Download or read book Freshwater in Europe written by United Nations Environment Programme. Division of Early Warning and Assessment. Office for Europe and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although few Europeans suffer the poor water quality and shortages experienced by people in many other parts of the world, water resources in Europe are unevenly distributed between and within countries. Climate change may also play a role, especially in coastal areas where flooding may disrupt sanitation infrastructure and thereby contaminate watercourses. This publication reviews the current state of freshwater resources in Europe and progress made towards the integrated management of water resources. It is produced in support of UNEP's reporting work and the International Year for Freshwater in 2003; and uses a range of data, graphics and maps to provide easily accessible information on this important topic. Sections deal with: freshwater resources and consumption; freshwater quality and ecosystems; major European watersheds; water policy, regulation and institutions.