Water management and energy transition: Top priorities for Euro-Mediterranean cities and regions

Local and regional elected officials from the three shores of the Mediterranean have called on the Union for the Mediterranean and European institutions to make water a strategic priority and to support local authorities in the energy transition.

Meeting in Carcassonne on 1-2 July, members of the Commission for Sustainable Territorial Development of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) supported a series of draft recommendations setting out responses needed to address the major water crisis affecting the Mediterranean basin. Their opinion, which was drafted by Taleb Abderrahmane El Mahjoub, mayor of Tevragh Zeina in Mauritania, calls for a truly ambitious and global strategy to move towards a society that is smart in its water usage. It emphasises the need for the European Union, the Union for the Mediterranean and their member states to adopt an integrated long-term approach to all aspects of water management and the water cycle, and to involve all stakeholders, including local and regional authorities, associations and consumers, including farmers and industries.

The ARLEM opinion, which will be adopted at ARLEM's plenary session this autumn, emphasises the key role of local authorities in water management and the need to empower them to act, by involving them in water decisions, supporting them financially and strengthening their technical capacity. Cooperation between local and regional authorities throughout the Mediterranean region should be enhanced. The draft report urges support for research and innovation in the water sector, also calling for the re-introduction of some traditional practices and of some crops adapted to local climatic and geographical conditions that could help sustainable water management.

ARLEM's recommendations follow the recent call by the European Committee of the Regions to the next European Commission to present a European 'Blue Pact' - an ambitious strategy to integrate water-related objectives into all the Union's sectoral policies. The opinion drafted by André Viola (FR/PES), member of the Aude Departmental Council, was adopted at the CoR's plenary session on 20 June. The ARLEM met in Carcassonne at the invitation of Mr Viola and the Aude Departmental Council.

In Carcassonne, ARLEM also highlighted the need to support Mediterranean regions and cities in the energy transition. Stressing that energy security has become a major challenge, a draft opinion presented by Franck Proust (FR/EPP), president of the Métropole de Nîmes, calls for a reassessment of future energy development strategies in a region in which, according to a new ARLEM study, fossil fuels continue to dominate.

To accelerate the green energy transition, ARLEM is pressing for the development of smart and flexible energy grids, to enable the connection of decentralised renewable energy sources, to meet fluctuating production and demand, and to facilitate the exchange of locally produced energy. The draft opinion argues for the definition of clear long-term objectives and the creation of a harmonised regulatory framework that encourages collaboration between local and regional authorities in Euro-Mediterranean countries. It stresses the need to develop technical and administrative support, to create common funds to support energy transition projects, and to establish regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

Quotes:

Taleb Abderrahmane El Mahjoub, mayor of Tevragh Zeina, Mauritania, and rapporteur of the ARLEM report on 'Strengthening water resilience: the role of Mediterranean cities and regions': "Making water an absolute priority is vital throughout the Mediterranean basin, which is one of the most water-stressed regions in the world. Local authorities are actively contributing to strengthening water resilience, but they need to be involved in decision-making and need to secure the support of national governments and other bodies. Mediterranean cities have experience and traditional practices that they can share with their partners."

André Viola (FR/PES), member of the Aude Departmental Council and rapporteur of the CoR opinion on 'Towards resilient water management to combat the climate crisis within the framework of a European Blue Pact': "Climate change is exacerbating floods and droughts, degrading water quality and thus increasingly endangering people's health and their living environment. Protecting human lives from its major impacts requires immediate and resolute measures. To ensure our well-being in the future, all levels of government must better coordinate different sectors. Local and regional leaders can guide this approach by putting in place concrete and resilient solutions and inspiring others."

Franck Proust (FR/EPP), president of Nîmes Métropole and rapporteur of the ARLEM report on 'The role of local and regional authorities in supporting the energy transition, particularly through partnerships​': "The future of the energy transition depends heavily on our ability to cooperate and innovate together. Local and regional authorities have a major role to play in this process, implementing solutions adapted to their specificities while drawing inspiration from best practices and working hand in hand with their regional and international partners. It is through this synergy that we will be able to achieve our sustainability and energy resilience goals."

Patrick Molinoz​ (FR/PES), chair of the European Committee of the Regions' Committee on External Affairs (CIVEX) and vice-president of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region: "In addition to the ARLEM Commission meeting, the two working sessions on civil protection and water illustrate not only the strategic importance of cross-border cooperation on these two themes, but also the partnerships between ARLEM and the Committee of the Regions on the one hand and key Euro-Mediterranean players such as the Union for the Mediterranean, the European Commission (DG ECHO) and the United Nations (United Nations Office for Project Services UNOPS) on the other."

Background Information:

• The southern Mediterranean, particularly the Middle East and North Africa region, is home to 15 of the 20 most water-poor countries in the world. An estimated 180 million people already suffer from water shortages in the region, a figure expected to rise to over 250 million by 2050 because of climate change. A study carried out for ARLEM illustrates the role that local authorities can play, particularly in the creation of infrastructure and intelligent management of water resources, through two case studies in Morocco and Turkey. Following the ARLEM meeting, the theme was addressed at a conference entitled "Water, Europe and Resilient Communities - Towards a European Water Strategy: Multi-level Water Management to Combat the Climate Crisis", organised as part of the European Green Week.
• In Carcassonne, ARLEM members also stressed the need to deepen Euro-Mediterranean cooperation on civil protection, following up on a report adopted last year by ARLEM on the same subject. Members exchanged best practices and cooperation opportunities at a workshop organised with the support of the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Commission and approved an ARLEM roadmap on civil protection for 2024-2026 to guide their future work.
• ARLEM members also exchanged experiences of intercultural cooperation and intercultural dialogue, particularly through the Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue initiative, in which ARLEM participates. Members were able to learn about the experience of the first Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue, the cities of Tirana and Alexandria.
  
  ​