April 3, 2008

Venue: Assembly Hall of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water

This hearing was opened by the President of the Community of Murcia, Ramón Luis Valcárcel.

Several experts discussed the challenges of water shortages through various presentations, which were moderated by the president of the Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), María Candelas Sánchez. The individual presentations of the General Director for Water, Miguel Ángel Ródenas, and the director of F-IEA, Francisco Cabezas, addressed the challenge of water scarcity in the region of Murcia. Similarly, Melchor Senent, Professor at the University of Murcia, analyzed the impact of drought, environment and climate change.

The Regional Minister for the Environment, Water, Urban Planning and Housing of Valencia, José Ramón García Antón, and the Minister of Agriculture and Water in the Region of Murcia, Antonio Cerdá, were responsible for closing the meeting of the EESC study group, from where a new report will be forwarded to the plenary of this European organization.

This public hearing of the EESC, an advisory body to the European Union, aims to develop a report which collects contributions and other points of view on the communication strategy developed by the European Commission entitled "Meeting the Challenge of water shortages and drought."

The purpose of this document, compiled by the Community body, is to establish effective strategies to address water scarcity and to manage policies that would curb the progressive drought episodes. The Community has called on the different social actors in the region to discuss this report and to participate in drafting a document that includes proposals from the Murcia society in reference to water needs, alternatives to those already written, so that the current situation of water scarcity in the region of Murcia and actions to be taken in the future are reflected.