Water JPI

Basic Information

Description

Innovation (RDI) activities have been put in place in order to protect water resources. Despite these efforts, many regions in Europe still face water scarcity and/or water quality problems. Climate change, groundwater over-abstraction and diffuse pollution are, among others, the main factors influencing water availability and quality. If no action is taken, their impact will be even greater in the years to come. Guaranteeing a sustainable supply of good-quality water should be a priority for the European society. Both policy and RDI activities should, therefore, contribute to this aim. Water supply for the development of different activities (agriculture, energy production, public services, etc.) also needs to be ensured to benefit the economic prosperity of Europe. It is in this context that the Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) ‘Water Challenges for a Changing World’ (the Water JPI) has defined its grand challenge as ‘achieving sustainable water systems for a sustainable economy in Europe and abroad.

This will be realised through a multi-disciplinary approach, which includes economic, ecological, societal and technological considerations. This JPI mobilises existing national and regional RDI programmes and aims to harmonise their research agendas. It defines common research needs and develops joint activities that will increase efficiency by avoiding duplication across Europe. The Water JPI provides an opportunity for broader cross-border cooperation, greater collaboration and a more unified focus on water RDI across Europe. It must be remembered that the European water sector has a wide diversity of stakeholders and is highly fragmented: water resources, water supply and wastewater have often been locally managed.