Policy analysis: Does the WFD works with regard to CEC in aquatic environments? Case study: The Netherlands

• Autor(a) principal: Gaspar, Maria Amaral
• Data de Publicação: 2017
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/30787
• topic: Water Framework Directive; policy analysis; Contaminants of Emerging Concern; aquatic ecosystems; Domínio/Área Científica::Engenharia e Tecnologia::Engenharia do Ambiente

The problematic of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) in the European Union (EU) surface water has been reported over the last decades as well as CEC’s potential impact on human health and the environment. The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC; WFD) is the main EU Directive for the protection of aquatic environments since it came in force. This Directive requires the monitoring of 45 priority substances regarding their environmental quality standards in order to achieve the good chemical status of water bodies until 2027. The last revision of the WFD in 2015 showed that Member States have not met the targets yet. The present dissertation aims to analyse whether WFD has been efficient enough to protect the aquatic ecosystems against CEC and evaluate if the environmental objectives will be complied until its last revision. The Netherlands was used as the case study. Interviews were carried out to 13 employees of the different layers in the Dutch water management system. Based on results obtained, it was concluded that the WFD has been the main European water legislation used to protect the aquatic environment from the occurrence of CEC in the last years. The Directive have created awareness and encourages Member States to take actions, however, some issues were identified. The conclusion is that WFD has not been efficient enough in the protection of aquatic environments against CEC. Although it is difficult to predict its success in 2027, two possible scenarios were identified. In the end, it was suggested a consistent assessment of CEC in aquatic environments, connection of WFD goals with EU’s chemicals regulations, collaboration between all interested parties and an integrated strategy to WFD implementation in the Member States.