WATER2ADAPT - Resilience enhancement and water demand management for climage change adaptation

The WATER2ADAPT project examines recent cases of droughts and human-made water scarcity in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Germany. It i) identifies 'social drivers' of water scarcity - i.e., the practices which lead to unsustainable consumption and inefficient allocation of water; ii) assess the magnitude and mediating factors of water scarcity- and drought-induced impacts; and iii) revisit the performance and wider impacts of the water demand management policies. Resilience and adaptive capacity, that is the ability to withstand and recover from significant disruptions (or to absorb and cushion against damage), will be translated into practical management tool applicable at river basin scale. This way the project provides a critical input to contemporary water management policies and practices. The draft River Basin District Management Plans compelled by the Water Framework Directive (WDF) do not satisfactory address the issue of climate change and adaptation (EC 2007a), with a few exceptions. Nor do they consider the inherent resilience of economic sectors/markets and communities, and as a consequence the current water policies may not be up to the challenges faced (underachievement) or distract resources from more urgent issues (overachievement).