The European Commission plans to rewrite the EU’s flagship water protection law to speed up the development of critical minerals mines, despite many being located in drying and water-stressed regions, analysis has found.
Mining is a water-intensive industry, requiring large volumes of water for ore processing, dust suppression, waste management and mine dewatering. While modern projects recycle water, they still require significant amounts, and in water-stressed regions those demands can add to pressure on already stretched rivers, aquifers and water supplies.
Analysis and mapping by Watershed Investigations, shared with the Guardian, found that more than half of the 33 planned new or expanded mines designated as “strategic projects” under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act are located in areas that have been drying over the past two decades, according to Nasa satellite data.
Nearly half are in zones that experienced drought conditions in the past three months, according to EU data, and a quarter are in regions deemed water-stressed.
Drought conditions in Europe – graphic
Six of the strategic mines are planned for highly water-stressed areas in Spain, with others in Portugal and Greece. All three countries rank among the top 10 EU nations with the worst water scarcity, according to the European Environment Agency.
In 2024, the Spanish region of Catalonia declared a state of emergency over its worst ever drought, and water-use restrictions were imposed in Andalucía. In 2022, 96% of Portugal was experiencing “extreme” or “severe” drought conditions, according to the EU’s Earth observation programme.
Some projects have already sparked fierce opposition. The environmental organisation Ecologistas en Acción is challenging the European Commission’s decision to grant strategic project status to all six Spanish mines, arguing that it failed to properly consider risks to water resources, biodiversity and protected areas.
Global demand for critical minerals has tripled since 2010 as countries race to build artificial intelligence infrastructure, electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies and defence systems. It is expected to more than double again by 2030, with graphite, lithium and cobalt need projected to rise nearly 500% by 2050 from 2020 levels.
Concerned about its dependence on imports, the EU designated 47 mining, processing and recycling projects as “strategic projects”, including 33 mines. The designation puts projects within the EU on a fast track through permitting processes and is designed to accelerate development. Those located outside the bloc will gain political backing and potential access to EU funding.
In a move that has alarmed environmental groups, Brussels is also preparing to revise the water framework directive (WFD), the EU’s key law protecting rivers, groundwater and wetlands, with the stated aim of removing permitting bottlenecks and improving access to strategic minerals.
A critical minerals mine in the US. Photograph: Steve Marcus/Reuters
Euromines, the trade association for Europe’s mining and metals industry, has been pushing for these changes. It wants longer deadlines for countries to meet water quality targets, amendments to how the WFD’s “no deterioration” rule is applied to water bodies, and greater legal certainty for mining and other industrial projects.
Environmental groups fear the proposed changes could weaken protections but the industry body rejects this suggestion and insists it is “not a licence to pollute”.
A Euromines spokesperson said: “Our overarching priority remains constructive engagement with policymakers to ensure strong environmental safeguards alongside legal clarity and predictability for permitting authorities.”
The European Commission defended its choice of mines, saying the strategic projects were assessed by independent experts and must comply with EU environmental law. A spokesperson said the WFD review would consider ways to improve access to critical raw materials while protecting the environment and human health, with environmental and water impact assessments carried out by national authorities.
But Sara Johansson, a water policy manager at the European Environmental Bureau, called the plans reckless. She said the mining industry had “not presented a shred of evidence” that the WFD was creating bottlenecks for mining projects.
“Dismantling those protections undermines Europe’s water resilience and leaves taxpayers, farmers and communities to pay – both with their health and their wallets,” Johansson said.
Prof Kaveh Madani, the director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, also warned against removing protections. “The safeguards now being portrayed as obstacles are already fragile and full of gaps. Removing them may be celebrated as efficiency today, but history may judge it as recklessness tomorrow,” he said.
He added: “Fast-tracking mining in water-stressed regions by weakening safeguards is a form of Russian roulette. It may look like an economic booster in the short term, but one serious failure in the wrong location can neutralise many of the promised gains – especially when the damage to people, rivers, aquifers and ecosystems is long-lasting or irreversible.”
Several companies contacted disputed suggestions their projects would place undue pressure on water resources. They pointed to environmental assessments, closed-loop water recycling systems, monitoring programmes and regulatory oversight designed to minimise risks.
