Synthesis: scientific support for policies to reduce diffuse pollution of drinking water
Main authors: | Rozalija Cvejič, Marina Pintar, Gerard Velthof |
FAIRWAYiS Editor: | Jane Brandt |
Source document: | »Cvejič, R. et al. (2021) Scientific support for policies aiming at reducing diffuse nitrates and pesticides pollution of drinking water in Europe; synthesis report. FAIRWAY Project Deliverable 7.4 29 pp |
FAIRWAY has reviewed approaches to protect drinking water resources against agricultural diffuse pollution by nitrate and pesticides, and identified, and further developed innovative measures and governance approaches for a more effective drinking water protection, together with stakeholders.
In this section of FAIRWAYiS we synthesise the iterative process of knowledge and practice exchange between case studies and policy during FAIRWAY, resulting in an integrated scientific support for relevant EU-policies related to drinking water quality (i.e. the Drinking Water Directive, Nitrates Directive, Water Framework Directive, and Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, as well the Common Agricultural Policy). This synthesis is especially relevant to those scientist, policy makers and practitioners that are looking into possible combination of strategies to reduce defuse pollution with nitrate and pesticides in agricultural drinking water catchments.
We set out the background context for the need for such a synthesis;
»Context
outline the methods used to develop the synthesis from the main findings of FAIRWAY concerning (a) multi-actor platforms and their future role in reducing ADP, (b) policy implementation responsibility and how can science and policy better support stakeholder networks and individuals; (c) promising governance strategies and how can coherence and consistency of EU legislation and policy be improved to effectively protect drinking water resources at the local scale; (d) tracking the change and which are the good baselines for monitoring and indicators for future actions; promising measures and practices that we need to push forward to advance ADP, and (e) advancement and promotion of DSTs to help us on ground;
»Methods
then present the synthesis itself and outlook for a potential future role of an EIP AGRI Focus Group to enable the continued to support of FAIRWAY's multi-actor platforms after the end of the project.
»Synthesis and outlook