International conference ‘Towards natural flood reduction strategies’, Warsaw, 6-13 September 2003 MANAGING RIVERINE ENVIRONMENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF NEW WATER POLICY IN EUROPE Edward Maltby 1 and Martin Blackwell 1 Abstract: Natural riverine environments are dynamic, highly productive, biologically diverse ecosystems, and throughout time humans have endeavoured to harness the benefits they can provide. Their alternative development largely has ignored the multi-functional benefits which riverine environments can supply. This has been the result, in part at least, of a segmented and sectoral view of landscape elements which in reality work as an integrated system. The impact has been so great, especially during the last 200 years, that today almost all the large rivers in Europe are to some degree regulated. The uncoupling of rivers from their genetic functional landscape has been enabled and even encouraged by inappropriate and non-integrated policy mechanisms such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). However, a new management and policy framework is developing out of two parallel initiatives which can become linked to form a powerful engine for change. These are the Water Framework Directive (WFD), originating out of Brussels, and the Ecosystem Approach (EA), originating from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). A key task for the scientific community now is to help develop the rationale, tools and approach which will support these initiatives and enable innovative policies and decision-makers re-establish the functional linkages which underpin the sustainable use of river catchments. This is a major challenge for the ECOFLOOD project. INTRODUCTION Natural riverine environments are dynamic, often highly productive, biologically diverse ecosystems, and throughout time humans have endeavoured to harness the benefits they can provide. Their alternative development largely has ignored the multi-functional benefits which they can supply. The impact has been so great, especially during the last 200 years, that today almost all the large rivers in Europe are to some degree regulated. Despite the broad range of functions potentially performed by riverine environments, their exploitation largely has been of a sectoral character, and not only has resulted in the inefficient use of the natural benefits they supply, but the degradation of ecology, water quality and hydrological dynamics. The latter has manifested itself most recently in the form of devastating floods in central Europe in the summer of 2002. Such events provide evidence of the inability of regulated rivers to adapt to progressive and new pressures such as climate change. The uncoupling of rivers from their genetic functional landscape has been enabled and even encouraged by inappropriate and non-integrated policy mechanisms such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Ultimately the failure to achieve optimal management of riverine environments in Europe is a result of a combination of factors, including an inadequate link between science and policy, a lack of scientific understanding, a lack of engagement of all stakeholders and limited political will. However, a new management and policy framework is developing out of two parallel initiatives which can become linked to form a powerful engine for change. These are the Water Framework Directive (WFD), originating out of Brussels, and the Ecosystem Approach (EA), originating from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Together it is anticipated that these will support the "wise use" provisions of the Ramsar Convention, and promote conditions which can stimulate a return to more natural, dynamic, sustainable and valuable riverine ecosystems. A key task for the scientific community now is 1 Royal Holloway Institute for Environmental Research, Royal Holloway University of London, Huntersdale, Callow Hill, Virginia Water, Surrey, GU25 4LN, UK, ph. 01784 477404, fax 01784 477427, e.maltby@rhul.ac.uk , martin.blackwell@rhul.ac.uk