Editorial: Water Risk in Romania — A Climate Alarm Bell and the Urgent Role of Climate Governance

by Rares Halbac-Cotoara-Zamfir

A new analysis reveals a disturbing but actual trend: Romania has entered a zone of high hydric risk, as Europe's freshwater reserves decreases under the pressure of climate change. (https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/sci-tech/natura-si-mediu/romania-intra-in-zona-de-risc-hidric-ridicat-rezervele-de-apa-ale-europei-se-epuizeaza-din-cauza-schimbarilor-climatice-the-guardian-3525171)

Groundwater levels are dropping, soil moisture is decreasing and the traditional buffer that nature offered is evaporating. For many communities, what once seemed like a stable supply is now slowly but inexorably disappearing.

This water crisis is more than a technical or environmental issue. It poses a threat to agriculture, public health, urban water supply, ecosystem integrity and even social cohesion. As European agencies warn, rivers, aquifers and soils across the continent, especially in its southern and southeastern parts, are under growing strain. (https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/topics/in-depth/water)

Why Romania must respond — and fast

In many regions, access to safe water is already precarious. Less than 60 % of Romania's population is connected to a reliable water supply network, a rate which is among the lowest in the European Union. Meanwhile, shifting rainfall patterns, longer droughts, more erratic precipitation and rising temperatures combine to erode a natural resilience that until recently was taken for granted.

These signals demand urgent, integrated action and not isolated patches of response. Incremental or reactive measures won't be enough to need a holistic strategy that integrates water resilience into urban and regional planning, land use, agriculture, and community development.

The indispensable role of CSAC and climate governance

This is where the mission of CSAC becomes very important. As a hub for climate research, guidance, and policy support, CSAC can offer what Romania so badly needs now: expertise, coordination and vision. Through CAPs, nature-based solutions, and the activation of climate councils, CSAC can help local governments:

• Integrate water resilience into planning ensuring that land use, urban expansion, zoning and infrastructure anticipate climate-driven water stress.
• Promote and implement NBS such as wetlands restoration, reforestation, green infrastructure, floodplains revitalization, and sustainable land-to-water management, which can increase groundwater recharge, stabilize soil moisture, and enhance water retention.
• Support institutional capacity building helping municipalities design, fund, and execute water-sensitive climate adaptation plans.
• Foster community engagement and environmental awareness by building public support for long-term water stewardship, responsible land use, and climate-resilient lifestyles.

NBS and CAPs: Water security through sustainable design

Nature-based solutions are not just "nice to have." In the context of water scarcity and climate pressure, they are strategic infrastructure, often more resilient than gray infrastructure, more cost-effective and capable of delivering multiple benefits (biodiversity, carbon storage, flood prevention, water retention).

When embedded into CAPs, NBS can transform landscapes by reviving aquifers, moderating local climates, reducing runoff, protecting soils, and offering long-term water security. For Romania, with its mix of urban centers, rural territories, and diverse land ownership, this approach offers a path toward climate-resilient, water-secure futures.

A call for urgency, coordination, and systemic change

The water alarm that rings across Romania and Europe is not a seasonal warning but a structural danger. Without rapid mobilization, delays in planning, lack of coordination, insufficient investment and weak governance will deepen vulnerability. Now is the time for political will, strategic planning, and strong institutions. CSACs and their network of climate councils can and must lead this transformation. By anchoring climate mitigation and adaptation in planning, institutions, communities and landscapes, Romania can avoid water collapse and build resilience for generations to come.

Water scarcity must not become the silent crisis of our generation. Let it be the catalyst for climate-smart governance, sustainable land use, and a renewed commitment to nature before it's too late.