Severn Trent Water and United Utilities are among the companies reminding people that visitor centres are closed and not to swim in reservoirs.

In a powerful piece reported in the BBC, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres argues that, despite the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, the world mustn’t forget the “deeper environmental emergency” facing the planet.

COP26 President Alok Sharma spoke on the first day of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, which is co-hosted by the UK and Germany. He acknowledged that ‘steps we take now to rebuild our economies can have a profound impact on our future’.

Getting in on the act, membership group Water Europe has released a new Position Paper
‘A Water Smart Society for a successful post COVID-19 recovery plan’. According to the paper, the COVID-19 has been a wake-up call that stresses how the European Union and its Member States are not well prepared for cross-boundary and cross-sectoral crises. Water knows no borders and it is an asset for Europe. We can use water as the enabler to reboot and accelerate the recovery of our society thanks to its interactions with all the other sectors.

Key recommendations towards a post-COVID-19 strategy include:

💧 Achieve a Water Smart Society to reboot and build a resilient Europe.
💧 Support digitalisation for a water-driven sustainable growth.
💧 Encourage an inclusive Water Smart society for our citizens
💧 Reinforce European leadership to improve international solidarity.
💧 Young professionals are key to build a sustainable, resilient water society.
💧 Encourage disclosure and consideration of water risk management in our business.

In other Covid news, the Angling Trust has released a video arguing that fishing should be at the front of the queue when the lockdown restrictions are reviewed.