Status of the Intergovernmental Status of the Intergovernmental agreement on the Dniester River Basinagreement on the Dniester River Basin

Round table

“Towards Integrated Management of the

Transboundary Dniester River Basin: Estonian

Experience ”Chisinau – Moldova, OSCE

5 July 2007

by Ilya TrombitskyExecutive Director

Eco-TIRAS

Current situationCurrent situation

• an intergovernmental treaty from 1994 on boundary waters, which is leading by two Governmental Plenipotentiaries belonging to State Water Agencies

River Dniester

Criticism towards Criticism towards agreement 1994agreement 1994

- It regulates water use of several water bodies;

- It regulates only parts of water bodies related to State borders;

- No basin approach exists;- No complex approach to

natural resources exists;- No public involvement to

decision making process is provided;

- No establishing of River Commission is provided;

• - Other than water use stakeholders involvement is limited.

Steps forwardSteps forward• Drafting of new modern

Dniester Agreement in frames of Dniester-2 OSCE/UNECE Project.

It includes:It includes:- River Commission with main River Commission with main

stakeholders and a public;stakeholders and a public;- Ecosystems approach;- Integration of users

interests;- Monitoring and

transboundary management;

- Perfect

Structure of a new draft Structure of a new draft agreementagreement

• Art. 1. Scope of agreement• 2. Sphere of Agreement• 3. Used terminology• 4. Principles of Agreement• 5. Directions of Cooperation• 6. Measures for realization• 7. Agreed guidelines and standards• 8. Prevention and control of pollution• 9. Sharing of water resources• 10. Regulation of discharge• 11. Constructions• 12. Conservation and use of biological resources• 13. Protected areas• 14. Protection of the Sea• 15. Extraordinary situations• 16. Monitoring and evaluation• 17. Environmental Impact Assessment• 18. Notification and consultations• 19. Regular data exchange

Structure of a new draft Structure of a new draft agreementagreement

• Art. 20. Scientific cooperation• 21. Public participation• 22. Responsibility for damage• 23. Non-discrimination• 24. Disputes solution• 25. River Commission• 26. Competence of the Commission• 27. Changes and amendments• 28. Annexes• 29. Obligations by other agreements• 30. Action of Agreement

Main directions of cooperation Main directions of cooperation in accordance with draft in accordance with draft

agreementagreement

• Development of sustainable water use, based on long-term protection of water resources;

• Substantial lowering of water pollution of the river and the Black Sea;

• Prevention of degradation and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity in Dniester River basin;

• Use, protection and sustainable management of biological resources;

• Prevention and lowering of consequences of floods, droughts and other negative influence of waters.

To realize the agreement Parties aTo realize the agreement Parties adopt national and

inter-state programs and plans : :a) To control pollution, and establish time-limits for realization;b) To develop sustainable water use, prevention of negative water actions, protection of biodiversity, conservation and rational use of biological resources

Согласованные руководящие Согласованные руководящие принципы и стандартыпринципы и стандарты

• coordinate between environment, conservation, land management, development and water sectors

• progression from planning at catchment basin level to implementation at site level

Potention for Wise Use of Potention for Wise Use of Transboundary River SystemsTransboundary River Systems

Possible steps :

1. unilateral work on each side - by NGOs, local stakeholders, governmental authorities >

2. establish contacts in the catchment basin across the borders, regular consultations, cooperation, joint actions >

3. joint planning, elaborate common management planning documents >

4. undertake common, coordinated activities >

5. administer a shared river and its catchment basin jointly, share personnel and resources.

Projects packageProjects package• Dniester-3 (informational data bases)• MATRA (four tributaries improvement)• Soroca town Water & Sanitation (GEF/WB)• Ramsar Site Unguri-Holosnita (Ramsar

Small Fund)Perspective projects:• Support of River Commission activities • Development of River basin programs &

plans• EIA of Novodnestrovsk Hydro-complex• Scientific cooperation on fish resources and

water management

Managing International RiverManaging International River

Lower Dniester

The Ramsar tools, those of other

frameworks should also be used:

UN-ECE Transboundary UN-ECE Transboundary Waters Convention Waters Convention

www.unece.org/env/water/welcome.html

Common Implementation Strategy of the EU Water EU Water Framework Directive Framework Directive

http://europa.eu.int/ comm/environment/water/water-framework/index_en.html