Greetings from Europe Forum 2024

The opening remarks were delivered by Patrick Child, Deputy Director General for Environment and Cities Mission Manager. He stressed the increasing importance of effective water management, noting that climate change, poor practices, overuse, and pollution cost Europe’s water economy 9 billion euros last year. Water is not just a local issue; it requires broader attention, which is why the European Council has added water resilience to its strategic agenda. Mr. Child also highlighted the need to go beyond traditional legislation by leveraging technology, innovation, and investments to secure water resilience. He mentioned Interreg funds as a valuable tool for discovering new solutions.

The panel showcased four unique Interreg-funded projects ReNutriWater, Waterman, NURSECOAST-II, and City Blues, each contributing to the Policy Area Nutri within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Representatives from these projects discussed topics such as water security and sustainable practices. These include recovering safe water and nutrients from wastewater, implementing water reuse strategies, piloting alternative treatment technologies, and utilizing nature-based solutions to prevent flooding.

In the panel discussion Anu Reinikainen (on the behalf of the NURSECOAST-II project) highlighted the role of small-scale wastewater treatment systems in the coastal touristic areas and technology improvements when tackling the seasonality effect regarding the wastewater loads. She also emphasized the importance of sustainability assessment when implementing novel solutions.

Marcin Żuchowski (also member of NURSECOAST-II project) presented WaterMan project and highlighted the projects idea that different qualities of water can be used for different purposes. He also emphased engagement of stakeholders as most actors the idea of water reuse is still a novelty.

Elsi Kauppinen, the coordinator from EUSBSR Policy Area Nutri, highlighted that the solutions presented aim to create more resilient societies where biodiversity is integrated into water management, and systems are established to protect against floods and drought. These approaches ensure that new water sources remain safe, reducing our reliance on those that could be depleted during severe droughts. Kauppinen also emphasized that climate change and other environmental pressures will increasingly challenge municipalities, but the piloted projects and practical handbooks offer valuable guidance for sustainable water management across the region. By keeping water in circulation and using its nutrients for human needs rather than discharging them into the sea, we can achieve a cleaner environment and significantly reduce the occurrence of algae blooms.

The event was great success and well organized.  Warm weather and sunny Turku provided a wonderful setting for the event.

See the recording HERE.

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