European Commission Conference: Water for life – LIFE for water

The European Commission’s Environment Directorate-General is organising a high profile conference entitled Water for life – LIFE for water. The conference will disseminate the results of projects supported by the EU’s LIFE Programme in order to facilitate the replication and exchange of good practices in water protection amongst relevant stakeholders.

Keys subjects to be examined during the two-day event include water scarcity and climate change, the marine environment, eutrophication and river management. In all, 12 beneficiaries of LIFE funding for projects in these areas will present their results and experiences. The conference will also be addressed by senior personnel from the European Commission, including Mr. Gustaaf Borchardt, Director of the Water, Chemicals and Cohesion Directorate, Mrs Soledad Blanco, Director of the International affairs & LIFE Directorate, and Mr Angelo Salsi, Head of the LIFE Unit.

Other speakers include Dr Anna-Stiina Heiskanen, Research Manager at the Finnish Environment Institute, SYKE, who will look at gaps in policy, implementation and technology regarding eutrophication, and Mr. Gidon Bromberg, Director of Friends of the Earth in the Middle East, who will examine issues relating to water shortage and climate change.

The ultimate aims of the conference are to help improve the implementation of EU policies such as the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive; to disseminate and share information; and to facilitate networking between stakeholders. More than 100 participants, including LIFE project beneficiaries, national and international water authorities, NGOs, the media and other relevant stakeholders will take part at the conference.