international cooperation for transboundary water pollution … · 2019-10-08 · pollution...

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International cooperation fortransboundary water pollution control:

The Rhine River exampleThe Rhine River example

Dr. Darla NickelEcologic Institute

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Table of content

Transboundary river basins in Europe and Germany

The legislative framework

Transboundary pollution control: the Rhine case study

The Rhine Action programmes: approaches, achievements, challenges

Success factors

Lessons learned

Recommendations, components of coordinated action

2Dr. Darla Nickel4 April 2011

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Transboundary river basins in Europe…

60% of the EU surface area lies in river

basins that cross at least one national

border

All EU Member States except Cyprus

and Malta contain sections of at least

one international river basin district.

Map shows EU river basin districts as

designated by member states

Green: international river basin districts

Yellow: national river basin districts

34 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel

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10 river basins, 6 transboundary

…and in Germany


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Transboundary river basins

…are the rule, not the exception, and cooperation on international rivers

is not new, although the WFD, with its river basin approach, has

accelerated and deepened the process.

Many conventions or agreements on the protection and joint use of Many conventions or agreements on the protection and joint use of

rivers:

the Berne Convention (Rhine, 1963), Danube (1994), Scheldt and Meuse (1994)

Long-standing international commissions for protection (platforms for

coordination) include:

the Rhine (1987), the Mosel and Saar (1990), and the Elb (1991) rivers


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The legislative framework

The Water Framework Directive (WFD), based upon the concept of Integrated

Water Resources Management, is the centerpiece of European water law.

Repeating my colleague, the novelty of the WFD lies in

The focus upon water bodies , not functionsThe focus upon water bodies , not functions

The definition of binding quality objectives , not only limit values

The integration across sectors (shipping, power, public works) and environmental

policy areas (quantity and quality, morphology and dynamics),

Cyclical management and continuous improvement

the change of focus from lines > areas , point > diffuse sources of pollution and

territory > bio-regions .


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Guiding principles for EU environmental legislation

…also for the Water Framework Directive and pollution control

Polluter pays principle

not an easy task when you think of diffuse pollution from agriculture or industry

Reduction of pollution at source principle

Precautionary principle

to protect citizens and environment against the unknown effects of substances

or combinations of substances


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Guiding principles for EU environmental legislation

…also for the Water Framework Directive and pollution control

And, perhaps most important, the principle of subsidiarity

the most efficient and effective distribution of competencies between international,

national, regional and local levels of governance and managementnational, regional and local levels of governance and management

establish the best level of action for a particular issue,

e.g. a specific type of pollution within a specific bio-region

Subsidiarity in a functional sense also means considering and managing various

often overlaping units of management:

river basins, sub-basins or groups of basins, groundwater systems, surface water

systems, coastal zones, wetlands, etc.


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Focus upon transboundary pollution control and preventi on

Case study Rhine Commission: a history of cooperation

1963 The Berne convention for the protection of the

Rhine (Switzerland, France, Luxemburg, Germany

and the Netherlands)

1976 Convention on the Protection of the Rhine

against Chemical Pollution

1986 – 2000 Rhine Action Programme

1999 New Convention on the Protection of the Rhine

replacing the previous two conventions

2001 – 2020 Rhine 2020 programme

9

www.iksr.org

WFD


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The point of departure

By the 1960‘s, the Rhine was considered the sewer of Europe:

Man-made alterations of river flow and morphology causing serious ecological

damage (e.g. the disappearance of the Atlantic Salmon)

High organic pollution load resulting in oxygen depletion and the disappearance of High organic pollution load resulting in oxygen depletion and the disappearance of

aquatic life

Effluents of heavy metals compounds, hydrocarbons, pesticides, and organic

chlorine compounds from chemical factories causing pollution of basin sediments as

well as the disappearance of native fish species.


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The Rhine Action Programme (1986 – 2000)

Focus upon the reduction of point source pollutant inputs from industrial

and municipal origin

Agreement upon priority substances, which were subsequently reduced by 70 – 100 %

Degree of connection of municipalities and industry to waste water treatment increased

from 85 – 95 %

Wide-spread construction of fish passages , recovery of Rhine fauna up to Basel

Reduction of accidents by introducing recommendations for industrial accident

prevention measures (licensing, surveillance, on-site warning systems, sealing

systems and overfill protection for hazardous substance contianers, etc.)

11

� Clear targets for chemistry, technology and biology


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Warning and alarm plan Rhine (WAP)

In case of accident, the WAP informs

neighboring countries

Seven main warning centers

Survellience and chemical monitoringSurvellience and chemical monitoring

Rhine Alarm model computer model to

show the development of a pollutant wave

in the Rhine from Lake Constance to the

North Sea, applied by all main warning

centres


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Ongoing challenges

Pollution originating from surface run-off

Diffuse inputs of nitrogen and pollutants from agriculture

Pollution due to historically polluted river sediments

Substances measured in very low concentrations in water bodies

(micro-pollutions)

Navigation, which continues to accidentally or deliberately discharge

substances into the water


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The continuation: Rhine 2020 Programme (2000 – 2020)

Implementation of the WFD and IWRM with targets on

Ecosystem improvement (habitat connectivity)

Flood prevention and protection

Continued water quality improvement, ensuring

Drinking and bathing water standards

Edibility of mussels and crustaceans

Usibility of dredged material (sediment quality)


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Rhine 2020 Programme strategies for pollution contr ol

Strategies (measures and targets) aimed at reducing:

Diffuse pollution

of nutrients and

pesticides

1.

15

Micropollution such as

pharmaceuticals and other

new dangerous substances

Improving the

quality of river

sediments

2.

3.


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Central success factors for the Rhine Programmes

The existance of an established framework for cooperation (the IKSR) and of rapport

and trust between the partners,

Agreement upon issues of concern, clear targets for limit values for harmful chemical

substances and upon quality objectives which enable – together with effective

monitoring – the assessment of success

A favorable political climate following the Sandoz accident on the Rhine in 1986 and

conducive parallel political action on an EU level

E.g. the waste water treatment and the nitrates directives in 1991

Participation : the inclusion of regional and local authorities, stakeholders, NGO‘s and the

public in the decision making process (long before the WFD!).


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Lessons learned

The establishment of rapport and trust as a basis for agreement is a

time-intensive process

2 decades between the establishment of cooperation and the agreement upon the

Rhine Action Plan! Rhine Action Plan!

Cultural, institutional and language barriers need to be overcome

Limitations to cooperation until now in addressing diffuse pollution

Additional legislative support, including e.g. changes to subsidy systems for

agriculture and the designation of water protection areas, and also a more wide-

spread application of best agricultural practice will be required.

4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 17

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Common platform for coordination (i.e. Commission)

Discussion on quality objectives, identification of challenges

Harmonization of legislation, methods, and mechanisms

Learning

Bilateral or multilateral cooperation agreements

The application of the IWRM principles to achieve not only pollution

reduction and prevention but also ecosystem restoration


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Application of the subsidiarity principle:

Utilisation of existing regional structures, organisation of coordination mechanisms

One central overseeing body with subsidiary departments or institutions to organise

and carry out day-to-day work in the river basins.and carry out day-to-day work in the river basins.

Involvement of stakeholders and the general public (participation)

awareness raising and legitimization, changing behaviour


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Thank you for listening.

4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 20

Darla Nickel

Ecologic Institute, Pfalzburger Str. 43-44, D-10717 BerlinTel. +49 (30) 86880-0, Fax +49 (30) 86880-100

[email protected]

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international cooperation for transboundary water pollution … · 2019-10-08 · pollution...

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