Mediterranean nations launch Rome Initiative to tackle water scarcity

The Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum and a ministerial meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean (UpM) have convened in Rome to address critical water scarcity and climate resilience in the region. Representatives from 43 member states adopted a ministerial declaration and launched the ‘Rome Initiative on Water,’ aimed at fostering regional cooperation, sustainable investment, and cross-border water management through 2030.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized that water security can serve as a foundation for regional stability and trust. Environmental Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin highlighted the ‘water trilemma’—scarcity, excess, and pollution—as a defining challenge of the century, noting Italy's commitment to infrastructure and resilience through the PNRR.

In the private sector, Webuild inaugurated an exhibition titled ‘Building a Future with Water,’ advocating for large-scale infrastructure as the primary solution to water shortages. The company noted that while the Mediterranean holds 7% of the world's population, it possesses only 3% of its freshwater resources, making desalination, wastewater reuse, and improved distribution networks essential for long-term security.