The Water Directors adopted the Guidance document "River basin management in a changing climate" at their meeting in Ghent, Belgium on 13-14 June 2024. The purpose of the guidance is to help water managers integrate and adapt to the inevitable impacts. climate change, such as an increase in the intensity and frequency of intense rainfall, prolonged droughts and heat waves, as well as slow-onset changes such as warming, the spread of invasive species and rising sea levels.

The previous version of this guidance dates from 2012. Since then, much more knowledge has developed about the impacts of climate change, as well as about policies and practical approaches. The water directors have therefore entrusted the ad-hoc working group Water shortages and droughts with the task of updating this guideline no. 24 "Watershed management in a changing climate" in close cooperation with other working groups operating within the framework of a common implementation strategy. (More on climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu)