The scientific evidence conveys the clear message that climate is changing and that this change will impact the water cycle and water resources in Europe and world-wide. European water managers are implementing the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the main instrument in EU water protection. Climate change impacts will affect and interact with WFD implementation activities at different states in the process. Climatic variables are the root of many of the parameters that influence water resources and therefore it is important to consider climate change when aiming to achieve the WFD objectives (good status of all waters). This project aimed to support WFD implementers by providing different options how to include the different challenges coming from climate change in the different planning cycles of the WFD.

The design of the WFD provides scope to adapt to climate change through the cyclical river basin planning process. However, further clarification is needed as to how and at what stages climate change can be considered in river basin management planning.

According to its mandate, the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) activity on "Climate Change and the EU Water Policy" aims to, among other things, "identify what can and should be done in the different upcoming River Basin Management planning cycles" in relation to climate change impacts and adaptation.

The aim of this project was to produce a note providing input to this activity and to serve as a basis for discussion at the First Workshop of the CIS Working Group on November 21-22, 2007. Two elements are proposed:

• A checklist that includes a list of points of decision in the overall planning process where implementers could consider climate change.
• A structure for reporting the issue of climate change in the River Basin Management Plans.

The main aim of the checklist is to compile all stages in WFD implementation where climate change impacts may play a role. For each implementation stage (setting objectives, status assessment, identifying measures), an attempt is made to pinpoint the questions that could be asked in order to make sure that relevant interactions between climate change and river basin planning are taken into account. Based on the Working Group discussions, the checklist could be developed further to provide a tool for water managers implementing the WFD to take account of climate change risks.

The proposed outline for reporting on climate change impacts in the RBMPs (section 3) makes suggestions as to which aspects of climate change could be reported in what format, and should equally serve as a basis for discussion during the Workshop. Reporting on climate change impacts and how they are taken into account in the planning process might ultimately also be helpful for public information and participation processes. The final version of the note [pdf, 216 kB, English] can be downloaded here.