The challenges of overcoming boundaries:The experience of the Danube River

Basin Commission

Indo-European Water Forum23-24 November 2015, New Delhi, India

Mr. Raimund MAIRTechnical Expert River Basin Management

International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR)Raimund.MAIR@unvienna.org

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Catchment Area: 800.000 km2 | 80 Mio. People | 19 Countries | Most international River Basin in the World

The Danube River BasinHeterogeneity

EU Member States (MS), Non-EU MS, Candidate Countries > 10 different languages; but working language is English Heterogenic socio-economic realities: Economic growth,

employment rates, armed conflicts in recent history, ... GDP: Range between ~ 5,000 and ~ 45,000 $/capita (PPP)

GDP per capita (PPP/International $) of Danube countries (2013)

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1989: Fall of the Iron Curtain

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Danube RiverProtection Convention (DRPC)

signed 29 June 1994, Sofia (Bulgaria)

Protection of water & ecological resources

Sustainable useof water

Reduce nutrients & hazardous substances

ICPDR coordinates implementation of EU Water Framework Directive & EU Floods Directive on basin-wide level

Manage floods& ice hazards

Germany

Austria

Czech Republic

Slovakia

Hungary

Slovenia

Croatia

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Serbia

Montenegro

Romania

Bulgaria

Rep. of Moldova

Ukraine

European Union

ICPDRContracting Parties

– EU Member States (9)– Non-EU Member States (5)

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Range of expert groups addressing variety of different water management aspects

Participation of country experts and stakeholder representatives

Stakeholder Involvement23 Observer Organisations

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Two Management Plans for the Danube River Basin(to be adopted by ICPDR on 1-2 December 2015)

2nd Danube River Basin

Management Plan Update 2015

1st Danube Flood Risk Management

Plan 2015

Part A International, basin-wide level - the roof level (ICPDR)Part B National level and/or the internationally coordinated sub-

basin level for selected sub-basins (e.g. Sava and Tisza)Part C Sub-unit level, defined as management units within the national territory

The information increases in detail from Part A to Parts B and C.

Water Framework and Floods Directive

Coordination mechanisms

River Basin Management is based on three levels of coordination

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WFD Danube River Basin Management Plan

Significant Water Management Issues on basin-wide level

Organic Pollution

Nutrient Pollution

Hazardous Substances

Pollution

Hydromorphological

Alterations

Priorities for actions – defined via results Analysis Report (pressures assessment) and public involvement

Updated every 6 years (2 years before deadline for next River Basin Management Plan)

You can't manage what you don't measure!

Transnational Monitoring Network (TNMN)

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Joint Danube Surveys1st 2001, 2nd 2007, 3rd 2013

Ecological status/potential: ~ 25% good or above

Example: Results Monitoring ProgramsEcological & Chemical Status

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Chemical status: ~ 70% good *excluding mercury in biota

Example Measures: Urban Wastewater TreatmentReference situation 2005/2006

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Example Measures: Urban Wastewater TreatmentReference situation 2011/2012

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Example Measures: Urban Wastewater TreatmentBaseline scenario 2021

19Expected reduction of organic emissions from Urban Wastewater by half until 2021

Successful restoration measure: Fish stocks 2000 and 2014

Example for measuresRestoration of hydromorphology

River hydromorphology - key issue for a healthy ecosystem 120 fish migration aids completed 2015; additional 140+ by 2021

Restoration river morphology, re-connection floodplains Ecological flows, restoration river banks, hydropeaking, ...

Sustainable Hydropower in the Danube River Basin

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© VERBUND

Renewable energy & climate mitigation policies major driver for hydropower development

How to increase hydropower generation while avoiding significant negative ecological (and social) impacts? Existing facilities: Technical upgrading and ecological restoration New hydropower: Best locations? Criteria-based strategic planning Mitigation measures (ecological flows, fish migration, ...)

Guiding Principles Sustainable Hydropower

Key objective:Increase of generation while avoiding significant negative impacts!

www.hydrosustainability.org

International Hydropower Association (IHA)Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol

P-1: Consultation & Communications P-2: Governance

P-3: Demonstrated Need & Strategic Fit

P-4: Siting & Design

P-5: Environmental & Social Impact Assessment & Management

P-6: Integrated Project Management

P-7: Hydrological Resource

P-8: Infrastructure Safety

P-9: Financial Viability

P-10: Project Benefits

P-11: Economic Viability P-12: Procurement P-13: Project-Affected Communities & Livelihoods

P-14: Resettlement

P-15: Indigenous Peoples

P-16: Labour & Working Conditions

P-17: Cultural Heritage

P-18: Public Health

P-19: Biodiversity & Invasive Species

P-20: Erosion & Sedimentation

P-21: Water Quality

P-22: Reservoir Planning

P-23: Downstream Flow Regimes

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1st Danube Flood Risk Management Plan 2015 - 2021

1st Danube Flood Risk Management Plan 2015

• Flood hazard maps

• Flood risk maps

• Basin-wide objectives: Avoidance of new risks Reduction of existing risks Strengthening resilience Raising awareness Solidarity principle

• Measures 2015 - 2021

• Coordination with WFD

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Flood Hazard Map

ConclusionsThe Danube experience

1. Recognition that local, national & basin-wide levels are inter-related & interdependent

2. Clear and shared legal framework for cooperation (DRPC, EU WFD, FD) is pre-requisite for practical progress

3. Involvement of key players at political and administrative level – engagement, support, dedication, resources

4. Efficient structures: Secretariat and Working Groups with experts from national level

5. Strong Civil Society engagement via direct involvement of observers & public participation

ConclusionsThe Danube experience

6. Policy coherence - major efforts towards integration with other sector policies (water – floods – energy – navigation - agriculture - climate change adaptation - ...)

7. Focus on key issues at basin-wide level / not to get lost in details! Joint selection of strategic level measures

8. Evidence-based decision making - Need for assessments...

And finally...

9. Mutual understanding, shared efforts and building of trust are key to success

ICPDR Secretariat / Vienna International Centre, D0412 / P.O. Box 500 / 1400 Vienna / Austria Phone +43 1 26060-5738 / Fax +43 1 26060-5895 / icpdr@unvienna.org / www.icpdr.org

It was our sincere pleasure to recently host our colleagues from India

Mr. Nikhilesh Jha, Mr. S. K. Joshi, Mr. M. K. Jadav, Mr. Navin Prakash, Mr. M. Satyanarayana and Mr. Babu Nair

in Vienna and at the ICPDR premises.

Thank you very much!