Water is by far seen as the most important but vulnerable resource in the Mediterranean region. The major problems of fresh water resources management in the region arise from the pressure to meet the increasing food and domestic water needs in areas characterized by fast-growing population, water scarcity or limited water availability, exacerbated by extreme climate variability. Increased cost of energy production coupled with water scarcity, deteriorated water quality and overexploitation of resources often results in deficiency in food production, increased pollution threats to both terrestrial and marine environment and leads to nonequitable access to water resources as well as water supply and sanitation services, particularly in the rural and marginal areas.
Consequently, it negatively affects health and produces various types of conflicts ranging from social domestic conflicts to sector conflicts (agriculture, urban areas, industry, tourism as well as ecosystem) and trans-boundary conflicts.
Due to its limited availability and the high nexus with healthy society, addressing sustainable water management is vital in the region. According to recommendations of the Euro-Mediterranean water expert and inter-institutional dialogues (Barcelona 2012, CRIA 2012, MIRA 2009-2012), most relevant challenges and problems are:
- Mis-management and poor governance for planning and adaptation to global changes, including lack of engagement of stakeholders and empowerment of civil society.
- Un-equitable water allocation and un-sustainable water management
- Still poor holistic vision
- Need to increase competitiveness of research in water quantity management, water use efficiency as well as management of non conventional waters.
EMEG (MEDSPRING Expert Group) agrees that most of efforts in resource efficiency should focus on water. The latter being indispensable for the conservation of all other natural resources.
A sound management of water should not only contribute to environmental sustainability and ecosystem services but should also constitute an opportunity for new jobs, start-up and market opening. Water scarcity areas should not be seen as a problem but as a market opportunity for developing new technologies and enhancing water innovation.
The following topics are favorable in the Mediterranean for the uptake of research results and development of market opportunities:
- Management of surface-ground water resources under scarcity and uncertain conditions (quality andquantity) with a link to extreme events.
- Improvement of agricultural water use efficiency.
- Non conventional water treatment and reuse.
In particular, competitive research in the above topics is a real opportunity for marketable results and solutions in the following specific sectors:
- Tools and devices based on ICT and wireless sensors for monitoring, water allocation control, remote controlled irrigation, automation and information /dissemination to end-users.
- Technologies for ground water de-pollution, irrigation water management and compact water treatment units for decentralized systems and reuse.
- Advanced oxidation process, nanotechnology and materials, filtration, artificial recharge and new antifouling membrane.
- Expert service under the form of local consultancy providing institutional capacity building, developing guidelines and strategies for water management
In order to ensure successful uptake of research results and impact (jobs, market and other opportunities), the design of research in above water topics and for identified solutions should be supported by a competitive public-private-societal partnerships, composed by:
- Farmers (and association/groups of farmers), as they are the end-users affected by extreme events but also acting as empowered private sector / investor.
- Water User Association (WUAs), as they are in charge for Operation & Maintenance activities
- Local municipalities
- Local municipalities and water user associations
- Private investors and tech-driven SMEs
- Basin authorities
- NGOs
- Academia and research centers.
- Actors forming different partnerships should equally share and participate in the design and implementation of research.
