Institutional Capacity in Transboundary Basins: The Danube

The Experience of the ICPDR

UN Water Decade Workshop11 November, 2008, Bonn

Philip WellerICPDR, Executive Secretary

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Structure of Presentation

•The Danube River Basin

•History of Cooperation

•Institutional Structures

•Lessons from the Experience in Management

•Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

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• ~9% Europe

• 81 Mil. inhabitants

• 19 Countries

Most International River Basin in the World

The Danube Case

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The DRB, a cultural and historical centre of Europe

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Economic Disparities

GDP per capita (PPP) in $, 2007

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

GE AT CZ SK HU SI HR BA RS ME BG RO MD UA* 2005

*

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Structure of Presentation

•The Danube River Basin

•History of Cooperation

•Institutional Structures

•Lessons from the Experience in Management

•Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

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Danube River Protection Convention

Legal frame for cooperation to assure protection of water and ecological resources and

their sustainable use in the Danube River Basin.

Signed: 29 June 1994, Sofia

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Germany

Austria

Czech Republic

Slovakia

Hungary

Slovenia

Croatia

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Serbia

Montenegro

Romania

Bulgaria

Rep. of Moldova

Ukraine

European Union

Contracting Parties

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ICPDR - International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River

Implement the Danube River Protection Convention:

strengthen international cooperationensure sustainable water managementensure conservation, improvement and rational use of surface waters and ground waterreduce inputs of nutrients and hazardous substancescontrol floods and ice hazardsreduce pollution loads of the Black Sea

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Structure of Presentation

•The Danube River Basin

•History of Cooperation

•Institutional Structures

•Lessons from the Experience in Management

•Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

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Coordination Mechanism

ITCH

PL

MK

AL

DE A

TCZ

UA

MD

HU

SIRS

BG

RO

SK

HR

BA

ICPDR

Cooperation

Bilateral agreements

Cooperation

Cooperation at sub-basin level: e.g. Sava, Tisza

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River BasinManagement Expert Group

ICPDR Secretariat

Pressures and Measures Expert Group

Monitoring andAssessment Expert Group

Flood Protection Expert Group

ICPDR – Delegations of the Contracting Parties

Ad hoc Info and GIS Expert Group

Ad hoc Public Participation Expert Group

Ad hoc Strategic Expert Group

Supported by:

Structure of the Cooperation:

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GWP CEE UNESCO - IHP

Navigation Commission

Black Sea Commission Die Donau –

Tourism Commission

VGB Power TechREC

Observers to the ICPDR

Europ. Angling Ass.

Friends of Nature

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The EU Water Framework Directive

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EU Water Framework Directive

Revolutionized Water Management in Europe

Protecting all waters - surface and ground waters

Good quality (‘good status’) to be achieved, as a rule, by 2015

Water quality defined in terms of biology, chemistry and morphology

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EU Water Framework Directive

• Sets uniform standards throughout the EU • Requires cooperation for the development of an integrated river basin management plan • Defines a time-frame for the achievement of good status of surface water and groundwater• Introduces the economic analysis of water use to achieve a cost-effective combination of measures • Requests public participation (stakeholders incl. NGOs)

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Structure of Presentation

•The Danube River Basin

•History of Cooperation

•Institutional Structures

•Lessons from the Experience in Management

•Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

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Water Management

Water is an element that binds

landscapes and people.

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What is IWRM?

“A process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and

related resources in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable

manner without compromising the sustainability of vital eco-systems.” (Source: GWP)

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•Monitoring and Assessment System

•Visions and Management Objectives

•Stakeholder Involvement (i.e. including navigation, hydropower, agriculture)

•Joint Programme of Measures and Actions

•Celebrating Success

River Basin Management

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Trans NationalMonitoring Network - TNMN

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Danube River Basin Analysis Report

Approved at the Ministerial Meeting – Vienna, 13

December 2004

WFD Article V Roof Report

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Significant Water Management Issues

Agenda Item: 3.1

Organic Pollution

Nutrient Pollution

Hazardous Substances

Pollution

Hydromorphological

Alterations

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• Point source pollution• Organic substances• Nutrients• Hazardous substances

• Diffuse source pollution• Nutrients• Hazardous substances

• Hydromorphological alterations• Continuity interruptions• Navigation• Water abstraction

• Other anthropogenic pressures

Anthropogenic pressures

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Point sources of pollution

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Diffuse sources of pollution

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Stakeholder Conference, Budapest 2005.

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Partnering with business

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Elements of Success

• There is no formula for successful integrated river basin management but there are key elements that will help achieve it.

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Elements of Success (1)• Legal Framework• Institutional Structure• Framework for Analysis of Problems and Monitoring

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Elements of Success (2)• Vision for Future• Actions at Multiple Levels• Communication and Celebration• Partnerships

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Structure of Presentation

•The Danube River Basin

•History of Cooperation

•Institutional Structures

•Lessons from the Experience in Management

•Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

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Challenges for the Future and Needs

• Political/Technical Change• Adapting to Climate Change• Sharing Best Practices

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Commitment to Sharing Experience

September 2007, Brisbane, Australia

In 2007 the ICPDR was awarded the prestigious International Thiess Riverprize for excellent water resource management!

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For further information see www.icpdr.orgThank you for your attention!