Industry's role in water resilience: how some lead - and others wreck
Posted on November, 24 2025
A new report exposes a growing rift in Europe’s industries, some leading the way to protect our rivers, others lobbying to tear down the very rules that keep them clean and people safe.
Agriculture, energy, mining, and chemical giants are pushing to weaken the EU’s Water Framework Directive risking pollution, health, and resilience - all for short-term profits for a tiny few at the top.
But not all business is bad news. Forward-thinking companies are standing up for strong water protection because they know that no water leads to no business.
Published by Living Rivers Europe, this report shows who’s protecting and who’s polluting Europe’s waters - and why civil society must unite now to keep clean water laws strong.
Toad swimming in a pool of bauxite coming from a mine.
© WWF/Michel Gunther
Toad swimming in a pool of bauxite coming from a mine.
© WWF/Michel Gunther