Supporting long-term local decision-making for Climate-adapted Water Management

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

An increase in average global temperatures by at least 2C compared to pre-industrial levels appears increasingly inevitable. In this context, climate change is expected to directly affect the availability of water resources, in terms of both quantity and quality. This uncertainty regarding availability calls into question the allocation of water resources between different uses, revealing important societal challenges: security for access to water, the impact on agricultural production and energy, the development of territories at the local scale, but also population movements, etc. Present mobilisation on adaptation issues is still limited to a few State services and operators, the scientific world, as well as some local authorities and economic stakeholders. It is now a question of moving from a pioneer to a shared and widely implemented approach.

The Water Agencies have drawn up adaptation plans to climate change at the main water basin scale; these plans have now to be implemented at the local scale. With this aim, it is necessary that local managers are convinced and confident in their ability to adapt, to accelerate adaptation at the local level.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the LIFE Eau&Climat project is to help the actors of water management at the local scale (in particular the members of the Local Water Commissions) to evaluate the effects of climate change, to take them into account in local management plans, and to implement non-regret adaptation measures despite existing uncertainties.

The added value of the project is expected to be the operational consideration of climate change adaptation at the local level, while supporting the long-term commitment of resource users. To this aim, three strategic objectives are defined:

Mobilise local actors, by providing them with tools adapted to 1) assess territorial vulnerabilities, and 2) plan their adaptation paths, and by raising their awareness of climate change issues;

Improve access to data on climate change and its impacts on water, and expertise on these data, by developing "hydro-climatic" services; and

Mobilise research actors and accelerate the transfer and exchange of knowledge with local stakeholders involved in water management.

 

Ten water management structuresare involved in the project as associated beneficiaries. They are at different reflexion stages in terms of integration of climate change issues in their water management plans. The most advanced partners, with specific actions ongoing and specific tools developed, are Etablissement Public Loire, Syndicat Mixte dAmnagement de la Valle de la Durance, Syndicat Mixte dEtude et dAmnagement de la Garonne and Syndicat mixte pour lamnagement du fleuve Charente et de ses affluents. The others are emerging ones with some preliminary studies ongoing. The first stage of the project will be to ensure knowledge and good practices exchanges between the project partners.

The project's objectives are in line with several European policies, especially the Water Framework Directive, the Flood Directive and the Directives linked to adaptation to climate change (EU adaptation strategy to climate change, EU's commitment to fight against climate change, 2015 Paris agreement). By protecting some aquatic species habitats locally, the project is also expected to contribute to the objectives of the Habitats Directive.

RESULTS

Expected results:

Identification of climate change adaptation measures and design of adaptation plans within 10 water management territories;

Design and test of tools helping local decision makers develop suitable adaptation measures (tool and methodology for vulnerability assessment, tool and methodology for including climate adaptation in water management programming documents). Demonstration and validation of the tools in three territories;

Awareness raising and training of 200 members of water management bodies for the design of the adaptation plan in each territory;

Improved access to hydro-climatic data - development of a hydro-climatic extension of the DRIAS portal by Mto-France, training of local authorities and consultancies on the use of the DRIAS-Eau portal, demonstration of climate data management in four territories;

Reinforced collaboration between scientists, decision makers and civil servants;

Design of a guide on how to use of climate change modelling in local water management plans and water planning documents (SAGE);

Involvement of scientists in water management planning activities in six territories;

Organisation of eight trainings to initiate the integration of adaptation measures in water management plans process in other territories (120 local water management plans facilitators or Local Water Commission presidents);

Elaboration of four policy briefs to present the recommendations to local decision-makers; and

Training of 50 water management teams from 10 European countries in the use of the project's tools.