Intersectoral cooperation to support implementation of SDGs

at basin level

2015 UN-Water Annual International Zaragoza Conference

Water and Sustainable Development:

From Vision to Action15-17 January 2015, Zaragoza, Spain

Raimund MAIR

International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR)

Raimund.MAIR@unvienna.org | www.icpdr.org

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Almost 2/3 of global landmass is covered by

International River Basins

What is the issue?

World‘s International River Basins

What is the issue?

The Water Nexus: Diversity of

uses, aspirations and impacts

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Water is an interdisciplinary and cross-

cutting issue

GOAL 12Ensure sustainable consumption

and production patterns

GOAL 13Take urgent action to combat

climate change and its impacts

GOAL 14Conserve and sustainably use the

oceans, seas and marine resources

for sustainable development

GOAL 15Protect, restore and promote sustainable

use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably

manage forests, combat desertification, and

halt and reverse land degradation and halt

biodiversity loss

GOAL 7Ensure access to affordable,

reliable, sustainable and modern

energy for all

GOAL 2End hunger, achieve food security

and improved nutrition and promote

sustainable agriculture

What is the issue?

“Water-related SDGs?”

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6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to

safe and affordable drinking water for all

6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable

sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation,

paying special attention to the needs of women and girls

and those in vulnerable situations

6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing

pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of

hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the

proportion of untreated wastewater and increasing

recycling and safe reuse by [x] per cent globally

6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency

across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals

and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and

substantially reduce the number of people suffering

from water scarcity

6.5 By 2030, implement integrated water resources

management at all levels, including through

transboundary cooperation as appropriate

6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related

ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands,

rivers, aquifers and lakes

GOAL 6Ensure availability and sustainable

management of water and sanitation for all

... ...

19 countries: Most international

River Basin in the World

Water cooperation: International

Commission for the Protection of

the Danube River (ICPDR)

The Danube experience

Contracting parties: 14 countries - 9 EU Member States, 5

Non EU Member States + European Union

ICPDR: The platform for countries to draft and adopt the

Danube River Basin Management and Danube Flood Risk

Management Plans (EU Water Framework Directive and EU

Floods Directive)

You are here

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Key tools for Integrated Transboundary Water Resources Management

Regularly updated Management Plans

6-years management cycle

Integrated approach with stakeholder involvement

The Danube experience

Integrated River Basin and Flood Risk

Management Planning on international

basin-wide level

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Why intersectoral cooperation

and stakeholder involvement?

© Pressebildagentur Votava

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Gain from

intersectoral

cooperation Aft

er

Cre

igh

ton

20

05

Intersectoral

cooperation

Unilateral

Decision

Problem

identified

Decision

made

Implementation

Gain from intersectoral

cooperation and stakeholder

involvement

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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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In addition:Targeted activities on inland navigation and hydropower

How to ensure sustainable water protection and non-

deterioration of Danube Basin water bodies & Nature Protection

sites if infrastructure projects will be built?

How to make a step from confrontation to reconciliation,

cooperation or even win-win solutions?

Can we guide infrastructure development that it won’t conflict

with legal requirements for environmental protection but ensure

their achievement?

Major number of infrastructure projects under preparation/implementation

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First response 2007:

Cross-sector dialogue inland navigation & environment

Broad stakeholder process

12 Basin Governments

22 industry and environmental

interest groups

3 River Commissions

3 Workshops

Result: New commitment

“Joint Statement” (2007)

© Zinke

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Sustainable Hydropower

Altered flow regime

and sediment

dynamics

Ecological impacts

Social impacts© ÖKF

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Increase of energy from

renewables

Reduction greenhouse gas

emissions

Balancing supply and demand© VERBUND © E.ON Wasserkraft GmbH / Author R. Sturm

Sustainable Hydropower

in the Danube Basin

Political mandate to develop „Guiding Principles on

Sustainable Hydropower Develoment in the Danube Basin“

Two years process 2011 – 2013: 4 Meetings, 2 Workshops

Broad participative process - administrations from energy and

environment, business representatives, NGOs, scientific

community, other relevant institutions

Guiding Principles, Background Report, Good Practice Examples

Adopted in June 2013

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Guiding Principles Sustainable Hydropower

Main elements

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Application of Guiding Principles - Range of benefits:

Energy sector: Streamlined authorisation processes, improvement of predictability and upfront

information where authorisation is likely

Environmental sector: Transparency, involvement in decision making process, protection of sensitive

river stretches

Authorities: Increase of security for legal compliance, balanced approached with involvement of relevant

actors at an early stage, accelerated implementation of legislation

Other important issues

Sustainable Flood Risk

Management

Sustainable Agriculture16

In 2007, following conditions of the Black Sea were identified:

The “Dead Zone” in the Western Black Sea has been virtually eliminated

Oxygen Levels are at near saturation in most areas

Number of Benthic Species increased 1.5-2 times with respect to 1980

Other important issuesTransboundary River Basin Management

and the Marine Ecosystem

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1979 2007

Source: UNDP GEF “The Black Sea

Ecosystems Recovery Project” (completed

in April 2008)

The Danube experience

Conclusions

Two-thirds of global landmass covered by transboundary river basins

Water is a cross-cutting issue (Water Nexus), requiring intersectoral cooperation

- Establishment of possibilities for formal but also informal exchange

- Creation of better common understanding on requirements and constraints

different sectors are confronted with

- Integration of potentially conflicting objectives from the beginning

- Accelerated implementation and creation of benefits for sectors involved

Integrated Transboundary River Basin Managment is pre-requisite for

achievement of different SDGs (water supply and sanitation, health, food,

energy, ecosystems, marine environment, climate change, etc.)

Important catalyst for triggering related national discussions and processes

But requires…

Legal/institutional framework for transboundary cooperation and resources

Political support and dedication of actors involved18

Thank you for your kind attention!

For more information please consult the ICPDR website

http://www.icpdr.org

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