Dejan Komatina, Ph.D. Civ. Eng., Secretary, ISRBC

IWRM in the Sava River Basin – a basis for sustainable development

of the region

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Background

• Framework Agreement on the Sava River Basin (FASRB)

– Signed in 2002, ratified in 2004

– The first multilateral agreement in the region signed after the Agreement on succession

– International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC) established in June 2005

– Secretariat of the ISRBC started to work in January 2006

– Provides the ISRBC with the broadest scope of work among European basin organizations (i.e. river commissions)

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Overall objective

Transboundary cooperation for sustainable development of the region

– Issues of sustainability:• Improvement of water quality• Maintenance of water quantity• Protection of aquatic ecosystem• Protection against the harmful effects of water

(due to floods, ice, droughts, accidents)

– Development activities:• Different kinds of water use

(navigation, hydropower generation, water supply, sewerage, irrigation and drainage, fishery, tourism and recreation)

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Structure

• Governmental sector– Officially nominated

national institutions– Other national

institutions

• Non-gov. sector

• Academic sector

• Business sector

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Activities

• Coordination of:

– Development of strategic plans for the Sava River Basin (RBM, FRM)

– Establishment of integrated systems for the Sava River Basin (GIS, RIS, HMIS, FFWS, AEWS)

– Preparation of development programs for the Sava River Basin• Rehabilitation and development of navigation• Development of tourism

– Harmonization of regulation (national EU)

– Creation of additional protocols to the FASRB

• Cooperation / stakeholder involvement / public participation

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Example

• Rehabilitation of the Waterway on the Sava River

– Planning phase (studies, design)

– Technical standards (rules harmonized with EU and UNECE regulation)

– Protocol on prevention of water pollution caused by navigation

– Sava RBM Plan

– Climate Adaptation Plan

– Sediment Management Plan

– Initial phase of the RIS development

3.5 – 9.6 million tonnes

3 - 8 million

5.8 – 15.5 million tonnes 7.8 – 20.8 million tonnes

Sisak Bosanski Brod Brcko Belgrade

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Example

• Rehabilitation of the Waterway on the Sava River

– Joint Statement (ICPDR, DC, ISRBC, and EC)

– Manual on Integrated IWT Planning (EU FP7 PLATINA Project)

– WANDA (SEE TCP Project)

Cruiser “Victor Hugo”, Sisak, June 2010

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Added value

• Key features of the approach

– Cohesive, providing conditions for:• Cooperation of the countries after the conflict• Implementation of joint, basin-wide projects• Harmonization of national regulation, methodologies, procedures …

– Integrated (whole basin; sustainability and development)

– Transparent (public participation)

– Aligned with the EU and UNECE regulation (EU Directives, UNECE Water Convention, ...)

– Subregional (“finer resolution” of results than on a regional scale)

– Pragmatic and practical (offering concrete “products” to the Parties – joint plans, development programs, protocols, harmonized regulation, integrated systems)

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Added value

• Indicators

– Interest in the Sava model• Central Asia (Tajikistan; UNECE)• Europe (Conf. on Conventions on

Int’l Waters; Parl. Assembly of the Council of Europe)

• Mediterranean (Lebanon; GWP-Mediterranean)

– Recognition of the Joint Statement Process

• EU (e.g. in the European Parliament resolution on EU Strategy for the Danube Region)

• Similar processes to be launched in the fields of hydropower and agriculture

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Relevance to EU 2020

• Sustainable growth

– Programs for sustainable development of the region (navigation, tourism)

– Climate change adaptation (two ongoing projects)

– Use of hydropower as a renewable energy source

• Smart growth

– Involvement of academic sector

– Establishment of information systems for the Sava river basin

• Inclusive growth

– Fostering contribution of SMEs to sustainable development of the region

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Key challenges

• Differences between the countries

– Status with respect to EU & eligibility for approaching funds

– Level of economic development (financial resources)

– Organizational structure in decision-making process

– Environmental awareness of the public

• Financing priority projects / strategic studies, establishment of integrated systems

• Resolving conflicts of interests of different users of water (within a country / between countries / climate change)

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Funding of the activities

• Funding of projects from external sources improving steadily (share of the projects funded from international programs / funds increasing)

• Funding for the priority projects needed

• EU Strategy for the Danube Region expected to be an appropriate framework

• Roundtable on fund raising activities for the ISRBC projects (Sarajevo, B&H, 17 May 2011)

• 3rd Meeting of the Parties to the FASRB (Brdo near Kranj, Slovenia, 31 May – 1 June 2011)

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Detailed informationwww.savacommission.org