Assessing transboundary rivers, lakes and groundwaters continent-wide

Transcription

1 Assessing transboundary rivers, lakes and groundwaters continent-wide Dr. Annukka Lipponen Coordinator of the Assessment United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

2 About the Second Assessment Prepared under UNECE Water Convention In 2003 the Parties to the Water Convention decided to regularly carry out regional assessments; First Assessment in 2007 Second Assessment prepared at the request of the 6th Environment for Europe Ministerial conference

3 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes Signed in 1992, into force in 1996 Two protocols Ratified by 37 countries and the European Community Amended in 2003 to allow access to non-unece countries

4 Scope Covers more than 140 rivers, 25 lakes, about 200 groundwaters and 25 Ramsar Sites and other wetlands of transboundary importance Covers pressure factors, quantity and quality status of waters, transboundary impacts, responses and future trends

5 Main transboundary surface waters and groundwaters in Western, Central and Eastern Europe

6 Main transboundary surface waters and groundwaters in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia

7 Characteristics More focus compared to the First Assessment on: Institutional aspects of transboundary cooperation (agreements, joint bodies, monitoring and assessment...) Economic and social aspects, health issues, security aspects Water quantity issues Groundwaters Impacts of climate change Ecological aspects

8 Approach & process Subregional focus Based in information by countries (+review and endorsement) Collective effort by Parties and non-parties to the Water Convention, and countries outside the UNECE region Input from Ramsar experts Integration of groundwater and surface water

9 Ramsar Sites and other wetlands of transboundary importance in the Assessment Wetlands of Javakheti Region: Lake Arpi Ararat Valley and Araks river: Floodplain marshes and fish ponds in the Araks river valley Drava-Danube confluence Prespa Park Wetlands Lake Shkodra/Skadar and River Buna/Bojana Lower Danube Green Corridor and Delta Wetlands Domica-Baradla Cave System (Tisza River basin / Slovensky kras Aggtelek aquifer) North Livonian Bogs Lake Peipsi and surrounding lowlands Wetlands along Bug Stokhid-Pripyat-Prostyr Rivers Upper Tisza/Tisa Valley AM, GE, TR AM, AZ, IR, TR HR, HU, RS AL, GR, MK AL, ME BG, MD, RO, UA HU, SK EE, LV EE, RU BY, PL, UA BY, UA HU, RO, SK, UA

10 Ramsar Sites and other wetlands of transboundary importance in the Assessment Pasvik Aydar-Arnasay Lakes Gomishan Lagoon Tobol-Ishim Ili-Delta RU, NO, FI KZ, UZ IR, TM KZ, RU CN, RU Daurian wetlands Xingkai Lake/Lake Khanka Lough Foyle Trilateral Ramsar Site: Floodplains of the Morava- Dyje-Danube Confluence Rhin supérieur/oberrhein Krokonose/Karkonosze Wadden Sea Txingudi Lake Geneva CN, MN, RU CN, RU GB, IE AT, CZ, SK FR, GE CZ, PL DK, GE, NL FR, ES FR, CH

11 Significance of the Ramsar assessments underline the importance of water-dependent ecosystems in transboundary basins, not least through the various services that they provide. show the interlinkages between transboundary wetland management and management of transboundary waters

12 Selected findings related to ecosystems Policy integration! Restoring river hydromorphology a major challenge Other pressures on wetlands: forestry and peat extraction operations, urbanization, agriculture, fires, aquaculture, hunting, recreation etc. Ecological flows not sufficiently considered; balancing between different water uses and protection of ecosystems necessary

13 Successes Builds on the First Assessment - continuity Preparatory process as such promoted exchange, cooperation and capacity building (workshops) Common assessment as a tool to harmonize approaches Partnership (Ramsar, IWAC, UNEP/GRID, IGRAC etc) Provides a strong basis for all the work under the Water Convention A lot of information compiled a reference piece of work

14 Follow-up Dissemination of the findings Promotion of use of the information in planning, projects, awareness raising, education etc ideas welcome Findings to be used in the development of the Water Convention's future programme of work or future strategy Stock-taking workshop in February 2012

15 Future of assessing transboundary waters under UNECE Water Convention Next extensive Assessment in 8-10 years A special edition within 4 years with a different scope and approach: 1) focus on a specific theme A pressure (e.g. agriculture, hydropower) A cross-cutting theme (e.g. climate change and extreme events, ecosystems and biodiversity) A response measure (e.g. river basin management plans, monitoring and assessment systems) 2) assessment limited to a representative number of basins

16 Future of assessing transboundary waters under UNECE Water Convention ( ) Options to be discussed and decision to be taken by the 6 th MoP to the Water Convention in 2012 Partnerships sought