainstream water management option
Innovative river restoration• Landscape scale / multi‐
reach / catchment
• Multiple benefits
• Complement water management objectives
• Complex planning and land management
• Resource and time intensive
• Regional bias to west
Case: Lower Rhine RiverAn integrated landscape approach
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Netherlands
• Socio-economic value
• Ecological value
• Aesthetic/ cultural value
• Sustainability
Agri-Environment review
• Agricultural policy can be a means to deliver river restoration. E.g. – Buffer zones – Re‐flooding floodplains
• Greening of farmer payments – link to environmental outcomes
• Cross compliance to the WFD
EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy• 2020 headline target• “Halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, and restoring them…”
• TARGET 2: MAINTAIN AND RESTORE ECOSYSTEMS AND THEIR SERVICES– By 2020, ecosystems and their services are maintained and enhanced by establishing green infrastructure and restoring at least 15 % of degraded ecosystems
– Action 6: Set priorities to restore and promote the use of green infrastructure
Green Infrastructure• Development of Green Infrastructure Strategy
• Green Infrastructure Working Group
• Strategically planned and delivered network of high quality green spaces and other environmental features
• Multifunctional resource capable of delivering a wide range of benefits and services
• River restoration builds green infrastructure (WWF 2011)
Blueprint to safeguard Europe’s Water Resources
• Problem 3: Land use impacts and in particular agriculture's impacts threaten water quality and quantity across much of Europe and deregulate water flow increasing water scarcity and flood risks. – Guidance clearly defining a EU framework for green infrastructures– Develop guidance for integrated water – land‐use management– Enhance scope of SEA
• Problem 9: Costs and benefits of inaction and of water related measures are not properly understood or quantified– A methodology for the calculation of costs and benefits that
includes environmental resource and ecosystem services costs
Challenges
• Policy cross‐compliance
• Policy implementation– Incentivisation
– Planning – Target setting
– Capacity– Knowledge and know‐
how
REFORM
www.reformrivers.eu
Develop and improve instruments and guidelines that enlarge the success and
cost‐effectiveness of restoration and mitigation measures to achieve the
ecological objectives of the WFD
RESTORE and ECRR
Thanks!www.wetlands.org
www.restorerivers.eu