Transcript Document

The United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe (UNECE)
Convention on the Protection and Use of
Transboundary Watercourses and
International Lakes
A framework for improved
management of shared waters
Heide Jekel
Chairperson to the Meeting of the Parties of the
Water Convention
UNECE Transboundary Waters
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200 transboundary rivers
40 transboundary lakes
Around 120 transboundary aquifers
20 countries depend for more than 10% of
their water resources on neighbouring
countries
• 5 countries draw 75% of their resources
from upstream countries
The Water Convention
• Signed on 17 March 1992 in
Helsinki
• Entered into force on 6 October
1996
• Amended in 2003 to allow
accession to countries outside the
UNECE region
• Protocol on Water and Health
adopted in 1999, entered into force
in 2005
• Protocol on Civil Liability adopted
in 2003
Parties to the Convention
35 countries and the
European Community
.
Aims of the Convention
• Protection of transboundary waters
by preventing, controlling and
reducing transboundary impacts
• Ecologically sound and rational
management of transboundary
waters
• Reasonable and equitable use of
transboundary waters
 Conflict prevention
• Conservation and restoration of
ecosystems
Obligations of the Parties
• General obligations which apply to all
parties, inter alia
– Licensing of waste-water discharges by the
competent national authorities and monitoring
of authorized discharges
– Best environmental practice for non-point
pollution sources
– Minimization of the risk of accidental pollution
• Obligations which apply to riparian parties
Provisions relating to Riparian Parties I
• Conclusion of bilateral and multilateral
agreements
• Establishment of joint bodies
• Consultation between Riparian Parties
• Joint monitoring and assessment
Provisions relating to Riparian Parties II
• Common research and development
• Exchange of information between Riparian
Parties
• Warning and alarm systems
• Mutual assistance
• Public information
Tasks of joint bodies of riparian countries
• Identify, draw up an inventory of and exchange
information on pollution sources
• Elaborate joint monitoring programmes
• Set emission limits and elaborate joint water quality
objectives
• Develop concerted action plans
• Establish warning and alarm procedures
• Represent a forum for the exchange of information
Organization of work under the Convention
• The Meeting of the Parties
– The highest decision body
• The Bureau
– Organises the work between the MOPs
• The Working Group on Integrated Water Resources Management
– Mainly focuses on inter-sectoral water management issues to prevent, control
and reduce transboundary impact
• The Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment
– Helps Parties bordering transboundary waters to establish and implement
joint programmes for monitoring the status of transboundary waters
• The Legal Board
– Assists the other bodies on legal questions related to the Convention and its
Protocols
• The Joint Expert Group on water and industrial accidents
– Joint group of the Water Convention and the Industrial Accidents Convention
dealing with technical issues, e.g. safety guidelines for pipelines
• The Task Force on Water and Climate
– Discusses adaptation to climate change and flood issues
Areas of work of the Convention
• Assistance to implementation of the Convention
– E.g. Guide for ratification and implementation
• Tools to deal with emerging issues relevant for
transboundary water management
– E.g. Recommendations on payment for
ecosystem services
– E.g. Guidance on Water and Climate
Adaptation
• Assessment of the Convention’s effectiveness and
future needs
– E.g. First Assessment of Transboundary
Watercourses and International Lakes
The First Assessment 2007
• Covers 140 rivers, 30
lakes and 70 aquifers
• Involved more than 150
experts from 40 countries
• Illustrates major
problems in the region
• Currently second edition
under preparation
Activities under the Convention
• Development of strategic and technical guidelines
– E.g. strategies for monitoring and assessment of
transboundary rivers, lakes and groundwaters
• Capacity-building activities, e.g.
– Workshops
– Capacity for Water Cooperation project
• Pilot or implementation projects, such as
– Pilot projects on monitoring and assessment
– Support to transboundary water management in
Dniester, Timok or Chu Talas rivers, Dam safety project
in Central Asia
• National Policy Dialogues
Capacity for Water Cooperation Project
(CWC)
• Focuses on EECCA countries
• Multidisciplinary training to experts
• UNECE together with national and international partners
– GEF, IW:Learn, Swedish and Finish environment agencies
• 5 workshops until now
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Legal basis of cooperation
Access to/exchange of information, public participation
Joint monitoring and assessment
River basin commissions
• Lessons learnt paper is currently developed
– Water and Health
Dniester river – transboundary cooperation
project
• UNECE and OSCE
• Improvement of bilateral
cooperation between
Ukraine and Moldova
• NGO involvement
• Ongoing
• Action Programme to
improve transboundary
management
• River basin website
• Draft Dniester Agreement
National Policy Dialogues (NPD)
• NPDs are carried out within the EECCA component of the
EU Water Initiative
– Implementation of the Millenium Development Goals
• Two thematic pillars
– IWRM
• UNECE is taking care for that pillar
– Water supply and sanitation
• Until now NPDs on IWRM in Armenia, Moldova,
Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine
• Overall objectives
– To initiate country-specific activities
– To help set country priorities
– To identify projects and develop capacities through a dialogue
involving all stakeholders
UNECE Water Convention
- Achievements and Strengths • Almost all transboundary waters in the region are covered
by transboundary water agreements based on or influenced
by the Convention (e.g. Rhine, Meuse, Scheldt, Danube,
Bug, Chu-Talas, Dniester)
• Even non-Parties participate in the work under the
Convention
• Convention works in “water-stress” regions such as
Central Asia and deals with emerging issues, such as
climate change
• Cooperation with numerous UN agencies and other
organizations
Thank you for your attention!
More information
can be found at
http://unece.org/env/water