It was a busy month for speaking events, and we spoke at several, covering climate change, pollutants and the UWWTD. 

We were at the German presidency conferences speaking about climate change (4-5 November). The conclusions will be incorporated into the debate on updating the EU Adaptation Strategy. Part of the conference dealt with water scarcity and low water and attempt to lay the foundation for a strategic approach to water management in Germany and the EU. Oliver Loebel, EurEau Secretary General, presented the views of the water sector.

Oliver Loebel, EurEau Secretary General met the Tyre and Road Ware Particles Platform (TRWP) on 19 November to discuss tyre abrasion testing.

Sarah Gillman and Michael Bentvelsen, co-Chairs of the EurEau Committee on Waste Water spoke at the WAREG (Association of Water Regulators) General Assembly on the 11 November to present the challenges of the waste water sector to meet the ambitions of the Green Deal on climate targets and zero pollution and of the Circular Economy in the context of the revision of the UWWTD.

Alain Gillis, EurEau Vice-President and Bertrand Vallet, EurEau Policy Officer presented EurEau and our publication “Innovating for a greener future: European water service priorities” to the board meeting of the SWDE and Walloon water sector coordination committee meeting on 12-13 November 2020.

Greet de Gueldre, Chair of the EurEau Joint Working Group on pollutants spoke on behalf of EurEau at the MICRO conference on the 15 November in the session: “Multilevel Governance – What is the potential for microplastics regulation?” She delivered the views of the water sector on the issue of microplastics in the environment, suggesting regulatory measures and spelling out the research needs.   

Dr Claudia Castell-Exner, EurEau President, spoke at the EP intergroup meeting on the role of water in the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change (20 November).

The European Parliament Intergroup on biodiversity, climate change and sustainable development, which EurEau supports, met on 20 November to discuss the water dimension of the future European Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. The meeting was chaired by MEP Woelken. You can find the agenda and the relevant documents here. Claudia Castell-Exner presented our position on climate change and the role of the water sector.

Pere Malgrat from AEAS in Spain spoke about what actions can be taken in the sewer system and the treatment plant to reduce the impact of plastic waste at an event co-hosted by We Are Water on 24 November.

We were also at the German Presidency conference on the UWWTD (26-27 November). Oliver Loebel presented the outcomes regarding pharmaceuticals and microplastics of the study on Extended Producer Responsibility that EurEau sponsored last year.

Sarah Gillman spoke at the ESPP General Assembly on Nutrients in EU water policy, ambition and implementation (27 November).