Focus Group with international experts and policymakers to delve into the economic approaches for groundwater protection while balancing societal development. The basis for discussion is the existing implementation of non-technological measures.
- water protection | water policy | circular economy
- Tuesday 18 June 2024, 08:30 - 10:00 (CEST)
- Online only
- Live streaming available
- Country
- Spain
Practical information
- When
- Tuesday 18 June 2024, 08:30 - 10:00 (CEST)
- Where
- Online only
- Languages
- English
- Part of
- Website
- Event website
Description
Within the ZeroPollution4Water Cluster (https://zeropollution4water.eu/) funded by Horizon Europe 2022, the UPWATER project (Understanding Groundwater Pollution to protect and enhance WATER quality) aims to assess the effectiveness of different preventive non-technological measures to minimize the release of chemicals at the source.
Three case studies in Denmark, Greece, and Spain, representing different groundwater pollution problems and socio-economic contexts, are analyzed through a participatory approach to reaching a consensus on the most appropriate Policy Option recommendations. Similarly, the project addresses preventive measures at the European level. This partner event corresponds to one of the six Focus Groups on specific topics that will enlighten current questions and further projections to promote discussion among international experts and policymakers.
The role of aquifers as natural water reservoirs, contributing to maintaining aquatic ecosystems and meeting the water supply demands of populations and productive sectors, is well known.
However, there is increasing concern about the sustainability of all available water bodies, revealing a change in tendency. The present Focus Group proposes to delve into the economic approaches for groundwater protection. The event comprises current challenges in involving groundwater resources in integral water management in urban and rural areas.
The environmental and socioeconomic impacts of preventive and mitigation measures provide an overview that enables water administrations and policymakers to decide on the most suitable policy options. In this sense, the most relevant economic aspects of a portfolio of around thirty non-technological preventive measures to protect groundwater contamination are under discussion. Another issue to cover in the group discussion is to explore possible economic tools and measures to act as drivers of environmental protection while balancing societal development.
These discussions rely on current knowledge of methodologies, models, and experiences that foster deeper understanding among the attendees. Foreseen scenarios, which account for circular economy strategies—a novel goal for European societies—will be addressed for the attendees based on their expertise and forecasted views.
