The Danube - Black Sea Strategic Partnership Program Progress, Issues and Ways Forward Jitendra Srivastava & Meeta Sehgal Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Unit Europe and Central Asia Region, World Bank U.S.A. Moldova, October 2006

The Danube - Black Sea Strategic Partnership Program Objective: Pollution Control and Nutrient Reduction to the Danube River and Black Sea Program covers all 17 countries of the Danube River - Black Sea basin over the period

GEF assistance is designed as three complementary components: – –The GEF Black Sea Ecosystems Recovery Project (BSERP) implemented by UNDP, with the assistance of UNEP and in cooperation with the Black Sea Commission (BSC) – –The GEF Danube Regional Project (DRP) implemented by UNDP and in cooperation with the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) – –The GEF/World Bank Partnership Investment Fund focused on single country nutrient reduction investments

The Danube-Black Sea Partnership Program complements the requirements for implementation of the EU Nitrates Directive EU Directives and policy instruments are one of the driving forces throughout the Danube and Black Sea Basins: Water Framework Directive (WFD) Urban Wastewater Treatment (UWWT) Directive Nitrates Directive Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC) Directive Common Agricultural Practices

Projects under the D-Black Sea Program have so far focused on: (i) Changing behavior of rural populations, through: Community-based investments, such as: (a) Communal storage and handling systems for livestock and household waste (b) Communal afforestation (c) Vegetative buffer strips to protect water bodies (d) Promotion of the Code of Good Agricultural Practices (e) On-farm Nutrient Management (f) Support to Agro-enterprises to reduce nutrient discharges (g) Household waste water; latrines

(ii) Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building (iii) Policy Support (iv) Public Awareness and Replication Strategy

Good progress with project implementation thus far – –Gradual change in population behavior favoring environmentally friendly agricultural practices – –Training to farmers, agro-processors, mayors, local authorities, and other stakeholders – –Increased commitment and support of all stakeholders

- Construction of central, farm and household level manure management facilities – –Community afforestation in erosion-prone areas – –Rangeland rehabilitation – –Critical points for surface and groundwater sample collection for water quality analysis, monitoring, and reporting have been established – – Detailed monthly and quarterly data is being analyzed and reported

Increased public awareness about the need for environmental rehabilitation of micro-catchments Increased dissemination of information Development of Replication Programs Monitorable reduction in discharge of nutrients in water bodies

Reasons for Good Progress Projects were focused, addressing a concern of the targeted community Full commitment of rural community, mayors, county heads All stakeholders consulted in the design of remedial measures Co-financing from government and beneficiaries Strong commitment by national government

Newer projects, e.g., Turkey, Serbia, Romania, Croatia, are gradually moving from purely Agricultural Pollution Control to Integrated Nutrient Pollution Control Programs

Drivers for such changes are: – –Consumer Confidence – –Food Safety Requirements – –Public Awareness of Environmental Concerns – –Market Forces – –National and International Policies and Conventions

Much Work Remains to be done Changing human behavior Incentives Policy Enforcement Win-win Technologies Waste Management Wetlands Funding

How to Measure Results Monitor progress of each intervention in project area Extrapolate results to national and regional levels Develop and agree on methodologies to measure results that are scientifically-proven, practical and cost-effective

Measuring Project Impact on Nutrient Reduction in Water Bodies One commonly used tool is to Monitor Water Quality of surface and ground waters

Questions remain: What variables to address to measure water quality Lag time Actual water sample measurements Use of Proxy Measurements Actual Nutrient Reduction - what can be reasonably expected?

In Summary - Good progress thus far at project level Time to scale up to national level Tie National efforts to Regional level Agree on acceptable methodologies for determining impact of project interventions in water bodies Important to keep achievable expectations of impact

This will require enormous cooperation between, and commitment of, populations at the community/grassroots level, local authorities and governments, national authorities and governments A stronger impact-driven cooperation necessary between national and international agencies Modest start has been made in right direction Much work remains to be done to achieve overall national and international goals of nutrient reduction in water bodies