EU projects urge policy changes to restore natural water retention

A joint policy brief from three EU-funded projects recommends restoring the natural sponge function of landscapes to improve water and climate resilience. It notes that Europe has lost about 70% of its wetlands and 50% of peatlands are degraded. The brief suggests upcoming EU policy processes offer a strategic opportunity for action.

EXPANDED:

The policy brief emerges from three EU-funded sister projects—SpongeBoost, SpongeWorks, and SpongeScapes—which jointly combine policy guidance, scientific evidence, and on-the-ground implementation experience. The authors identify the 2026–2027 EU policy cycle as a strategic window, noting that the 2025 European Water Resilience Strategy already reflects growing political support for nature-based solutions.

The brief's five priority actions span planning, financing, and monitoring. They include integrating sponge restoration into River Basin Management Plans and Flood Risk Management Plans, operationalizing the Sponge Facility as a cross-directorate investment mechanism, and