Climate Change and the European Water Dimension - Agri ...

South Eastern regions (see Table V.D.1). At the same time, the Mediterranean and
South Eastern regions represent the areas with the highest proportion of irrigated
agriculture as well as with the largest rural population shares. Table V.D.1 gives an
overview on land use and population statistics for the different regions distinguished
above.
Table V.D.1: Land Use and population in different regions of Europe based on FAO
statistics from 1998 (land use) and 1995 (population).
Region Agricultural Area Population
Mill. ha % of
Land
%
Irrigated
146
Total
(Mill.)
Rural
(%)
Rural
(Mill.)
1. Nordic 6.6 6 5 19 25 4.8
2. British Isles 21.9 70 0 62 13 8.1
3. Western 53.4 52 7 171 17 29.1
4. Mediterranean 58.1 56 14 118 33 38.9
5. Alpine 5.0 40 1 15 37 5.6
6. North Eastern 22.7 57 1 49 36 17.6
7. South Eastern 44.0 57 10 72 42 30.2
8. Eastern 286.9 16 3 173 27 46.7
Source: adapted from Olesen and Bindi 2002
V.D.3. European Agriculture and Water Use
In Europe, large amounts of water are abstracted from both surface and groundwater
stocks for households, industry and agriculture every year. For Europe as a whole
(including New Member States and Accession Countries) some 38% of the
abstracted water is used for agricultural purposes, while domestic uses, industry and
energy production account for 18%, 11%, and 33%, respectively (EEA WQ2,
numbers based on New Cronos Eurostat-OECD JQ2002) 4 .
However, large differences exist across the continent. In Malta, Cyprus and Turkey,
for example, almost 80% of the abstracted water is used for agriculture, and in the
southwestern countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece) still about 46% of the
abstracted water is used for this purpose. In the central and northern countries
(Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, UK, and
Scandinavia), to the contrary, agricultural use of the abstracted water is limited to
less than 5%, while more than 50% of the abstracted water goes into energy
production (a non-consumptive use).
By far the largest part of the water used in agriculture is used for irrigation. This
percentage approaches 100% in the southern European countries, which at the
same time have the largest share of irrigated land in Europe (74% of the total
irrigated area). During the 1990s a slight decrease in water used for irrigation has
1 All numbers in this chapter are to be viewed as approximate. Figures change slightly from
publication to publication due to varying regional references and data sources. While they give a good
indication of the order of magnitude, absolute values may change depending on the regional grouping
of countries and the statistical sources.