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

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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