Ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

I am honored to be here to talk about something fundamental - not just to our lives, but to all life.

It is no coincidence that when we send probes into space in search of life, the first thing we look for is water.

For where there is water there is life.

But I am not here to talk about the importance of water on distant planets. I am here to talk about our water here at home.

We face a clear and present danger. The quality, quantity, and availability of our water resources are declining.

The signs are clear.

2.2 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, and more than half of the worlds population lacks access to safe sanitation.

Close to 3 billion people - and more than half of the worlds food production - are in areas experiencing heavy droughts and unstable water storage.

The consequences include increased disease outbreaks, displacement and migration, and more stress on urban areas.

This ultimately has the potential for conflict. Water wars are a real risk in a world warming up quickly.

Let no one think that Europe will be spared from these events. Europe is the fastest warming continent.

What happens to our neighbors and partners will affect us too. And the situation of water in Europe itself is cause for great concern.

In February, I presented three reports that assessed EU member states actions to protect fresh and marine waters and prepare for floods.

The findings were sobering. Our waters are heavily polluted. Our water supply is under pressure. And we are not doing enough to reduce the risk of serious floods. In addition, we have aging and leaking water infrastructure.

The costs run into double-digit billions in Europe alone. And we are increasingly suffering the consequences of extreme water events.

So its time to recognize that the necessary investments to tackle this are less than the costs of inaction.

I believe Europe can and must lead on this - in our approach and engagement to water at home and abroad.

We are taking steps in the right direction. The 2023 UN water conference showed real intent from the international community. In tandem, the UN launched its first System-wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation, aiming to accelerate progress through unified and coherent action by the UN and its member countries.

These are meaningful advancements. But we need to keep the momentum and continue the work. The 2026 and 2028 Water Conferences will be very important in this context. And I look forward to meeting many of you in Nice in a few weeks time for the UN Ocean Conference.

Because we must remember that progress is dependent on cooperation. The water cycle is global. Our oceans are interconnected. So, our answer must be collective as well.

I believe that the EU has a lot to contribute here.

This is why I will present a European Water Resilience Strategy in the coming weeks. It will be our most ambitious strategy on water to date with three key objectives:

First, restore and protect the water cycle.

Second, build a water-smart economy together with citizens and businesses. This will support EU competitiveness, attract investors, and promote the EU water industry. It will also allow us to offer reliable and innovative solutions to international partners.

And third, increase water resilience and secure clean and affordable water and sanitation for all.

We will also strengthen our global water diplomacy.

To do this, we must strengthen global governance. The UN Water Conference is a great step in the right direction. We must go further and mainstream water in key international processes and coalitions.

We will also develop strategic partnerships and target investment. In our own neighborhood, we will work closely with accession countries and leverage investments through the Western Balkans Investment instruments and the Ukraine Facility.

We also aim to strengthen cooperation with other partners, big and small, through our Global Gateway where water access, resilience and sustainability are key elements.

Finally, the Commission will convene a Water Resilience Forum every two years to bring together stakeholders from all sectors - government, business and civil society - to continue our dialogue, assess progress, and share best practices.

The EUs advanced water industry is well placed to support the global community. Both in developing water-efficient technologies, financing sustainable infrastructure, and driving innovation.

Our goal is to build a water-smart, circular and competitive economy, where water efficiency and reuse become the standard practice across all economic sectors.

To get there we need to learn from each other, our insights, experiences and policies. Because only together can we make a lasting difference.

I am now eager to hear your insights and discuss how we can continue working together and where we can improve our cooperation to make Europe and the world truly water resilient.

Thank you.