Cofunded by the European Union

The efficient management of water resources has become vital for the health of our planet. The UN has warned everyone, that by 2030, the Earth will have a water deficit of 40% in water supply if we do not change current management behaviours. As a coping strategy, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the EU Green Deal and the Programme for Sustainable Development were released to tackle water scarcity and water pollution and mitigate the effects of climate change. Above all, the WATER4ALL partnership is one of the Horizon Europe funding programme tools deployed to enable the implementation of these global goals.

As each pillar has its specific aims, Pillar D supports WATER4ALL in enabling water security for all in the long term and in promoting systemic transformations and changes. To achieve that, it supports and promotes the demonstration and access to the market of innovative solutions across the entire water research and innovation pipeline. The strategy to reach this goal is based on the Water-Oriented Living Lab concept.  

  • Objectives

    Pillar D “Demonstration activities” aims at accelerating the operationalization of innovative solutions at a large scale by designing and implementing approaches for participatory development of innovation with the following objectives: 

    • Engage with existing Water Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs), Large Demo initiatives and programmes to boost the systemic implementation of innovation and create an inclusive dialogue between policymakers and innovation ecosystems
    • Support the co-development of new WOLLs and Demo initiatives for the practical, cost-effective, affordable, and sustainable solutions for replication in new, different contexts
    • Develop and enable systems and models able to facilitate replication, maintenance, and implementation of WOLLs and Demos as validating and market uptake facilitating environments within and beyond Europe
    • Connecting resources and funding through the combination and harmonisation of research, technological development, and innovation programmes

     

  • Steps of implementation

    Intervention logic:

    • Area1. The WOLLs Network is based on the ATLAS
    • Area2. The migration Roadmap of existing LLs supports new sites in developing their Action Plans (Area5) and Guidelines (Area6) to become WOLLs.
    • Area3. To identify potential needs of LLs D.2.1 uses the same criteria proposed in task D.1
    • Area4. The proposition of new approaches is linked to the activities carried out in task D.3
    • Area5. Action Plan focuses on LLs to become WOLLs
    • Area6. Guidelines based on best practiced to perform sustainable maintenance of WOLLs after W4All
    • Area7. Efficient and affordable innovative solutions are supported by appropriate framework conditions for market uptake

Attachement

The Water4All Partnership - Water Security for the Planet - is a funding programme for scientific research in freshwater. It aims to tackle water challenges to face climate change, help to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and boost the EU’s competitiveness and growth.

It is co-funded by the European Union within the frame of the Horizon Europe programme (a key funding programme for research and innovation). The Partnership duration is for seven years from 2022.

The Water4All objective is to enable water security at a large scale and in the long term. Its goal is also to tackle water issues in a holistic frame. 

All forms of life on earth need water. All human activities operate with this resource. Water is part of our everyday life. It is also integrated within urban and countryside landscapes. It is one of the most valuable elements we share with plants and animals.

These simple facts must be kept in mind to understand the Water4All ambition.

This resource is weakened in many places due to climate changes, and human habits. We know that we can improve the way we use water. Everyone has a role to play and especially the scientific research community.

Scientific research is the heart of the Partnership as It is a powerful tool to improve knowledge on preserving, restoring, and managing this essential resource. 

International cooperation is also needed as water has no borders on Earth and runs from one country to another.

Water4All brings together a broad and cohesive group of 90 partners from 33 countries in the European Union and beyond. This consortium gathers partners from the whole water Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) chain.