The Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) jointly organised the event "Water resilience. Putting people and planet first".

In recent years, Europe has had to contend with both extreme flooding and water shortages. As the climate crisis is progressing faster than previously assumed, there is an urgent need to ensure that everyone has access to clean and affordable drinking water and basic sanitation. Investment in the public water supply is the order of the day and also raises questions of distribution.

Against this background, we want to analyse how to ensure support for public water services and sufficient public funding to prioritise nature-based solutions and protect clean water. And we will discuss how the forthcoming European Water Resilience Strategy can contribute to a stable and sustainable water infrastructure.

Welcome address:
Judith Vorbach, Head of Office, AK EUROPA
Thomas Kattnig, Vice-President, EPSU; EESC Blue Deal Rapporteur on Resilient Water Infrastructures

Keynote speech:
Vera Weghmann, Director of PSIRU (Public Services International Research Unit), University of Greenwich

Commentary:
Trudy Higgins, Policy Officer, Marine Environment and Clean Water Services (Unit C2),
DG Environment

Panel discussion:
Marine Boulard, Policy Analyst, Aqua Publica Europea
Sara Johansson, Senior Policy Officer, European Environmental Bureau
Pablo Sánchez Centellas, Public Services Officer, EPSU
Iris Strutzmann, Senior Policy Officer, AK Vienna

Moderation:
Edith Michaeler, Communication Expert