European water management and climate resilience efforts

Efforts to enhance water management and climate resilience are expanding across Europe through specialized conferences and strategic initiatives. In Central Europe, discussions have focused on flood mitigation via nature-based solutions and landscape retention, alongside calls from the European Council of Carriers for a pan-European strategy to protect transport infrastructure and logistics from low water levels.

In the Mediterranean region, the focus has shifted toward addressing water scarcity. Through the Share.medwater program, Enea is developing sustainable management models that integrate alternative resources like rainwater and treated wastewater. In Italy, the federation Utilitalia has launched the ‘Pact for Water Resilience,’ a strategic initiative signed by companies such as Aset Spa, Viva Servizi, and BrianzAcque. This pact aims to transition water management from emergency response to preventative action through innovation, infrastructure upgrades, and digitalization. While remote reading and centralized control systems are increasing, disparities persist between large operators and smaller regional entities. Industry leaders, including Acea’s Marco Pastorello, have identified the Mediterranean as a climate crisis hotspot, noting a global infrastructure investment gap estimated at up to 6.5 trillion euros. New technological tools, such as Aegir Resilience’s predictive platform for hydro-strategic intelligence, are also emerging.

In Spain, recent forums like the Spain Smart Water Summit 2026 and the Hablemos de Agua meeting have emphasized treating water as a strategic and critical resource. Participants, including Facsa, have called for long-term planning, stable financing, and improved administrative coordination. Furthermore, discussions regarding irrigation in regions like Huesca are addressing how geopolitical instability, energy costs, and changes to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) impact water security and agricultural efficiency.