Water innovation: boosting value for Europe 2015 - 1 stage

Water is an invaluable resource for human health, food security, sustainable development and the environment, and is an economic sector of growing importance for Europe.  However, water resources are constantly under pressure from climate change, urbanisation, pollution, overexploitation of freshwater resources and increasing competition between various user groups. Improvement of the state of water resources, both in terms of quantity and quality, will trigger substantial economic benefits. The objective of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) – to achieve good status by 2015 – will be met only in around half of the European waters, making major additional action necessary.  The aim of this challenge is to seize these new and significant market opportunities by positioning Europe as a global market leader in water related innovative solutions.  Activities in this call address: integrated approaches to water and climate change adaptation and mitigation; bringing innovative water solutions to the market; and harnessing water research and innovation results for the benefit of industry, policy makers and citizens in Europe and globally.  Specifieke onderwerpenWATER-3-2015: Stepping up EU research and innovation cooperation in the water areaWATER-4b-2015: Water management solutions for agricultural sector, thematic networksWATER-5b-2015: A coordination platform