Alpine Convention International treaty for the protection and sustainable development of the Alps Taja Ferjančič, Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention

Outline 1.Alpine Convention in short 2.Water management 3.Climate Action Plan 4.Alpine Convention and its politics on Energy

Nature Drinking Water Habitat Cultural Landscape EconomyTourism Inhabitants: 13,6 million Territory: km 2 Alps

Aims of the Alpine Convention -Promoting sustainable development in the Alpine area -Protecting the interests of the people living in the Alps -Embracing the environmental, social, economic and cultural dimensions of the Alps

Short history : 1991: signing of the Framework Convention; 1995: Convention enters into force in all the countries; 2002: 8 Protocols enter into force; 2003: establishment of the Permanent Secretariat. Contracting Parties: EU Austria France Italy Lichtenstein Germany Monaco Slovenia Switzerland

Member States percentage of Area and Population AreaPopulation Italia27,3 %30,1% Avstria28,7%23,9% France21,4%18,0% Switzerland13,2%12,8% Germany5,8%10,1% Slovenia3,5%4,7% Monaco0,001%0,2% Lihtenstein0,008%0,2% ALPS km 2 13,6 million

Framework Convention and its Protocols The Convention is a framework that sets out the basic principles of all the activities of the Alpine Convention and contains general measures for the sustainable development in the Alpine region. In the Protocols, concrete steps to be taken for the protection and sustainable development of the Alps are set out. Signed and ratified Protocols are legaly binding in the Contracting party. Tourism Transport Framework Convention Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development Conservation of nature and countryside Soil conservation Energy Mountain farming Mountain forests

Nature of the Alpine Convention and its Protocols -Focus on cooperation -Environmental protection considering development perspective -Efforts required at various levels: national, regional and local (most important) -Dynamic aspect: implementation requires a continuous effort from the Contracting Parties

Main Instruments of the Alpine Convention -Activities of the Working Groups -Multilateral projects of the Contracting Parties -Activities of the Permanent Secretariat: -informing and communicating -observing and understanding -exchanging experiences  Cooperation with networks and other partners is essential.

Alpine Convention Organogram ALPINE CONFERENCE PERMANENT COMMITTEE WORKING GROUPS PLATFORMS Compliance Committee PERMANENT SECRETARIAT Environmental Minister Focal Points OBSERVERS

Water Management Platform -Water is one of the 12 main issues listed within the Alpine Convention (Article 2) -Preparation of the Second report on the State of the Alps on „Water and Water Management Issues“ -WG established in 2009, by the ministers at the X. Alpine Conference -No Water Protocol

-Objective: to preserve or re-establish healthy water systems, in particular by keeping lakes and rivers free of pollution, by applying natural hydraulic engineering techniques and by using water power in such way so that the interests of both the indigenous population and the environment are served alike. -Mandate for the years : continuing to act as a network of experts in order to organize workshops on specific, challenging water management aspects concerning a broad range of Alpine Countries. The aim of workshops is bringing together administrations, practitioners and stakeholders to discuss water related topics. Water Management Platform

Water Conferences -River management and geological processes (Spring 2014) -Prevention of hydrological risks in the alpine area: the flood risk and the EU Directive 2007/60 (Autumn 2013) -Local adaptation plans to climate change for water management: experiences and strategies in place (Spring 2013) -4th International Conference “Water in the Alps” Sustainable Hydropower - Strategies for the Alpine Region ( ) -International Workshop on Hydropeaking ( ) -International Workshop on Sediment Transport ( ) -3rd International Conference on Water in the Alps ( )

Report on the State of the Alps 2: Water and Water Management Issues -Prepared by the ad hoc expert working group -Published in Addresses 5 sets of water related issues: -Status of water in the Alps -Protection Against water related natural hazards -Climate change in the Alps and impacts on water resources -Existing legal framework concerning water management -Major water management issues and the main challenges for the future

Status of water in the Alps: -‚Water tower‘ of Europe  crucial influence on the European water balance -Supply a disproportionate amount of water: 35 % Danube, up to 80% Po -Specific role in times of water scarcity Driving forces for Alpine Water Management: -Population and settlements -Land use and agriculture -Tourism -Energy demand -Environmental protection and nature conservation -Downstream needs -Climate change Pressures and Impacts: -Monitoring programmes -Chemical quality of water -Water quantity -River hydromorphology -Socio-economical aspects

Adaptation: -Integrated risk management -Protective measures (land use planning, early warning systems, care of protective forests, renaturalisation of waterways, protective structures) -Disaster management (intervention) and reconstruction -Targeted, consistent risk dialogue with all of the parties involved -Strengthening prevention efforts and promote risk-consciousness Protection Against water related natural hazards: Alpine range is extremely exposed to natural hazards (avalanches, landslides, rock falls, floods)  extreme velocity & intensity Mitigation: -Reduce burden on the environment (sustainability) -Long-term provision of the resources needed for integrated, holistic natural hazard management

-Alpine climate is highly complex (interactions between mountains and the general circulation of the atmosphere + complexity from the competing influences of a number of different climate regimes)  five climatic sub-regions -Warming in the Alps over the last century exceeded 1.5°C (2x global average)  spatial differences -Symptoms: reduced snowfall at lower altitudes, retreating glaciers; Future: increased floods and rock falls -Further research needed; projections: slightly warmer winters & much warmer and drier summer -Changes in timing and amount of run-off in European river basins -Impact of reduced mountain discharge downstreem -Implementation of mitigation measures, strategies of adaptation to the modified hydrological conditions, measures and activities in mitigation and adaptation to climate change may be necessary Climate change in the Alps and impacts on water resources:

-Alpine Convention and its Protocols -EU legislation (EU Water Framework Directive) -International conventions -Bi- and multilateral agreements between countries for trans- boundary and basin-wide water management Existing legal framework concerning water management:

Major water management issues and the main challenges for the future: 1.provide integrated risk management against natural hazards 2.implement and update river basin management plans 3.use hydropower without impairing excessively river ecology 4.remediate hydro-morphological impacts of the past 5.adapt to the consequences of climate change 6.ensure the proper implementation and reinforce implementation means of existing legislation 7.follow up the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive with the focus on hydromorphology 8.assess the ongoing developments in the hydropower sector 9.quantify the effects of climate change on water management 10.further enhance cooperation of the scientific community

Recommending alpine-specific measures Long-term initiatives, joint projects, exchange of experiences Precise schedule Support scientific research projects Addressing a variety of subjects: –Public – at local, regional or national –Private – influencing the behaviour to cope with climate change Climate Action Plan

MITIGATIONS STRATEGIES ENERGY SECTOR  Passive houses, renovation of existing buildings  Renewable energies  Broadcast existing techniques to reduce energy consumption TRANSPORT SECTOR  Encourage cooperation between national rail network companies and authorities to improve the existing service  Reduce the number of heavy goods vehicles  Encourage policies to reduce the use of private cars TOURISM SECTOR  Incorporate sustainable transport options into tourist operator practices  Refurbishment of tourist accommodation by adapting to CC (instead of building new – „cold beds“)  Develop long-haul access to tourist sites by rail and the connection to the „last kilometer“ ADAPTATION STRATEGIES REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT  Intensify the prevention of natural risks  Inform the population and build up its accountability BIODIVERSITY  Ensure ecological continuity to allow migration of fauna & flora  Joint special programs to protect typically alpine species  Ensure eco-certification of all the forests in the public domain of each member State TOURISM  Ban new tourist infrastructures in glacier areas and natural virgin spaces  Adopting provisions to restrict artificial snow  Encouraging inter-season tourism (alternative to skiing) WATER & HYDRIC RESOURCES  Reduce water consumption (promote water economies in all sectors by encouraging an integrated approach to the resource and uses made of it)  Reduce the impact of hydroelectric power plants on nature (improve efficiency of holding lakes and existing electric power plants, only authorize any new project if it is part of a plan or program respecting the ecology of the water course)

1. Framework Convention (Article 2) Ensure the economic and rational use of land and the sound Protect, conserve and, where necessary, rehabilitate and natural environment and the countryside Introduce methods for the production, distribution and use of energy which preserve the countryside and are environmentally compatible, and to promote energy saving measures 2. Protocol Energy (1998) 3. Climate Action Plan (2009) 4. Working groups and Platforms (water management, ecological network, macroregional strategy...) - New Working Group Energy Alpine Convention and its politics on energy

Energy Protocol Objective: to create framework conditions and adopt measures for energy saving, production, transport, distribution and utilisation within the territory of the Alpine Convention in order to establish sustainable development of energy sector witch is compatible with the Alpine region‘s specific tolerance limits. Contribution to the protection of the population and environment and protection of resources and the climate.

Tree sets of measurements: 1.Energy saving and rational use 2.Reduce the environmental impact of infrastructure for energy production 3.Research, training and information

Hydro-energy Contracting Parties shell: -Ensure ecological functions of watercourse -Maintained integrity of the landscape Measures: - Minimum flow - Implementing standards for reduction of artificial fluctuations - Guarantee animal migration Hydropower plants produce the most energy in the Alps.

Common Guidelines for the use of Small Hydropower in the Alpine Region -Publication by the Water management Platform of the Alpine Convention -Published in Include: common principles and recommendations, an outline for an assessment procedure as well as a pool of evaluation criteria -Good Practice Examples Small hydropower = according to the installed bottleneck capacity; installed capacity as defined in the legal framework of the individual country

-No concrete methodology is proposed since sufficient flexibility for implementation of the guidelines is needed in order to pay attention to regional differences and varying national boundary conditions -Considered along with the existing national/regional legal frameworks and instruments

Why is it needed? Conflict between the use of renewable energy and the protection of the aquatic ecosystems and landscape (limited unutilised river stretches).  Strategic reflection is of utmost importance in order to avoid irreversible impacts. Objective: to provide general guidance for the identification of potentially favourable locations for small hydropower plants and for the subsequent authorisation decision considering the principles of sustainable development in the Alps.

General principles: 1.To strike a balance between an increase of hydropower generation and environmental protection, a transparent weighing of the interests based on sustainability criteria has to be carried out. 2.National / regional approaches dealing with small hydropower in the Alps should be built on the basis of common principles, general considerations and standard aspects for the whole Alpine region but should also consider specific national and regional factors. 3.When assessing the ecological value of river stretches, not only the status quo needs to be taken into account but also foreseeable changes to the ecological condition. 4.When assessing the ecological value of a river stretch it needs to be considered whether it has a specific ecologic importance for the other stretches in the river basin.

General principles: Considering the differences of ecological impacts depending on the plant type, a distinction between the following types is proposed: Infrastructure-related hydropower plants, exploiting only the water that is already used by the primary purpose of the plant, are in general not additionally affecting aquatic ecosystems and are economically favourable.

Off-grid small hydropower plants: For remote locations requiring electricity supply where connection to the public electricity grid would lead to disproportionate costs and better environmental options are not feasible, there is a need for self-supply by hydropower.

New Construction or Refurbishment: -Refurbishment of existing operating plants and reopening of disused plants in order to optimise the production of hydropower while minimising ecological impacts should be promoted and prioritised. -Ecological upgrading of existing operating plants in order to mitigate the impacts on an area’s ecological status and landscape should be promoted to go beyond minimal requirements. -Renewal of concessions or licenses can be considered appropriate where it complies with the existing environmental legislation. Nevertheless the ecological potential of the site should be considered and concessions or licenses should be limited in time, being as short as possible without compromising the investment.

Outline of a two-level procedure assessing new installations 1. The regional level: Strategic planning - search for the most favourable location - high hydroelectric potential - relatively low ecological and landscape value - on regional level - impartial evaluation - by competent authority + involvement of relevant stakeholders 2. The local level: At-site assessment and authorisation of individual projects - for individual project only - local in-depth assessment of the concrete project application - considering installations (site-specific criteria) and socio-economic aspects 3. Implications from the regional strategic planning as prerequisite for the local assessment and authorisation - pragmatic approach - ‚normal‘ authorisation for ‚evident cases‘  without significant impact on and deterioration of the ecosystem / improvement (mainly infrastructural-related facilities and refurbishment)

Thank you for your attention!