Europe: the Danube Case

Transcription

1 Europe: the Danube Case

2 Danube the most International River Basin in the World 81 M inhabitants 19 Countries km² 9 % of Europe km Length Main Tributary to the Black Sea

3 Danube Basin representing a unique variaty GDP per capita (PPP) in $, 2007 GE AT CZ SK HU SI HR BA RS ME* BG RO MD UA * Countries - 17 Languages -15 Contracting Parties to the ICPDR - 4 Religions - 1 : 10 ratio concerning the economic situation

4 Political Background The Iron Curtain Lack of information No transnational data exchange Poor and not comparable quality monitoring

5 Danube River Management - Donor driven activities Environmental Programme for the Danube River Basin Financial Requirement : 55 Mio. US $ (funded by WB, EBRD and other donors) (Regional feasibility studies, Development of a Strategic Action Plan, introducing water pollution control strategies, implementation via selected projects et c.) Danube Pollution Reduction Programme (funded through UNDP/GEF), finished in 1999 (knowledge of priority pollution loads, Danube Water Quality Model.revised Strategic Action Plan, project database containing 421 projects) Danube Regional Project: Transboundary Cooperation between the Danube River Basin Black Sea (funded through UNDP/GEF), , financial input 17,2 Mio US $ (Reduction of nutrient levels, Reduction of toxic and hazardous substances, Rehabilitation of wetlands, Restoration of the Black Sea Ecosystem, Support for the Implementation of River Basin Management (EU-WFD) in cooperation with the ICPDR

6 Danube River Protection Convention signed 29 June 1994, Sofia (Bulgaria) Entering into force 1998 Protection of water & ecological resources Sustainable use of water Reduce nutrients & hazardous substances Manage floods & ice hazards ICPDR coordinates implementation of EU Water Framework Directive & EU Floods Directive on basin-wide level

7 ICPDR 15 Contracting Parties 1. Germany 2. Austria 3. Czech Republic 4. Slovakia 5. Hungary 6. Slovenia 7. Croatia 1. Bosnia & Herzegovina 2. Serbia 3. Montenegro 4. Romania 5. Bulgaria 6. Rep. of Moldova 7. Ukraine 8. European Union

8 ICPDR Stakeholder Involvement: 21 Observers

9 ICPDR Cooperation Mechanism Bilateral agreements MD UA DE AT CH Co-operation IT CZ PL RO BG ME ICPDR SK HU MK Cooperation AL RS SI BA HR Co-operation at sub-basin level: e.g. Sava

10 Danube and EU WFD WFD is an EU Directive and therefore legally binding for (the 8) EU Member States, however Not all Danube countries are EU Member States (6 are Non-EU Member States) WFD Article 3(5): appropriate coordination with relevant non-eu Member States shall be endeavoured for achieving WFD objectives Political commitment from non-eu Member States to make all efforts to achieve coordinated River Basin Management Plan

11 Danube and EU WFD Key Environmental Objectives: Achievement of good status/good potential Monitroing programmes follow same approach EU wide No deterioration of water status Elimination of hazardous substances Elaboration of international RBM Plans Added value: Joint environmental objectives for all countries Defined Significant Water Management Issues signalise EU-wide priorities

12 ICPDR Achievments Transnational Monitoring Network System (TMNS) Accident Emergency Warning System (AEWS) Danube River Basin Analysis River Basin Management Plan (RBM) Flood Action Plan Public Awareness Political Commitment

13 Trans National Monitoring Network (TNMN)

14 Accident Emergency Warning System (AEWS) Jan 2000: Baja Mare cyanide spill in Romania, caused by a dame brake of a gold mining company, toxic contamination on a river stretch of about 1000 km Oct 2010: Red sludge spill in Hungary, results in loss of human life & environmental damage AEWS alert for down-stream countries Underlined importance of coordinated, international warning systems

15 Danube River Basin Management Plan First time and unique overview on basin-wide issues Transboundary EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) implementation for largest international river basin district Pressures/impacts for all significant water management issues (SWMIs) Basin-wide analysis on wastewater treatment Nutrient management on a large scale HYMO alterations first time overview Large scale data collection based on DanubeGIS 15

16 Identification of 4 Key Water Management Issues Based on the Danube River Basin Analysis: 1. Organic pollution 2. Nutrient pollution 3. Pollution from hazardous substances 4. Hydromorphological alterations 16

17 Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants 2005/6

18 Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants

19 Nutrient Pollution Different Scenarios - Nutrients Baseline Scenario Agriculture Nutrients 2015 Moderate agricultural development Implemantation of the EU Nitrate Directive Agreed measures to reduce nutrients Future NOx deposition Agricultural Scenarios-Nutrient & 2 Intensified agricultural development Phosphate Ban Scenario Considers P ban in laundry detergents and dishwashers 19

20 Hydromorphological Alterations Connectivity & Fish Migration Should ensure free fish migration in DRB List and map of key migration routes of medium and long distance migratory fish species Prioritisation index for measures based on agreed criteria Map illustrating prioritisation index and therefore measure priority Sturgeon Danube Salmon 20

21 Sustainable Flood Protection: Action programme & Plans Action Programme on Sustainable Flood Protection in the Danube River Basin adopted in 2004; 17 flood action plans for the subbasins in the Danube catchment area prepared in 2009 based on 45 national plans; FAPs list hundreds of measures the Danube countries are going to take to keep their citizens safe against the flood danger; Implementation of EU Flood Directive 21

22 Ongoing activity Guiding Principles on Hydropower Development Planned increase of hydropower generation reported by Danube countries Strategic planning approaches required for sound WFD implementation (i.e. for placing of new facilities) Need for clear technical requirements for mitigation measures (e.g. fish migration aids, ecological minimum flows) highlighted by hydropower sector Work ongoing.. 22

23 Adapting the Danube River Basin to Climate Change Temperature : K Precipitation : K 23

24 Adapting the Danube River Basin to Climate Change Chapter on Climate Change: Climate change signals for the Danube River Basin are sufficient to act beyond existing scientific uncertainties Step 1 (finalised) Danube Climate Adaptation Study Based on existing studies / projects Summarising expected impacts on different sectors and providing proposals for adaptation measures Step 2 ( ongoing) Climate Adaptation Strategy Adaptation Strategy based on Climate Study Input from sectors and stakeholders (workshop) Step 3 (2015 & beyond) Implementation of Strategy Making Adaptation Strategy operational Implementation in 2 nd River Basin Management Plan(s) and 1 st Flood Risk Management Plan(s) 24

25 Reasons for the Succes - Break down of the old administration (iron curtain) - Setting up Donor driven Environmental Activities parallel to legal considerations - Development of the EU Water Policy and their implementation in all Danubien Countries - Intended Membership to the EU - Political Commitment for Cooperation 25

26 Political Commitment Ministerial Meeting February 16, 2010 Thank you for your attention!