European Parliament
A7-0192/2012
Daciana Octavia Sârbu  (S&D ),
in writing.
– It is clear that time is running out to achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, namely, to protect and restore clean water, to ensure its sustainable use, and to achieve good ecological and chemical status by 2015. Part of the solution lies in better water management and further improvements in water efficiency, especially in agriculture. Drip irrigation techniques need to be more widely used, and support should be given to developing innovative irrigation techniques and improving recycling and treatment of waste water for use in agriculture. In the medium to long-term, we can only expect pressure on water supplies to further increase, not least because of climate change and the additional demands placed on food producers by a growing world population. Water use in agriculture will be a crucial factor in determining whether we meet our sustainability targets and ensure enough good quality water for everyone into the future.

