Water JPI-Water Challenges for a Changing World

The Water Challenges for a Changing World Joint Programming Initiative was created with the aim of pooling efforts, mobilizing resources and strengthening European leadership and competitiveness in water research and innovation. Portugal is one of the partners in this initiative, which also includes the participation of the European Commission. In 2014, ERA-NET WaterWorks 2014-2019 in Support of the Water JPI was created, in which Portugal is one of the partners.

The Water JPI is an intergovernmental initiative with the aim of promoting the development of water systems based on a sustainable economy. However, in order to achieve these goals, a transnational and multidisciplinary vision is needed to address the challenges facing Europe on an economic, ecological, technological and societal level.

Objectives and Areas of Research and Innovation

Water JPI is focused on the area of freshwater and hydrology, and seeks to address a key challenge: Achieving sustainable water systems for a sustainable economy in Europe and the world. This major objective is divided into five major research areas-challenges:

1. maintaining the sustainability of ecosystems;

2. Development of drinking water systems for public consumption;

3. Promoting competitiveness in the water industry;

4. Implementing an intelligent, bio-based water economy;

5. Closing the water cycle, trying to eliminate its critical points.

Action Plan

The activities carried out by this initiative include the European mapping of research and innovation in Water, the definition of a Strategic Agenda for Research and Innovation, the implementation of which aims to promote the alignment of national programs with a common programmatic guideline and the development of joint activities, with two transnational Calls for projects already planned.
This European initiative is committed to promoting the systematic, active and critical involvement of water policymakers and stakeholders from the business and industrial community.