The future of European water management: Demonstration of a new WFD compliant framework to support sustainable management under multiple stress

The Water Framework Directive (WFD), which is the most comprehensive instrument of EU water policy, is more relevant than ever. Sixty percent of Europe's surface water bodies still fail to achieve good ecological status and a multitude of new stressors continue to emerge. A sustained and wholehearted water management effort is therefore of highest priority. Here, we present a new biological assessment approach specifically designed to safeguard...