Today at the European Parliament, Pierre Jolivet, director of the hard-hitting environmental film Les Algues Vertes (Green Tide), delivered a blunt and urgent message to EU policy-makers: Europe is drowning in a water pollution crisis—and the upcoming Water Resilience Strategy must rise to the challenge.

The film, based on journalist Inès Léraud’s investigation into the deadly spread of toxic green algae on Brittany’s shores, shed a light on the devastating environmental and human toll of industrial agriculture—and the powerful lobbies working to keep it silent. With EU institutions preparing the water resilience strategy, the film delivers a timely warning about a crisis that extends all across Europe.

On Wednesday night, the Nova Cinema in Brussels was packed for a special screening of the film. Jolivet took the stage to highlight the real-life environmental disaster behind the story: toxic nutrient pollution and eutrophication, caused largely by unsustainable factory farming and industrial agriculture. The audience included journalists, scientists, environmental campaigners, students, and citizens—united in concern for Europe’s increasingly threatened waters.

“The fight is on,” Jolivet declared. “We will not cry. We will fight. Let’s fight.”

Lucille Labayle, Water Quality and Health Policy officer – Surfrider Foundation Europe, said:

“The movie the Green Tide is a powerful reminder of devastating consequences of nutrient pollution in Europe, and the toll it takes on local communities. As water resilience takes center stage in EU debates, this is a crucial moment for the EU to not just treat the symptoms but cut pollution at source, thus protecting citizens’ health, livelihoods, and their right to a toxic-free environment”

“The fight is on”

Today, Jolivet took his message directly to the heart of European democracy – the European Parliament, in an event hosted by MEP David Cormand and co-organised by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and Surfrider Foundation Europe. He joined a panel of experts from across the continent to call for urgent reform.

At these appearances, Jolivet didn’t hold back, describing the intimidation and press pressure tactics used by agribusiness lobbyists in France to suppress dissent and block reform—actions that threaten not only nature, but also farmers’ livelihoods and public health.

The EEB’s Director for Nature, Health and Environment, Faustine Bas-Defossez commented:

“Such movies are essential to remind us that water pollution from excess nutrients are not just statistics, but actually severely threaten people’s health and rural communities. Not only it is a stark eye opener on the seriousness of the green tides’ consequences, it also reveals the strong pressure and unethical methods used by certain big agribusiness industry interests, at the expense of nature and people’s health.”

A European Crisis in Plain Sight

While Green Tide shines a spotlight on Brittany, the crisis is pan-European. Experts continue to warn that more than 80% of EU marine waters and over 30% of inland and coastal waters are suffering from eutrophication. The consequences are grave: biodiversity collapse, public health risks, and economic damage to tourism and fisheries.

78% of people across the EU want more action on water pollution. It’s time for decision-makers to listen—and act.

With the European Commission expected to unveil its long-awaited Water Resilience Strategy on 4 June, campaigners and citizens are calling for strong, enforceable measures to clean up Europe’s polluted waters.

Find images of both events here (free to use).

ENDS.

For further information, interviews, or media requests, please contact:

Ben Snelson, Communications Officer for Agriculture and Food, EEB benedict.snelson@eeb.org