European waterways are highly vulnerable to changes in climate. They heavily depend on natural precipitation in all its shapes and forms. Glaciers, for example, play an important role in the water supply of the Rhine. Climate change already does and will continue to drastically reshape the form, volume, and spread of precipitation. This has a constant and, above all, an unpredictable impact on the navigability of the European waterways. A far-reaching climate policy is urgently needed, and structural measures that shape the future of inland navigation and its role in sustainable transport are necessary.
In a new position paper on this topic, ETF IWT Section maps out the current state of the sector and the change that needs to come for a true greening of the sector. Most importantly, to realise EU’s ambitious visions, inland waterway transport needs – more than ever before – significant investments in and benefit from financial support for research, development and innovation.
The paper is available here.