Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development

Framework on water scarcity in Flanders

To respond better to water scarcity, the Flemish authorities have ordered the development of a reactive decision-support framework on water scarcity. A reactive framework is to be used to prioritise water demand as an emergency response to actual water scarcity. The framework consists of a set of sector-specific indicators and related measures. The indicators quantify when a particular sector is affected by water scarcity. The socio-economic and ecological impact of the emergency response measures is part of the decision-support strategy. The university of Antwerp is involved in various aspects. We lead the research on the ecological aspects of water scarcity and the needed measures. Also, we compared the reactive decision-support frameworks in our neighbouring countries. Finally, we supported the actor engagement process by moderating workshops. The project is coordinated by KULeuven.