Post on 11-Jan-2016
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and
International Lakes
A framework for improved management of shared waters
Heide Jekel Chairperson to the Meeting of the Parties of the
Water Convention
UNECE Transboundary Waters
• 200 transboundary rivers
• 40 transboundary lakes
• Around 120 transboundary aquifers
• 20 countries depend for more than 10% of their water resources on neighbouring countries
• 5 countries draw 75% of their resources from upstream countries
The Water Convention
• Signed on 17 March 1992 in Helsinki
• Entered into force on 6 October 1996
• Amended in 2003 to allow accession to countries outside the UNECE region
• Protocol on Water and Health adopted in 1999, entered into force in 2005
• Protocol on Civil Liability adopted in 2003
.
Parties to the Convention
35 countries and the European Community
Aims of the Convention
• Protection of transboundary waters by preventing, controlling and reducing transboundary impacts
• Ecologically sound and rational management of transboundary waters
• Reasonable and equitable use of transboundary waters
Conflict prevention
• Conservation and restoration of ecosystems
Obligations of the Parties
• General obligations which apply to all parties, inter alia– Licensing of waste-water discharges by the
competent national authorities and monitoring of authorized discharges
– Best environmental practice for non-point pollution sources
– Minimization of the risk of accidental pollution
• Obligations which apply to riparian parties
Provisions relating to Riparian Parties I
• Conclusion of bilateral and multilateral agreements
• Establishment of joint bodies
• Consultation between Riparian Parties
• Joint monitoring and assessment
Provisions relating to Riparian Parties II
• Common research and development
• Exchange of information between Riparian Parties
• Warning and alarm systems
• Mutual assistance
• Public information
Tasks of joint bodies of riparian countries
• Identify, draw up an inventory of and exchange information on pollution sources
• Elaborate joint monitoring programmes
• Set emission limits and elaborate joint water quality objectives
• Develop concerted action plans
• Establish warning and alarm procedures
• Represent a forum for the exchange of information
Organization of work under the Convention
• The Meeting of the Parties– The highest decision body
• The Bureau – Organises the work between the MOPs
• The Working Group on Integrated Water Resources Management– Mainly focuses on inter-sectoral water management issues to prevent, control
and reduce transboundary impact • The Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment
– Helps Parties bordering transboundary waters to establish and implement joint programmes for monitoring the status of transboundary waters
• The Legal Board – Assists the other bodies on legal questions related to the Convention and its
Protocols • The Joint Expert Group on water and industrial accidents
– Joint group of the Water Convention and the Industrial Accidents Convention dealing with technical issues, e.g. safety guidelines for pipelines
• The Task Force on Water and Climate – Discusses adaptation to climate change and flood issues
Areas of work of the Convention
• Assistance to implementation of the Convention– E.g. Guide for ratification and implementation
• Tools to deal with emerging issues relevant for transboundary water management– E.g. Recommendations on payment for
ecosystem services – E.g. Guidance on Water and Climate
Adaptation• Assessment of the Convention’s effectiveness and
future needs– E.g. First Assessment of Transboundary
Watercourses and International Lakes
The First Assessment 2007
• Covers 140 rivers, 30 lakes and 70 aquifers
• Involved more than 150 experts from 40 countries
• Illustrates major problems in the region
• Currently second edition under preparation
Activities under the Convention
• Development of strategic and technical guidelines– E.g. strategies for monitoring and assessment of
transboundary rivers, lakes and groundwaters • Capacity-building activities, e.g.
– Workshops– Capacity for Water Cooperation project
• Pilot or implementation projects, such as– Pilot projects on monitoring and assessment– Support to transboundary water management in
Dniester, Timok or Chu Talas rivers, Dam safety project in Central Asia
• National Policy Dialogues
Capacity for Water Cooperation Project (CWC)
• Focuses on EECCA countries• Multidisciplinary training to experts• UNECE together with national and international partners
– GEF, IW:Learn, Swedish and Finish environment agencies
• 5 workshops until now– Legal basis of cooperation– Access to/exchange of information, public participation– Joint monitoring and assessment – River basin commissions
• Lessons learnt paper is currently developed
– Water and Health
Dniester river – transboundary cooperation project
• UNECE and OSCE• Improvement of bilateral
cooperation between Ukraine and Moldova
• NGO involvement• Ongoing• Action Programme to
improve transboundary management
• River basin website• Draft Dniester Agreement
National Policy Dialogues (NPD)
• NPDs are carried out within the EECCA component of the EU Water Initiative– Implementation of the Millenium Development Goals
• Two thematic pillars– IWRM
• UNECE is taking care for that pillar– Water supply and sanitation
• Until now NPDs on IWRM in Armenia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine
• Overall objectives– To initiate country-specific activities– To help set country priorities– To identify projects and develop capacities through a dialogue
involving all stakeholders
UNECE Water Convention- Achievements and Strengths -
• Almost all transboundary waters in the region are covered by transboundary water agreements based on or influenced by the Convention (e.g. Rhine, Meuse, Scheldt, Danube, Bug, Chu-Talas, Dniester)
• Even non-Parties participate in the work under the Convention
• Convention works in “water-stress” regions such as Central Asia and deals with emerging issues, such as climate change
• Cooperation with numerous UN agencies and other organizations
Thank you for your attention!
More information
can be found at
http://unece.org/env/water