Hydrogeology Workshop
EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF GEOLOGISTS WORKSHOP
European water policy: challenges for Hydrogeologists
Date: 22-23 November 2013
Venue:
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, B-1000 Brussels
Organiser:
EFG Panel of Experts on Hydrogeology
Speakers:
Keynote speakers and groundwater experts
Audience:
Hydrogeologists, companies and associations active on Groundwater in Europe
Final declaration from the European Federation of Geologist’s Hydrogeology workshop – European water policy: challenges for hydrogeologists
About 60% of all drinking water in Europe comes from groundwater. Considering the vital importance of ensuring the quality and the sustainable exploration of the European groundwater bodies, the European Federation of Geologists organised on 22 and 23 November 2013 a Hydrogeology workshop with the theme ‘European water policy: challenges for hydrogeologists’.
The workshop was attended by nearly 80 participants from 18 different countries including several representatives of the European Commission. This fact demonstrates the increasing interest of experts and policy makers in groundwater issues, in phase with the launch of the new EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020.
The public was composed of professionals active in all aspects of groundwater reaching from research to water management. The presence of professionals from different professional activity and countries provided thus an excellent basis for stimulating debates and experience exchanges setting the ground for future collaborations.
The aim of the workshop was to highlight those areas where hydrogeologists are playing an important role in the implementation of the European water policy. The first section provided an introduction to current water policy, including presentations from all relevant EU water policy areas. EFG thanks the support received by the European Commission and their broad representation by the participation as speakers and chairmen from DG Enterprise and Industry, DG Environment, DG Research and Innovation and of the European Environment Agency. This first section was followed by four technical sections on Land use and ecological status; Chemical status and pollution; Water efficiency and Vulnerability, with presentations from experts from EFG’s Panel on Hydrogeology and from the supporting organisations.
The workshop ended with a Final Declaration prepared by the EFG Panel of Experts on Hydrogeology. Stressing the importance of bringing groundwater to light in our everyday lives through education and training at all societal levels from secondary school education to continuing professional training, the European Federation of Geologists hopes that in the future groundwater issues will attract more attention within Horizon 2020 calls for proposals and other policy areas such as environment and development.
About EFG
The European Federation of Geologists (EFG) is a non-governmental organisation that was established in 1981 and today includes 21 national association members. It is the representative body for the geological profession in Europe.
EFG contributes to protection of the environment, public safety and responsible exploitation of natural resources by promoting excellence in the application of geoscience, by supporting research and teaching that underpins it, and also by creating public awareness of the importance of geoscience to society.
EFG encourages professional development by promoting training and Continuing Professional Development and offers validation (certification) through its internationally recognised title of European Geologist (EurGeol).
About the EFG Panel of Experts on Hydrogeology
Hydrogeology is a main topic among technical and professional skills of the geologists, and it is probably the most strictly related to the environmental protection and preservation. In the 21st century, the pursuit of the equilibrium between human needs and environmental sustainability involves as a main element the water resources, representing at the same time a resource and a risk. It is a task of modern geologists to contribute to the management and protection of water resources, with particular attention to groundwater. The mission of EFG’s PE on Hydrogeology is to contribute to the development of knowledge, to the introduction of policies and to the technical improvement of professional geologists in this field.
Contact
Isabel Fernandez, EFG Executive Director, isabel.fernandez@eurogeologists.eu
Marco Petitta, Coordinator of the EFG Panel of Experts on Hydrogeology, marco.petitta@uniroma1.it
Presentations:
- European water policy: challenges for Hydrogeologists Marco Petitta, EFG PE on Hydrogeology Coordinator
- Water Scarcity and Droughts in the European Union, and the challenges for Hydrogeologists in this context, European Innovation Partnership in Water Henriette Faergemann, Team Leader – Water Scarcity & Droughts, Unit Protection of Water Resources, DG Environment, European Commission
- Assessments for the European state of waters – the role of Hydrology in obtaining reliable and policy relevant information Nihat Zal, Water, European Environment Agency and Beate Werner, European Environment Agency, Water – Head of Group (video conference)
- The implementation of EU Groundwater policy, the common implementation strategy and the activities of WG groundwater – highlighting the important role of hydrogeology Johannes Grath, Chair of CIS WG-C, DG Environment Working Group
- The Water Sector in the European Development Policy Stathis Dalamangas, Head of Sector on Water and Sanitation, DG Development and Cooperation – EuropAid, European Commission
- H2020: Groundwater Research and Innovation Christos Fragakis, Unit on Management of Natural Resources, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
- Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform – WSSTP Durk Krol , WSSTP Director
- Eurogeosurveys view on a Groundwater Research Agenda for Europe Klaus Hinsby, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Denmark
- Exploration groundwater and hydrogeological conceptual models J. Martins Carvalho, EFG PE Hydrogeology, Portuga
- Integration of groundwater protection for human consumption in land use planning Carlos Martinez, IGME, EFG PE Hydrogeology, Spain
- Contribution from GENESIS Project Björn Klove, University of Oulu, Finland
- Geochemistry of European surface and groundwater Alecos Demetriades, EFG PE Hydrogeology, Greece
- Hydrogeology in the Carpathian basin Peter Szucs, EFG PE Hydrogeology,(co-authors: Tamás Madarász and László Perger).Hungar
- Natural Background in Groundwater: experiences from Italy Elisabetta Preziosi, CNR, National Institute Water Research, Italy
- Managed aquifer recharge in line with European groundwater legislation (FP7 project DEMEAU on impact evaluation and approaches for authorization) Gesche Grützmacher, WssTP, Germany
- Thermal water depletion and its impact on drinking water János Szanyi, Szedeg University, EFG PE Coordinator on Geothermal Energy, Hungary
- Closing the water cycle for sustainable groundwater management (in the Flemish dunes) Emmanuel Van Houtte, IWVA, Belgium
- Groundwater Vulnerability and the EIA/EIS Process Kevin Cullen, EFG PE Hydrogeology, Ireland
- Climatic dependency of mountain springs: Challenges for a sustainable groundwater management in the Swiss Alps Pierre Christe, Environmental protection agency of Canton Valais, EFG PE Hydrogeology, Switzerland
- Technologies to tackle water scarcity and reduce groundwater vulnerability in a Mediterranean delta area Jorge Molinero, Groundwater & Soils Department of Amphos 21, WssTP, Spain
- Groundwater for developing countries Carlo Enrico Bravi,GSF, EFG PE Hydrogeology, Italy
EU-funded projects on groundwater: contribution to innovation
– AquaTerra, dispersion of pollutants in the water cycle, EU-FP6 (2004-2010) Peter Grathwohl, AquaTerra project coordinator, University of Tübingen, Germany (apologies)
– RISKBASE project, Risk-informed management of European river basins Jos Brils, Deltares, Netherlands
– WADE project, Christoph Külls, University of Freiburg, Germany