Federal Environment Minister Schneider warns of water shortages and calls for a rethink in water policy

In view of the drought this year, Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) is calling for a rethink in how we use water. “The times when we didn’t have to worry about water in Germany are finally over,” Schneider told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.

The low water levels in rivers such as the Rhine led to a significant restriction on inland shipping this summer. This is a dramatic burden on nature and the economy - but only a visible sign of greater development.

Hold water instead of draining it

Schneider further said that the water policy of the past centuries was to drain water as quickly as possible and to drain wet areas. "Today the task is to keep water in the landscape as much as possible. If the mountains with their glaciers fail to provide water, the rivers, floodplains, forests and soils have to become even more water reservoirs," explained Schneider.

This means, for example, rewetting dry moors, giving rivers more space and converting forests into stable mixed forests. The technical water infrastructure also needs to be made fit. “The states would do well to invest a large portion of the funds from the special fund in water infrastructure,” said Schneider. The federal government has made 100 billion euros available to the states from the special fund for infrastructure.

Water conference on Monday

The Federal Network Agency warned that the water levels could also affect the energy supply. “Due to the low water situation, inland waterway vessels can currently only supply the coal-fired power plants, especially in southern Germany, with reduced cargo capacities,” a spokesman for the authority told the newspaper. However, this has so far had no impact on the availability of the power plants.

A conference on water policy will take place in Berlin at the Federal Environment Ministry on Monday. EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall is also taking part.