Key facts
- The European Commission plans to revise the EU's Water Framework Directive to speed up critical minerals mining.
- Over half of 33 designated strategic mines are located in areas experiencing drying trends or drought.
- Six strategic mines are planned for highly water-stressed regions in Spain, Portugal, and Greece.
- Global demand for critical minerals is expected to more than double by 2030.
- Environmental groups and experts warn that weakening water protections could lead to severe ecological damage.
The European Commission is preparing to revise the EU's Water Framework Directive (WFD), a key piece of legislation protecting rivers, groundwater, and wetlands, to accelerate the development of critical minerals mines. This move has raised alarms among environmental groups and experts, who warn that many of these planned mines are located in regions already facing significant water stress and drought conditions.
Analysis by Watershed Investigations, using Nasa satellite data and EU drought information, found that over half of the 33 mines designated as "strategic projects" under the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act are situated in areas that have been drying over the past two decades. Nearly half are in zones that have experienced drought in the last three months, and a quarter are in regions already deemed water-stressed. Six of these strategic mines are planned for highly water-stressed areas in Spain, with others in Portugal and Greece, countries already grappling with severe water scarcity.
Global demand for critical minerals, essential for technologies like artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and renewable energy, has surged and is expected to more than double by 2030. The EU, concerned about its reliance on imports, has fast-tracked these projects through permitting processes. However, environmental organizations like Ecologistas en Acción are challenging the designation of Spanish mines, arguing that the risks to water resources and biodiversity were not adequately considered. They contend that the proposed WFD revisions could weaken crucial environmental safeguards.
Industry bodies, such as Euromines, argue that the proposed changes aim for legal clarity and predictability without compromising environmental standards, stating it is "not a licence to pollute." The European Commission defended its choices, asserting that projects were assessed by independent experts and must comply with EU environmental law, with national authorities conducting impact assessments. However, water policy experts like Sara Johansson from the European Environmental Bureau and Prof. Kaveh Madani from the United Nations University have strongly criticized the plans, calling them "reckless" and "Russian roulette," warning that dismantling existing protections could lead to irreversible damage and long-term costs for communities.