Conservation and sustainable management of natural and man-made resources and biodiversity: ecosystems; water resources management; waste management and prevention; protection and management of biodiversity, including control of invasive alien species, soil, seabed, lagoons and coastal areas protection, approaches against desertification and land degradation, preservation of landscape; sustainable use and management of forests; sustainable management and planning of urban environment, including post-industrialized zones; data management and information services; assessment and foresight relating to natural processes.

- Provide support for global and EU initiatives as well as international organisations (including NGOs) targeting the environmental dimension of sustainable development, environmental global public goods and the sustainable management of natural resources, which could inter alia include appropriate aspects of climate change, environmental challenges to health, chemicals and wastes management, biodiversity, forests, land management, marine resources, freshwater and sustainable patterns of consumption and production, as well as the strengthening of international environmental governance, monitoring and assessment;

Water: In the context of the Water Framework Directive and its Common Implementation Strategy, the Commission will prepare a recommendation on how local authorities can implement sustainable water management and contribute more effectively to river basin management.

Water: In the context of the Water Framework Directive and its Common Implementation Strategy, the Commission will prepare a recommendation on how local authorities can implement sustainable water management and contribute more effectively to river basin management.

Providing water and sanitation for all in developing countries, now and in the future, is a demanding challenge. It has to be addressed in the broader context of a sustainable integrated water resource management (including e.g. natural aspects of water resources systems, water uses in all sectors of the economy and for all purposes, institutional framework for management of a finite resource, spatial variation of resources and demands, water pollution).

Moreover social-order considerations must be taken into account in water pricing, but must not take precedence where sustainable water resource management is under threat.