Olivier Monnier – Head of Aquatic Biodiversity in Overseas France at the OFB (testimony from the dossier “Science and the Water Framework Directive: 20 years of hydrobiology research for good ecological status in aquatic environments” – 2021)
Applying the WFD in the French overseas territories presented, and still presents, difficulties due to a lack of knowledge of the biology and ecology of overseas species and the fact that the resources needed to finance water policies arrived later than in mainland France. From a scientific point of view, not all disciplines are present in the overseas departments. It was therefore necessary to combine the skills of around twenty local and mainland establishments, such as the universities of Réunion and the West Indies, the water boards, the IRD, the CNRS, INRAE, and the MNHN, along with research consultancies, to make up for the lack of knowledge and meet the need for indicators specific to tropical conditions. Some of the area’s particularities meant that existing tools had to be adapted, while others required a complete rethink, as in the case of coral reefs. In the end, we broadened the range of data studied on a global scale to meet our needs in France.
Testimonial from our thematic dossier
Thematic dossier
Science and the Water Framework Directive 20 years of hydrobiology research to achieve good ecological status in aquatic environments
In 2000, the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) set Member States the challenge of restoring European water bodies to good ecological status within twenty years. At the time, knowledge was lacking to implement the directive, so in 2007 the Ministry of the Environment’s Directorate for Water and Biodiversity (DEB) and the National Office for Water and Aquatic Environments (Onema) entered into a major collaboration with a number of research bodies. Cemagref/Irstea and INRA (now INRAE) were among the first partners to join forces, with research being carried out in hydrology, biology and ecology. While work is continuing to achieve the objective of good ecological status, the contributions of science to the implementation of this innovative and ambitious public environmental policy are already significant. A look back at 20 years of collaboration between French research and government departments.
