confidence building in transboundary river basin management context michal nekvasil eu delegation to...
TRANSCRIPT
Confidence building in transboundary river basin
management context
Michal NekvasilEU Delegation to Georgia
Water seminar
Dead Sea, Jordan
21-24 March 2011
Context in Georgia
Ultra liberal policy of GoG „Our policy is to have no policy, our strategy is to have no
strategy“ As little legislation and regulation as possible Poor country + consequences of the conflict with Russia of
2008 = EU has a big leverage Very different history as compared to ENPI South countries SPSP used since 2007 (PFM, Criminal justice, vocational
education and training, regional development…) Institutional instability Environment not a priority
Environmental sector in Georgia till 2007
No data, no environmental policy/strategy, no action plan, no co-ordination, mutually contradicting legislation, etc.
Donors’ assistance to the environmental sector (incl. EU) – surface water and drinking water only
The support disproportionate to real needs (hardly any support to waste water treatment, solid waste management, air protection, biodiversity...)
Overlapping projects No co-ordination Mostly regional projects (S. Caucasus or even broader, not
always matching interests of individual countries)
Environmental sector in Georgia now
State of the Environment report National Environmental Action Plan Draft Environmental code EU assistance in all env. sub-sectors Government-donors co-ordination in the env. sector
functions well (driven by the government) Co-ordintation as for drinking water & waste water
treatment – a breakthough in the beginning of March, the first meeting next week
Water sector in Georgia
No policy/strategy as for water Competences regarding water spread among several
ministries (environment, regional development and infrastructure, agricultue...) – very unclear
Water management companies constantly changing Unclear situation as for the ownership of water pipelines No universal tariff system – most people still get water for
(almost) free Enormous wasting of water (constantly running in many
households) No single functioning WWTP with secondary or tertiary
treatment in Georgia
EU support to water sector in Georgia / Southern Caucasus
Recent water projects:
Transboundary Kura river basin management - phase I Enabling environment fo integrated management of the Kura-Aras
Transboundary river basin Transboundary Kura river basin management - phase II Supply of water monitoring equipment Water governance Improving of water infrastructure in 27 Georgian municipalities (NIF) Waste water treatment in Adjaria (NIF)
i.e. almost all regional projects, very limited bilateral support All together very limited amount of money
Other donors involved in the water sector
ADBEIBEBRDKfWUSAIDUNDP
Kura – Aras rivers basin
Two case studies
Creation of Enabling environment for integrated management of the Kura-Aras Transboundary river basin
Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
Creation of Enabling environment for integrated management of the Kura-Aras Transboundary river basin
Regional Project
Beneficiary Countries: Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
Managed by the REC Caucasus
Start date: July 2007
Duration: extended till end 2010
Budget: EUR 400.000
Creation of Enabling environment for integrated management of the Kura-Aras Transboundary river basin
Specific objectives as per the original proposal
Specific objectives as per amended proposal
Gain a consensus-based agreement between the three South Caucasus countries, donor organisations and other concerned parties on further steps towards improved and sustainable cooperation and coordination for integrated management of the Kura-Aras trans-boundary rivers basin, including a need for establishment of a Regional Coordination Body and development of the Convention and further establishment of the Regional Governmental Commission on Integrated Management of the Kura-Aras Trans-boundary Rivers Basin
Gain a consensus-based agreement between the three South Caucasus countries, donor organisations and other concerned parties on further steps towards a creation of a basis for sustainable cooperation and coordination through establishment of regional institutional mechanisms for major participating countries of the Caucasus, including governments, supporting control and coordination of projects (including donor ones) for integrated management of the Kura-Aras trans-boundary rivers basin
Facilitate drafting of the Convention, its ratification by the countries concerned, and establishment of the Regional Governmental Commission
Adoption of Road Maps for assessment of progress in sustainable management of the Kura-Aras trans-boundary rivers basin with view to introduction of the EU Water Framework Directive
Creation of Enabling environment for integrated management of the Kura-Aras Transboundary river basin
Background
The necessity to improve the existing situation with protection and use of trans-boundary river basins is recognised by all three governments
Challenges
For the project time period development and ratification of the Convention on the protection of the Kura-Aras river basin and establishment of a regional governmental commission was impossible due to the political situation.
Assumptions
The projects’ coordination should not be led by donor organisations / NGOs but by the governments of the Caucasus countries
The project focus should be “redirected” towards creating realistic mechanisms for cooperation tkaing into consideration the specific context of the Caucasian region
Creation of Enabling environment for integrated management of the Kura-Aras Transboundary river basin
Final outcome
Progress achieved and objectives to a large extent met not only on the level of individual countries but also regional co-ordination mechanisms established (on technical level)
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
Regional Project
Beneficiary Countries: Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
Consultant: EPTISA & Grontmij-CarlBro Consortium
Start: June 2008
Duration: extended until Dec 2011
Budget: EUR 3,175,000
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
Project purpose:
To help Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan improve river water quality in the Kura river basin through transboundary cooperation and adoption of the river basin management approach
To improve capabilities of environmental authorities and monitoring establishments in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
Project Partners:
Georgia: Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources National Environment Agency
Armenia: Ministry of Nature Protection Water Resources Management Agency Environmental Impact Monitoring Centre
Azerbaijan Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources National Hydrometeorology Department Environmental Monitoring Department
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
Key Activities:
Pilot projects: Draft river basin management plans (RBMP) for 5 pilot river basins using EU Water Framework Directive methodology
Joint Transboundary River Monitoring Programme to harmonise sampling and analysis procedures between the countries
Improvements in the data structures and information flows to facilitate decision making (Water Cadastre MoE AZ, Water Database MoE GE, Canals Database MoE AM)
Training and technical guidelines including EU Study Tour for the beneficiaries’ staff from the project countries
Public awareness activities of the priority transboundary water issues in the Kura-Aras River basin (video film, booklets, TV coverage, website)
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
The following key documents translated to Georgian, Armenian and Azeri, printed, distributed amongst the beneficiaries and explained to them in detail at the project workshops:
EU Water Framework Directive
EU Floods Directive
WFD Technical Guidance: Identification of Water Bodies
WFD Technical Guidance: Analysis of Pressures and Impacts
Introduction to Biological Monitoring of Water Quality
(available at: www.kuraarasbasin.net )
Joint Monitoring Programme in Kura River basin
Selected parameters
Temperature C Transparency Dissolved oxygen Oxygen saturation pH Conductivity Total suspended/Total dissolved solids BOD5 COD-CrAmmoniaNitrates Phosphates
Copper Zink Iron Manganese Cadmium Nickel Lead ArsenicMolybdenum Petroleum products Phenols
River flow discharges River flow discharges in m3/s in m3/s (Alazani-(Alazani-Shakriani (GE), Alazani-Agrichai Shakriani (GE), Alazani-Agrichai (AZ) and Debed-Ayrum HS (AM)(AZ) and Debed-Ayrum HS (AM)))
Joint Monitoring Programme in Kura River basin
Independent verification
Inter-laboratory testing Standard test samples prepared by the EU National Reference Laboratory in Slovakia, for selected parameters:
Nutrients (PO4, NH4, NO3), and six heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn).
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
EU Project: Trans-Boundary River Management Phase II for the Kura River basin – Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan
Conclusions / lessons learnt
Government driven co-ordination as a precondition for avoiding overlapping projects, for creating synergic effects, and for enhancing the ownership of the government
Establishment of a common ground (EU directives and common sampling methods) is a necessary basis for building trust
In politically difficult environment: establishment of a co-operation on technical level first; it can be later “institutionalised” and extended to the political level
« Intergovernmental NGOs » may help facilitate the transition of technical co-operation to a political dialogue…
EU level – regional and bilateral projects – Eastern Partnership helped
Commission + EU Member states = more leverage
Thank you for your kind attention
You may ask any question now...
... and I may reply if I feel like…