Enhancing Water Quality in the Danube Region: EUSDR Priority Area 04
The Annual Stakeholder Seminar focused on the vital role of environmental protection in the development of the Danube region within the EU strategy. Addressing water quality issues, particularly pollution from various sources, is crucial for sustainable growth. The mandate of EUSDR PA 04 includes activities to improve water quality through cooperation and concrete targets. Achieving these targets involves reducing pollution and implementing specific measures outlined in River Basin Management Plans.
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Annual Stakeholder Seminar of the Pillar II. Protecting the Environment of the EU Strategy for Danube Region 06 November, 2012, Budapest Restoring and maintenance the quality Restoring and maintenance the quality of waters of waters (EUSDR Priority (EUSDR Priority Area 04) rea 04) Radoslav Bujnovsk Radoslav Bujnovsk Water Research Institute, Bratislava Water Research Institute, Bratislava bujnovsky@vuvh.sk bujnovsky@vuvh.sk
Introduction Introduction Environment protection is indispensable part of Danube region development that is embedded in the recent EU strategic documents (e.g. EU Strategy for Danube Region, Europe 2020). In harmony with concept of sustainable development, one of four EUSDR pillars represents the area of environment. Sustainable use of the Danube Region, as a major international hydrological basin and ecological corridor, requires a regional approach to nature conservation, spatial planning and water management.
Water quality represents world-wide significant policy problem. Reaching the good state of waters through the implementation of WFD in EU countries and relevant national legislation in non EU countries is perceived as a basic precondition of prosperous Danube Region development. Although the water pollution is mainly problem of agricultural activities and untreated sewage, the environmental impact of transport links, tourist development, or new energy-producing facilities is not negligible.
Mandate of Mandate of EUSDR EUSDR PA 04 PA 04 A: A: Provision of activities focused on improvement of water quality in Danube Region countries through fulfilment of targets and actions. B: B: Support of the approval of project proposals relevant to PA04 C: C: Development of cooperation with other PAs within and outside the Pillar B.
A: A: Provision of activities focused on improvement of Provision of activities focused on improvement of water quality in Danube Region countries through fulfilment water quality in Danube Region countries through fulfilment of of targets and actions targets and actions The River Basin Management Plans set concrete targets and measures that improve water quality through reducing pollution from organic, nutrient or hazardous substances. In harmony with that, PA 04 has defined 5 targets and 14 actions.
PA04 PA04 TARGETS: : 1. Achieve the management objectives set out in the Danube River Basin Management Plan 2. Reduce the nutrient levels in the Danube river to allow the recovery of the Black sea ecosystems to conditions similar to 1960s 3. Elaborate a Danube delta analysis report by 2013 as a step towards completion of the Delta management plan, which shall be adopted by 2015 4. Elaborate, adopt and implement sub basin management plans, such as Sava, Tisza and Prut sub basins 5. Secure viable populations of Danube sturgeon species.
PA PA 04 1. To implement fully the Danube River Basin Management Plan 2. To greatly strengthen cooperation at sub-basin level 3. To continue to invest in and support the information collection systems already developed by ICPDR 4. To continue boosting major investments in building and upgrading urban wastewater treatment facilities across the Danube Basin, including measures to build capacity at the regional and local level for the design of such infrastructure 5. To establish buffer strips along the rivers to retain nutrients and to promote alternative collection and treatment of waste in small rural settlements 04 ACTIONS: :
PA PA 04 6. To foster and develop an active process of dialogue and cooperation between authorities responsible for agriculture and environment to ensure that measures are taken to address agricultural pollution 7. To legislate at the appropriate level to limit the presence of phosphates in detergents 8. To treat hazardous substances and contaminated sludge with the newest and best available technology and to develop and promote remediation measures 9. To assure the proper control and progressive substitution of substances that are considered problematic for Danube Region 10. To reduce existing water continuity interruption for fish migration in the Danube river basin 04 ACTIONS cont.: :
PA PA 04 11. To promote measures to limit water abstraction 12. To strengthen general awareness and facilities exchange of good practice in integrated water management issues in the Danube Basin among decision-makers at all levels and among the population of the Region 13. To promote measures aimed at reducing knowledge deficits, developing and transferring tools, methods and guidelines concerning the safeguarding of drinking water supply 14. To further strengthen Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Maritime Spatial Planning practices on the Western shores of the Black Sea. 04 ACTIONS cont.: :
Most PA04 actions are related to achievement the management objectives set out in the DRBMP and reduction of nutrients in Danube river. Integration of PA04 actions into PA04 targets Integration of PA04 actions into PA04 targets
B: Support of the approval of project proposals relevant to PA04 B: Support of the approval of project proposals relevant to PA04 area area Priority Area 4 Steering Group can label having implementation relevance for the Danube Region Strategy and support the approval and subsequent funding of proposed projects through drawing up a Letter of Recommendation Letter of Recommendation. label appropriate projects as
List of proposed projects List of proposed projects supplied with LoRs: : - Blue Danube Improved framework conditions for fast track eco- innovation in waste water treatment (Activity 04) - ProTisza Promoting strategic partnership enabling cooperation in the Tisza river basin (Activity 02) - Danube sediment management assessment for restoration of sediment balance in the Danube river basin (Activity 10) - CC-Ware Mitigating vulnerability of water resources (Activity 12) - FoWaP Forests for drinking water protection (Activity 13) - SEE River Sustainable integrated management of international river corridors in SEE countries (Activity 02) - SEWABIS Environmental status of sediment, water and biota in the Sava river basin (Activity 02)
List of proposed projects List of proposed projects supplied with LoRs (cont.): : - GoodWater Strategies for development the water management instruments on water protected areas (Activity 12) - PS-RED Emissions reduction of priority substances in the Danube basin (Activity 01) - Hydrology study for the Sava river basin (Activity 02) - Towards sustainable sediment management using the Sava river basin as a showcase (Activity 02) - Protection and sustainable use of water resources from alluvial aquifers in the Sava river basin (Activity 12) - ICZM Improvement of the integrated coastal zone management in the Black sea region (Activity 14).
C: Development of cooperation with other PAs within and outside C: Development of cooperation with other PAs within and outside the Pillar B the Pillar B This is the general requirement rooted in EUSDR. The immediate way to encourage this process consists in: - participation of PAC 04 as members of most relevant SGs of other PAs for mutual information exchange - assisting of PAC04 at preparation of cross-cutting project proposals through sharing available information with other project partners.
