The importance of WFD in the International Context

Some considerations

Focus of the presentation

WFD within the global context; WFD and the EU Water

Initiative; WFD and the Marine Strategy:

linking the freshwater and marine agenda’s;

WFD and the Regional Seas.

WFD in the global context

WSSD and Millennium development goals:

IWRM Water supply and sanitation;

CSD focus on water; UNEP’s GMEF; UN-SG Millennium taskforce; Several partnerships launched at WSSD,

e.g. US/Japan “Clean Water for people”

The challenge

• Water is a human right (29th session of Committee on economic, social and cultural rights, November 2002);

• Water is at the top of the international sustainable development agenda;

The major challenge is implementation. Theory and best practices available, e.g.

Monterrey, Camdessus report, documentation produced for EU-WI, WWF2, Bonn conference, WWF3….

WSSD IWRM target

IWRM: Develop IWRM and water efficiency plans by 2005;

IWRM and WFD; Implementing the WSSD target could

greatly benefit from the EU experience;

Need to define the key elements of IWRM plans, e.g. within the framework of EUWI.

Water supply and sanitation targets

Implementation of targets should be linked;

A holistic approach should be taken – not only taps and household sanitary services;

Financing and governance are major issues (see WFD);

Health issues are major concern: 1.1 billion – no access to safe drinking water, 2.4 billion no sanitation, 2 million die each year

Water supply and sanitation

European experience can not be exported without modification;

Development policy in EU: > 100 years; developing countries: 12 years;

2-3% GNP: Kenya 1024 years; 30 billion US$/year required; > 80% public investment; PPP?; Region-specific and step-wise

approaches should be developed;

Water supply and sanitation

Demand driven approaches; Appropriate technology; Appropriate financing,

including water service pricing; Regulation and legislation; Institutional set-up; Stakeholders involvement;

Water supply and sanitation

UNEP/WHO/Habitat/WSSCC key principles and checklists;

Water supply and sanitation remains a challenge, also for the EU and the Med region.

B-a-u is no longer an option, including financing, technology, and management;

WFD and EU water initiative

Others much better qualified to speak on the topic;

UNEP applauds initiative, with its initial focus on Africa – home of UNEP HQ

Focus: Water supply and sanitation,

IWRM, financing; Integrated approach of WFD

should not be forgotten

WFD and the marine strategy

Population concentration in coastal zones

Marine pollution

80% of all marine pollution

comes from land-based activities!

Global Programme of Action

for the

Protection of the Marine Environment From Land-

based Activities

Linking the fresh and salt water agenda’s

WFD: addresses inland surface water, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater;

US clean water act (1972): addresses fresh and coastal water;

International: Fresh and salt water agenda’s are not as yet linked (see WSSD, CSD, IYFW);

Traditional institutional divide reflected in international agenda.

Linking the fresh and saltwater agenda’s

EU marine strategy: addresses marine issues;

WFD addresses fresh and coastal issues Connection and interrelation between

two major pieces of EU legislation is vital;

Also at the international level, EU could take a lead role in the coming 2 years, conform WFD.

MAP

Need for integration and cooperation METAP; SMAP and MEDA; MAP; EIB, Life, etc.

The Mediterranean could show the way how to turn the promises of WSSD into reality.

Visit the GPA clearing-house!

www.gpa.unep.org

Thank you