28 January 2025
The state of water resources across Europe varies widely, from arid to more humid conditions, creating challenges in developing regulations that are universally applicable to all Member States. Meanwhile, climate change is amplifying the current water crisis, characterized by shortages and deteriorating quality, that might cost up to 6% of the global GDP.
In this context, the irrigation sector can contribute to a more sustainable water management, and its technologies coupled with modern techniques can result in a reduction of over 20% in water use. Future sector developments propose innovative models, based also on artificial intelligence and able to enhance profitability while protecting the environment. Sustainable solutions will be able to address food security, climate change, water saving, circularity, pollution reduction, and biodiversity protection.
The European Union is mobilising capitals towards activities with a positive environmental impact, but the current EU Taxonomy does not cover the entire economy yet, and irrigation is only partially covered by existing activities, which represents a risk for sector competitiveness.
These challenges are addressed and detailed in the Position Paper "Sustainable Irrigation. Focus on the framework of the European taxonomy", prepared by the European Irrigation Association (EIA) with the support of TEHA Group's Sustainability Practice Team, which led the concept, technical development and realization of the project. The Paper proposes the technical criteria to establish the contribution of the irrigation sector to the achievement of the 6 environmental objectives defined by the European Commission. Technical criteria are supported by a common definition of Sustainable Irrigation and by five recommendations addressing the main irrigation stakeholders in order to guide its future development by focusing on the contribution that this sector can provide to sustainable development.
Sustainable Irrigation is an ensemble of fair technologies and practices for the increasingly optimized use of water, energy, fertilizers and other resources for irrigated agriculture, landscape, and ornamentals so that the natural resources are equitably used, for the welfare needs of the present and future generations.
The main results of this project were presented at "The EU Roundtable on sustainable irrigation", an event held in partnership with the European Irrigation Association (EIA) on January 28, 2025, in Brussels.
The event focused on the challenges and strategic development of the irrigation sector, with a focus on the its main trends, priorities, innovation efforts and contribution to the sustainable transition of the markets served, both agriculture and landscape, all in a challenging and constantly evolving regulatory environment. Another session addressed the irrigation's contribution to a sustainable transition, and its role within the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance (Regulation 2020/852).