The Swiss Science Briefing on water showed that sustainable water futures need collaboration across disciplines, sectors, and borders, as well as continued investments.
Water is one of Europe’s most strategic resources, influencing not only environmental sustainability, but also economic resilience, geopolitical stability, and societal well-being. This was the central message of the Swiss Science Briefing “Eyes on Water: Space, Science and European Resilience”, co-organised by the Mission of Switzerland to the EU, SwissCore, and Eawag. It also comprised contributions from the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Commission (EC), Wetsus, and the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance. See programme here.
SwissCore opened the event with its announcement of the Smile mission of ESA, coinciding launched on the very same day of the Science Briefing. The satellite, developed with Swiss components, is an international project and illustrates the importance of cross-border cooperation in space. The Swiss Mission to the EU highlighted Switzerland’s contribution to water research via institutions like Eawag, the Swiss National Science Foundation’s involvement in the co-funded European Partnership Water4All under Horizon Europe and Switzerland’s role as a founding member of ESA.
Water at the heart of Europe’s strategic agenda
Three keynotes were held on critical water technologies for Europe from different angles:
From the Swiss perspective, Eawag, a world leading institute for aquatic research and technology within the Swiss ETH Domain, underlined the importance of inter- and transdisciplinary research, including social sciences and humanities, that bridges scientific knowledge with real-world implementation. As water challenges are increasingly complex, approaches that connect different perspectives are needed. Eawag also shared their contributions in initiatives such as PARC, SOS‑Water as well as Melissa, funded via Horizon Europe and/or ESA.
Since water management is becoming a key issue of the 21st century, the European Commission is working on the Ocean observation initiative and the European Water Resilience Strategy. The discussion highlighted the need to move beyond fragmented approaches towards more integrated, mission-oriented strategies, including stronger links between freshwater and ocean research domains and closer alignment with industrial priorities. In this sense, the EC foresees two Moonshots linked to water in FP10, namely the Moonshot on Ocean Observation and the Moonshot on Zero Water Pollution.
Interplay of water, science and diplomacy
The panel discussion focused on the interplay of water, science and diplomacy, a persistent challenge in the water domain.
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) highlighted its role in bringing scientific evidence into policymaking, the need for stronger interdisciplinary and improved communication between scientific and policy communities. Additionally, the JRC presented, as part of the European Water Resilience Strategy, the European Water Academy to address capacity needs in Europe’s water sector and to bridge research and real-world application of technologies.
From an innovation perspective, Wetsus, the European centre of excellence for sustainable water technology, illustrated how water technologies can be successfully developed and deployed through long-term collaboration between academia and industry, supported by co-funding models and stepwise scaling, from early-stage research to demonstration in real-life environments. Circular approaches, such as water reuse and resource recovery, were highlighted as key pathways towards sustainable water systems.
Science for diplomacy: building trust and cooperation
A central point of the discussion was the role of science diplomacy in addressing global water challenges. Water was described as a “global public good” that naturally needs international cooperation, even in times of geopolitical tension. Speakers from the EU science diplomacy community emphasised that trust, shared understanding, and long-term partnerships are essential for effective collaboration.
At the European level, ongoing efforts, for instance, the development of a Science Diplomacy Framework and the Council Recommendation on Science Diplomacy and the work of the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance aim to strengthen Europe’s capacity to act collectively on global challenges.
Finally, the Swiss Science Briefing emphasised that no single actor can address water challenges alone. Ensuring sustainable water futures will require stronger collaboration across disciplines, sectors, and borders, as well as continued investment in research, innovation, and international partnerships.