19/3

Climate change exacerbates water-related challenges in France, with recurring heatwaves, droughts, and floods affecting regions nationwide. Two-thirds of the French population fear future water scarcity, posing significant hurdles for local municipalities, industries, and agriculture. The French Government aims to address this through its Water Management Action Plan, targeting a 10% reduction in water withdrawals by 2030.

Business Finland together with BusinessOulu, Finnish Water Forum, Water Cluster Finland, and the French Cluster Eau Milieu et Sols covering the South Paris region is organizing a webinar on Circular economy for water management on 19 March.

The webinar will present both French and Finnish roadmaps and identify opportunities for cooperation between companies as well as utility cases and projects in both countries and regions.

Preliminary agenda

• Introduction to France road map to answer water management challenges
• Introduction to Finland road map to answer water management challenges
• Q&A
• Project Mapping in France in Ile de France region
• Project Mapping in Finland
• Utility cases / sharing experiences Finland and France, 3 from Finland, 3 from France
• Q&A

Background information

Climate change is a reality and it is through water that it is even more tangible in France and in its regions. Heat waves and droughts moments are recurrent and regional decrees that are being set up hit French departments more and more frequently. Repeated floods occurrences are also a reality.

Two third of French population fear they will lack water in the years to come. This reality is also a struggle for local municipalities which are fighting for water to become a lever for the development of their territory. The same applies to industries as well as for agriculture.

Scientific forecast that Water will be less abundant in the future with up to -70% of river flows in summer in certain areas and an increase of drought periods. It is to adapt to this reality that the French Government announced, as part of the resilient and concerted Water management Action Plan presented in March 2023, a target of reducing water withdrawals of 10% by 2030.

To support industries, municipalities and agriculture even further in terms of water efficiency and circularity, the French government involves them all in the frame of the French Water Plan through different measures.

A targeted support scheme for industrial sites with major water issues has been set up. This scheme to support innovation in France, with a budget of €100 million will help to accelerate the time-to-market of solutions designed to overcome barriers to water management, saving resources, control uses and treatment, develop digital technology and data to support resource management. It targets individual companies or in collaboration with others as well as research organisations.

In view of the increasing scarcity of water resources, more and more industries and local authorities are looking for solutions innovations and technologies to reduce the amount of water they use, which has an impact on water reserves and can jeopardise their production.