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4.3.4        Other water, biodiversity, marine and climate adaptation policies

Other environmental policies can contribute to tackling agricultural pressures on the water environment. For example, the Drinking Water Directive (EU, 1998)establishes quality standards at EU level on several substances emitted by agriculture (e.g. nitrates) and requires establishing drinking water protected areas, in which human activities are subject to more stringent controls. The protection of drinking water protected areas has been reinforced through the WFD, and it has since driven restorative action by authorities on agricultural land. For example, the uptake of organic farming reduction on drinking water areas in the viscinity of Leipzig has led to a reduction of nitrate concentration from 40mg/L to 20mg/L in groundwater (Grüne Liga, 2007).

Drinking water utilities and bottle water companies increasingly value the cost-effectiveness of tackling agricultural drivers at the source by changing farming operations to reduce the use of nutrients and pesticides loads through more efficient use of inputs or changing practices towards more agroecological practices. However, they have faced legal and operational constraints and most action on diffuse pollution is focused on mitigation and remediation actions such as displacing drinking water wells (EC, 2016). The Directive is currently undergoing revisions to allow further prevention and mitigation measures to protect drinking water sources, and will extend a range of emerging pollutants, including from agriculture such as additional endocrine disruptors and pesticides.

The Nature Directives do not state any direct relevance to agriculture and water; however, the conservation measures which must be put into place for terrestrial ecosystems may involve actions that concern this area. For example, reduced input of chemical fertilisers and plant protection products as well as reduced habitat pollution or fragmentation contribute positively to water quality, reducing erosion, contamination and compaction. In addition, the Birds Directive promotes the protection of wetlands, which have a positive impact on the water household.

The recent Biodiversity Strategy illustrates well these important linkages, with ambitious targets relating to the reduction of the emission of chemical pesticide by 50% by 2030, the expansion of organic farming to 25% of agricultural utilised land, the restoration of the longitudinal connectivity of water bodies by 25000 km and the better control of water abstraction affecting environmental flows.

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive promotes the protection and restoration of environmental status in marine waters. Some of the pressures on the marine environment originate from agricultural activities, in particular nutrient pollution and eutrophication. The coordination of marine and water policies can result in more effective responses.

The EU Adaptation strategy on adaptation to climate change (COM/2013/0216 final) aims at making Europe more climate-resilient. Taking a coherent approach by complementing the activities of Member States, it supports action by promoting greater coordination and information-sharing, and by ensuring that adaptation considerations are addressed in all relevant EU policies and funding programmes. The new adaptation strategy (to be published 2021) will also have a focus on the water and agriculture nexus ensuring that both can withstand the changing climate as this is critical reaching many objectives, including preserving ecosystem services.