14/09/2026.- Natural Mineral Waters Europe (NMWE) has joined more than 30 professional associations, local authorities, NGOs and financial service providers in calling on the European Commission to make nature-based solutions a key part of the forthcoming European Climate Resilience Framework.
In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the signatories highlight the growing frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, wildfires, heatwaves, water scarcity and other climate-related risks across Europe. These risks are increasingly interconnected and linked to the destabilisation of the water cycle.
The letter stresses that the degradation of Europe’s landscapes, soils and water systems is contributing to these vulnerabilities. Wetlands, floodplains, peatlands, healthy soils, coastal ecosystems and forests can naturally store water, recharge aquifers, regulate temperatures and help buffer extreme events.
The signatories therefore call for a systemic approach to climate adaptation, recognising that nature-based solutions can help address multiple climate risks simultaneously while contributing to wider climate, health and resilience objectives.
They specifically urge the European Commission to:
- make nature-based solutions a key priority in the legislative part of the European Climate Resilience Framework;
- provide legal incentives and financing mechanisms for Member States to manage landscapes and water systems in ways that strengthen water and climate resilience and preserve key ecosystem services;
- support additional natural water retention through locally driven approaches reflecting territorial needs and capacities; and
- mobilise and align public and private investment to help scale up nature-based solutions.
The letter also underlines that nature-based solutions should be combined with infrastructure where needed, as part of a broader approach to strengthening Europe’s resilience.
The call comes ahead of the 2026 State of the Union address and as the European Commission prepares its forthcoming Climate Resilience Framework. The signatories point to the framework as a critical opportunity to translate Europe’s ambitions on climate adaptation and water resilience into concrete action.
Read the full letter: Make nature-based solutions the first line of defence against climate disasters