Europe

The continent” faces a surprising array of water challenges. Although it is the second smallest continent on Earth, Europe contains more than a million lakes. Several million kilometers of water flows along and across borders, but only five out of 55 major European rivers are considered pristine. Water availability is highly variable in many countries:  annual average river run-off from rain varies from over 3 000 mm in western Norway to less than 25 mm in southern and central Spain. More than 60 percent of all European cities overexploit their groundwater resources and eight of Europe’s countries are considered water stressed. This year, Stockholm takes a closer look at the continent that hosts the World Water Week.


Facts:

• The European continent is made up by more than a million lakes. (European Environment Agency, 2009)

• Overexploitation of water has led to the drying out of natural areas in western and southern Europe and salt-water intrusion in aquifers. (European Environment Agency, 2009)

• In Europe, there are eight countries that can be considered water-stressed (Germany, England and Wales, Italy, Malta, Belgium, Spain, Bulgaria and Cyprus), together representing 46% of Europe's population. (European Environmental Agency, 2009)

• Annual average river run-off from rain varies from over 3 000 mm in western Norway to less than 25 mm in southern and central Spain. (European Environmental Agency, 2009)

• 60 % of all European cities overexploit their groundwater resources. (European Commission)

• Only five out of 55 rivers in Europe are considered pristine. (1st UN World Water Development Report, 2003)

• The Danube basin is shared between 18 states experiencing vastly different political, economic and historical contexts. With over 80 million people, it is the most international river basin in the world. (SIWI)

• 20% of all surface water in the European Union is seriously threatened with pollution. (European Commission, 2007)

• 50% of wetlands have “endangered status” due to groundwater overexploitation. (European Commission, 2007)

• The Water Framework Directive is a European Union directive which commits European Union member states to achieve good qualitative and quantitative status of all water bodies (including surface water, groundwater and marine coastal water) by 2015.