Summary: Europe’s State of Water 2024 – EEA Report Highlights the Need for Improved Resilience

According to the European Environment Agency (EEA) report “Europe’s State of Water 2024: The Need for Improved Water Resilience”, agriculture is the largest pressure on both surface and groundwater due to excessive water use and pollution from nutrients and pesticides. Agriculture remains Europe’s biggest net water consumer, and climate change is expected to increase irrigation demand.

Despite efforts to mitigate water pollution, Europe’s water bodies remain in poor condition. Only 37% of surface waters meet ‘good’ or ‘high’ ecological status, and just 29% achieve ‘good’ chemical status, per the EU Water Framework Directive. Groundwater fares better, with 77% in good chemical status and 91% in good quantitative status, though pollution from pesticides and nutrients persists.

The report warns that without stronger measures, the EU will likely miss its 2027 target for achieving ‘good’ water status. In this context, the report recommends reducing water use, strengthening pollution prevention, restoring natural ecosystems, and enhancing monitoring and data access.

The report covers over 120,000 surface water bodies and 3.8 million km² of groundwater across the EU and Norway, providing the largest assessment of Europe’s water health to date. It will complement the European Commission’s forthcoming review of River Basin Management Plans and Flood Risk Management Plans, tracking the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and Floods Directive.