Water Diplomacy in Action: Restoring the Global Hydrological Cycle

Key Points

The EESC:

• calls upon the European Commission and the Member States to join forces and take swift Blue Diplomacy action to restore and protect the global hydrological cycle and to promote multilateralism, and transboundary and shared water governance;
• recognises that the hydrological cycle is a global public good that requires a systems-based approach at global level. Suggests that the EU Budget 2028-2034 include funding to restoration of small and large hydrological cycles;
• calls for support to help local communities access funding from European and other donors, with contributions from public, concessional and private resources, for the full lifecycle of interventions to restore the hydrological cycle in Africa, Asia and Latin America;
• at European level, calls for an ambitious agenda that links agriculture, water, climate, biodiversity and external relations within a single resilience strategy, making the best use of technological revolution, AI and digitalisation;
• estimates that the EU should lead international efforts to strengthen the role of international law in order to protect and restore ecosystems that sustain the hydrological cycle, and
• thinks that the EU should call for a global Flagship Initiative at the 2026 UN Water Conference to restore the global hydrological cycle, with particular emphasis on addressing green water gaps.