Institutional Capacity in Transboundary Basins: The Danube The Experience of the ICPDR UN Water Decade Workshop 11 November, 2008, Bonn Philip Weller ICPDR, Executive Secretary

2 Structure of Presentation The Danube River Basin History of Cooperation Institutional Structures Lessons from the Experience in Management Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

3 ~9% Europe 81 Mil. inhabitants 19 Countries Most International River Basin in the World The Danube Case

4 The DRB, a cultural and historical centre of Europe

5 Economic Disparities * 2005 *

6 Structure of Presentation The Danube River Basin History of Cooperation Institutional Structures Lessons from the Experience in Management Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

7 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

8 Germany Austria Czech Republic Slovakia Hungary Slovenia Croatia Bosnia & Herzegovina Serbia Montenegro Romania Bulgaria Rep. of Moldova Ukraine European Union Contracting Parties

9 ICPDR - International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River Implement the Danube River Protection Convention:  strengthen international cooperation  ensure sustainable water management  ensure conservation, improvement and rational use of surface waters and ground water  reduce inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances  control floods and ice hazards  reduce pollution loads of the Black Sea

10 Structure of Presentation The Danube River Basin History of Cooperation Institutional Structures Lessons from the Experience in Management Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

11 Coordination Mechanism IT CHCH PL MK ALAL DEDE AT CZCZ UAUA MDMD HUHU SI RS BGBG RORO SK HRHR BABA ICPDR Cooperation Bilateral agreements Cooperation Cooperation at sub-basin level: e.g. Sava, Tisza

12 River Basin Management Expert Group ICPDR Secretariat Pressures and Measures Expert Group Monitoring and Assessment 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:

13 GWP CEE UNESCO - IHP Navigation Commission Black Sea Commission Die Donau – Tourism Commission VGB Power Tech REC Observers to the ICPDR Europ. Angling Ass. Friends of Nature

14 The EU Water Framework Directive

15 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

16 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)

17 Structure of Presentation The Danube River Basin History of Cooperation Institutional Structures Lessons from the Experience in Management Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

18 Water Management Water is an element that binds landscapes and people.

19 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)

20 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

21 Trans National Monitoring Network - TNMN

22 Danube River Basin Analysis Report Approved at the Ministerial Meeting – Vienna, 13 December 2004 WFD Article V Roof Report

23 Significant Water Management Issues Agenda Item: 3.1 Organic Pollution Nutrient Pollution Hazardous Substances Pollution Hydromorphological Alterations

24 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

25 Point sources of pollution

26 Diffuse sources of pollution

27 Stakeholder Conference, Budapest 2005.

28 Partnering with business

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

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

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

32 Structure of Presentation The Danube River Basin History of Cooperation Institutional Structures Lessons from the Experience in Management Needs for Institutional Capacity Development

33 Challenges for the Future and Needs Political/Technical Change Adapting to Climate Change Sharing Best Practices

34 Commitment to Sharing Experience September 2007, Brisbane, Australia In 2007 the ICPDR was awarded the prestigious International Thiess Riverprize for excellent water resource management!

35 For further information see Thank you for your attention!