European Parliamentarian calls for water to be integrated into all policies

Austrian center-right MEP Richard Seeber says that:
"[w]ater should be one of the main issues on the political agenda and integrated into all policies. This is the most important idea of the initiative because if you look at the policies, whether at national or regional level - there is a lot of talk about climate change of course - water issues will be the most pressing in the very near future. Everything has to be rethought in terms of the water problem.

Secondly, businesses and citizens have to take into account that we shall face water scarcity in large parts of Europe that will hinder successful economic development."

One problem facing the EU of course is that the Union, like the US, is divided in terms of need, supply, environment - in some parts of the EU - Spain, the Mediterranean, water is scarce and desertification is encroaching, whereas in the British Isles and Scandinavia have ample supplies. Furthermore, like in the US, EU policy on water is largely decentralized with member states deciding aspects like pricing and financing.

http://www.euractiv.com/en/environment/mep-water-integrated-policies/article-175233