Indigenous Peoples, social movements and water defenders address the United Nations at the 2023 UN Water Conference to amplify the voices of the unheard and insist that the following fundamental issues be placed at the center of water policies at the global, regional, national and subnational levels:

In view of the convocation by the UN General Assembly of the Conference on the complete mid-term review of implementation of the goals fixed in the International Decade for Action “Water for a sustainable development 2018-2028” (2023 UN Water Conference), to be held in New York from the 22nd to the 24th of March 2023, we, movements, networks, NGOs, trade unions, that are members of the European Water Movement (EWM), invite the EU Parliament and all the MEPs to actively contribute and participate to the events of the aforesaid UN Water Conference.

The European Union's Department of International Relations has developed a common position paper for Member States (MS) with topics to be addressed in the interactive dialogues of the Conference. The suggested topics include governance, climate adaptation and financing. 

Regarding this position paper, the European Water Movement (EWM) shares the EU stance on the necessity to implement a Human Rights-based perspective for water management and governance, ensuring the affordability of the Human Right to Water and Sanitation (HRWS) and the good ecological status of water bodies, underlining the need to improve accountability and transparency, and to regulate and control the involvement of the private sector and its risks for the HRWS guarantee.

The new Nature Restoration Law proposed by the European Commission in June 2022, aimed at restoring ecosystems for people, climate and planet, will be put to a vote in the ENVI Committee in May 2023. In June 2023, the European Parliament will hold its plenary vote (mid-June).

In this context, the GRÜNE LIGA supports EEB's #RestoreNature campaign, which is pushing for the adoption of an ambitious law.

This law is fundamental to establish a governance framework in order to restore ecosystems that are particularly at risk, in order to increase climate change adaptation, ensure food security and the well-being of humankind and all forms of life on our planet. 

Member States will have to develop National Restoration Plans, including both area-based restoration targets and indicator-based restoration targets. This should allow for the establishment of an integrated approach to restoration on the European level.

 (The Havel River in Germany)

The main overarching objectives are the following:

• at least 20% of land- and sea-areas' restoration targets by 2030
• by 2050: having measures in place for ALL ecosystems in need of restoration

Open letter: Counting on new hydropower to accelerate Renewable Energy deployment in Europe is irresponsible. 

The EEB (European Environmental Bureau), Bird Life International, the EEA (the European Anglers Alliance), Wetlands International and WWF have published an open letter, this Monday 6 February 2023, asking for more regulations of hydropower development. The open letter is signed by more than 100 NGOs across Europe.

Among others, we ask for:

• At least retain the new article 29b on sustainability criteria for hydropower proposed by the European Parliament (RED III), as it recognises that hydropower has direct impacts on freshwater ecosystems which must be mitigated. 
• Ask Member States to exclude new hydropower plants from go-to areas (RED IV), as the Council’s general approach from 21 December on REPowerEU, which only gives Member States the option to exclude new hydropower plants from go-to areas, does not go far enough. 

Discover the entire open letter of the European NGOs here (in English): Open letter: Counting on new hydropower to accelerate Renewable Energy deployment in Europe is irresponsible. 

Associations hand over catalogue of demands to politicians

The EU Water Framework Directive must be implemented by 2027. So far, politicians in Berlin and Brandenburg have done too little to achieve this. More commitment and financial resources are needed for water protection. Environmental associations presented their demands today.

 So far, 17 associations are involved in the Berlin-Brandenburg Water Network Initiative for the protection of water bodies and thus also clean drinking water.