Europe’s rivers nowhere near healthy by 2027 deadline – report

CCB • October 26, 2021

90% of river basins studied in various EU countries will still be unhealthy by 2027, new research reveals. This means those countries will miss the legally binding EU target to return Europe’s dirty freshwaters to health by then. 

Member States have only a few weeks left to finalise their river basin management plans for the next six years, as EU law requires. The drafts for 2022-2027 are the third round of national plans before the 2027 target and are Europe’s final opportunity to get things right. 

The second edition of this report, published by WWF and the Living Rivers Europe Coalition [1], finds that only two out of the 21 river basins analysed – both in Finland – might see good health by 2027. However, even the plans for those two basins contain gaps, in particular concerning the level of funding. For this edition, WWF assessed eight new draft plans from Poland, Romania and Spain, none of which are classed as “good”. 

Draft River Basin Management Plan assessed in this report and their performance scores: 

Claire Baffert, Senior Water Policy Officer, WWF European Policy Office, said: “Instead of focusing their efforts on the final sprint towards healthy rivers in 2027, too many EU countries are dragging their feet. Our rivers deserve good planning; serious measures; credible investments. Unless this is reflected in their final plans, many EU countries are racing straight towards a breach of EU law.” 

Six draft plans rank poorly, including the two assessed Italian plans, two assessed German plans, the Dutch Rhine plan, and the International Odra plan. Most of the river basins suffer from a lack of national budget allocated to water management, insufficient integration of water protection into other policies – in particular energy, agriculture and infrastructure – and the multiple misuses of derogations – all issues that were already flagged in the 2019 Fitness Check conclusions of the Water Framework Directive’s (WFD) evaluation and have been repeatedly highlighted since then.

The performance of the draft RBMPs is ‘poor’ for nearly half of the analysed indicators, including pollution, excessive water extraction, blockages like dams, poor flood and drought management, agriculture, hydropower, coal mining and missing nature-restoring measures. EU countries – which have until the end of this year to publish their final RBMPs according to the Water Framework Directive– must address the shortcomings identified in the draft plans to change the future for our freshwaters and meet the 2027 goal. 

Mark Owen, Freshwater Policy Advisor, European Anglers Alliance said: “Hundreds of thousands of EU citizens came together during the Protect Water campaign to ensure that Member States meet their obligations under the Water Framework Directive. This massive mobilisation was a clear signal for the Commission to hold European governments accountable for delivering on their commitments. Citizens depend on freshwater for their health and well-being, they mustn’t be ignored.” 

WWF and partners are also very concerned that in September 2021, at least nine Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia, some river basins in Spain, and the UK [2]) had not yet presented their draft plans for all river basins.

Ewa Leś, CCB Working Group Leader on River Basin and Wastewater Management, and Artur Furdyna, from Friends of Ina and Gowienica rivers Association (CCB Member Organization), contributed to the report.

The report, ‘The final sprint for Europe’s rivers: An NGO analysis of 2022-2027 draft River Basin Management Plans’ is available here, along with a summary.

NOTES 

[1] Living Rivers Europe is a coalition of five environmental and angling organisations gathering WWF’s European network, the European Anglers Alliance, European Environmental Bureau, European Rivers Network, The Nature Conservancy and Wetlands International.

[2] As the Directive was signed by the UK government prior to the UK’s split with Europe, it has been transposed in to UK law and therefore continues to apply.

Contacts:
Ines Abbas
Communications Officer
iabbas@wwf.eu
+32 488 99 27 65 1

Petition launched to stop new oil and gas drilling in the Baltic Sea

By CCB • October 3, 2025
3 October 2025 - Coalition Clean Baltic, together with its Member Organization BUND - Friends of the Earth Germany and the citizens’ initiative “ Lebensraum Vorpommern ”, have launched a petition to stop new oil and gas drilling projects in the Baltic Sea . The petition comes in response to plans to exploit a deposit just 6 km offshore Świnoujście , Poland, in the transboundary waters of the Oder Estuary and Pomeranian Bay. The planned site lies at the heart of NATURA 2000 protected areas , which are vital for biodiversity, climate action, and local communities. Oil and gas extraction in the Baltic Sea poses severe threats to its fragile ecosystems. Industrial activities such as drilling, pipeline construction, and ship traffic risk polluting the water with chemicals, oil leaks, and toxic waste. Underwater noise from pile driving and increased traffic would further degrade marine habitats. These pressures add to the already critical challenges faced by the Baltic Sea, including biodiversity loss, eutrophication, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. The consequences extend far beyond nature. Local communities rely on a clean and healthy Baltic for tourism, fishing, and quality of life. Expanding fossil fuel infrastructure would also undermine Europe’s climate commitments and lock in carbon emissions for decades to come. The petition calls on the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland, the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), the European Commission, and the Secretariat of the Espoo Convention to : Stop the plans for oil and gas extraction in the Oder Estuary and the Pomeranian Bay; Ban any new oil and gas extraction across the Baltic Sea; Ensure strong cross-border cooperation and communication amongst all involved states. The petition is open through the WeMove Europe´s platform and can be signed here .

Job vacancy: Coalition Campaign Manager - Common Fisheries Policy

By CCB • October 1, 2025
Job Title: Coalition Campaign Manager - Common Fisheries Policy Position type : Full-time consultancy contract. Open to part-time arrangements initially if needed. Contract duration: Short-term contract until end of March 2026, with possibility of extension subject to funding availability Reports to: Steering Committee Location : Flexible(remote/home office) with regular travel. Working in Brussels is of advantage. Starting date : ASAP In close cooperation with the Steering Group of the coalition, lead, plan, coordinate, and support the campaign of an NGO network working together towards the implementation of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the evaluation thereof. The campaign manager's responsibility is to develop and ensure the successful and timely delivery of political advocacy and public engagement activities of the campaign, both at EU and Member State level. Job description Strategy & Planning Develop and implement short-, and long-term campaign strategies aligned with coalition objectives, in close cooperation with the Steering Group. Set clear goals, timelines, and performance indicators for the campaign and ensure timely delivery thereof. Analyse policy development, political climate, media and public opinion, and stakeholder landscapes to inform tactics. Campaign Delivery Manage day-to-day execution of the campaign activities at Brussels and Member State level. Coordinate coalition partners and ensure communication between Steering Group and coalition members, as well as relevant groups/coalitions/experts and other stakeholders outside the coalition. Advise coalition members on strategic delivery of advocacy activities at all levels, including Member State level. Join Steering Group meetings in an advisory capacity. Report back to the Steering Group on the delivery of the campaign's activities, meeting of targets and milestones, and report back on activities, budget and impact. Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, key stakeholders, and allies to support campaign aims. Analyse opportunities of engagement, advise on policy language. Organise/coordinate/prepare and support relevant activities, including events, briefings, and advocacy activities in close cooperation with coalition members. Ensure relevant knowledge management and information flow within the coalition and across partner organisations. Liaise with communication experts on message framing, strategy and timelines. Management Support CCB administrative and finance staff managing grants to coalition partners. Ensure coalition partners receive information and materials that enable them to effectively contribute to achieving campaign goals (political information, policy briefings, templates, policy language, opportunity analyses). Support fundraising efforts as needed/requested by the Steering Group. Lead on funders narrative reporting. Qualifications & Skills required The consultant must be legally authorised to provide services and work as a consultant within the EU, based in an EU Member State. Fisheries and ocean expertise (preferred), or other environmental background. Degree (or equivalent experience) in communications/campaign management, political science, resource management, fisheries, or related field. Proven track record in designing and delivering successful advocacy or public campaigns at EU or Member State levels involving a larger coalition. Strong understanding of political processes at EU level and Member State levels, media landscapes, and public engagement. Excellent project management and organisational skills. Skilled communicator and coordinator, able to craft persuasive messages and engage a larger network into a common goal within tight deadlines. Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Fluency in English is required; additional EU languages are a plus. Application Should you be interested in applying for this assignment, please send your CV (max. 2 pages) together with a personal letter (max. 1 page) before 9 October 2025 , COB, to secretariat@ccb.se Please include your consultancy rate in your application inclusive VAT (if applicable). Applications should be submitted in English. Incomplete applications (e.g. lacking either CV or personal letter) will not be considered . Any inquiries related to this assignment should be forwarded to the above email or to CCB Executive Secretary Mikhail Durkin at mikhail.durkin@ccb.se and +46 739 770 793. In the application and hiring process, CCB will not discriminate against any individual based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, property, disability, age, family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, economic and social situation. .