Descriptive Fields
Climate change is increasingly affecting European agricultural and water systems. More frequent extreme rainfall events, prolonged droughts, shifting seasonal patterns, and rising temperatures are altering hydrological regimes and increasing pressure on both ecosystems and farming communities.
The EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change provides a framework for strengthening resilience across Member States. It promotes proactive adaptation planning, risk reduction, and the integration of climate considerations into sectoral policies such as agriculture, water management, and land use planning.
The strategy recognises that adaptation requires both structural solutions and nature-based approaches. Strengthening landscape capacity to regulate water flows, reduce vulnerability to floods and droughts, and maintain ecosystem functions is central to long-term resilience.
Within this context, Natural/Small Water Retention Measures (NSWRM) are increasingly relevant because they directly influence how water is stored, released, and distributed across agricultural catchments.