Adopting and implementing of new policies, institutional and regulatory measures for nutrient reduction, Implementing investment projects for water pollution reduction, Capacity building for water pollution management including monitoring systems, Adopting of legal mechanisms at national and regional level (Conventions) to control nutrient releases to the Black Sea, Reinforcing international cooperation for nutrient reduction measures, Implementing pilot project for nutrient reduction with active involvement of stakeholders.

1. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 2
THE DANUBE RIVER BASIN
the most international basin in the world
» 10% of Europe territory
» 81 Mio Inhabitants (10% of Europe)
» 18 Countries
» diverse cultures
» particular situation of transition
countries and new EU members and
candidates
» regional social and economic
disparities

2. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 3
COOPERATION FOR POLLUTION CONTROL IN THE
DANUBE – BLACK SEA REGION
» GEF Support: GEF Danube – Black Sea Strategic
Partnership and TDA/SAP Process
» Danube Convention and the ICPDR
» Black Sea Convention – BSC
» ICPDR/BSC Memorandum of Understanding
» DABLAS Task Force
» EU Water Framework Directive and other EU Directives
» EU Marine Strategy

3. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 4
GEF DANUBE – BLACK SEA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Background
» Pollution of the Black Sea by nutrients – degradation
of ecosystems, reduced biodiversity, economic loss
» Danube – Black Sea MoU (2001), aimed at recovery
of the Black Sea Ecosystems to status of 60ties
» GEF Strategic Partnership – nutrient reduction
measures & policy reforms, supporting the
implementation of the MoU and both the Danube and
the Black Sea Conventions.

4. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 5
GEF DANUBE – BLACK SEA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Summary of objectives
1. Adopting and implementing of new policies, institutional and
regulatory measures for nutrient reduction,
2. Implementing investment projects for water pollution
reduction,
3. Capacity building for water pollution management including
monitoring systems,
4. Adopting of legal mechanisms at national and regional level
(Conventions) to control nutrient releases to the Black Sea,
5. Reinforcing international cooperation for nutrient reduction
measures,
6. Implementing pilot project for nutrient reduction with active
involvement of stakeholders.

5. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 6
GEF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Coordination
» Funds allocated for mid-term stocktaking meeting and
further coordination activities
» STM Nov 2004
» Sustainability of Commissions
» Inter-Ministerial Coordination
» Coordination at Implementing Agencies and projects levels
» Exchange of lessons learned
» New management structure of two regional projects

6. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 7
DANUBE REGIONAL PROJECT
A Summary of Project Activities
» Strengthening Institution(s) – regional level (ICPDR),
national level, other stakeholders;
» Improving Management Tools – river basin
management, Danube GIS, economic instruments;
» Developing Policies – agriculture, industry, land-use and
wetlands, phosphate detergents;
» Promoting Public Participation – NGO strengthening,
Small Grants Programme, public participation and access to
information;
» Implementing Pilot Projects – river basin management,
agriculture, wetlands

7. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 8
COOPERATION IN THE DANUBE RIVER BASIN
Danube River Protection Convention – DRPC
» The legal frame for co-operation to assure protection of
water and ecological resources and their sustainable use
in the Danube River Basin
» signed: 29 June 1994, Sofia / in force: 22 October 1998
International Commission for the Protection of the
Danube River - ICPDR
» Mechanism for cooperation
» 13 contracting parties, including EC

8. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 9
JOINT ACTION PROGRAMME
(status 2004)
ICPDR Response to the SAP
» Trans-national Monitoring Network (TNMN): 79 sampling
stations, 52 determinands in water and 33 in sediments, AQC
implemented
» Pollution control: Emissions Inventories updated
» ICPDR List of priority substances established
» Accident Early Warning System upgraded and fully operational
» Action Programme for Sustainable Flood Protection in the
Danube River Basin developed
» Policy and legal reforms for pollution reduction developed
» Pollution reduction investment programme underway

9. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 10
EU WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE
Legaly Binding Framework for RBM
» sets uniform standards in water policy and integrates different policy
areas involving water issues,
» requires a river basin approach for the development of integrated
and coordinated river basin management,
» stipulates a defined time-frame for the achievement of the good
status of surface water and groundwater,
» introduces the economic analysis of water use in order to estimate
the most cost-effective combination of measures in respect to water
uses,
» includes public participation in the development of river basin
management plans ( active involvement of stakeholders, non-
governmental organisations and citizens).

10. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 11
TDA/WFD Transition
Key Problems Identified
Approved at the Ministerial Meeting –
Vienna, 13 December 2004
Danube Basin Analysis
(WFD Roof Report)

11. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 12
Roof Report / TDA Addressing Different Uses of
DRB Water Resources
» Detail characterisation of surface and ground waters
» Identification of pressures and their causes:
» Pollution
» Hydromorphological alterations due to flood protection, power
generation, navigation, etc
» Other anthropogenic pressures
» Assessment on rivers, lakes, coastal waters and their ecosystems
» Inventory of protected areas (biodiversity)
» Economic analysis of water uses
» Public information and consultation

12. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 13
TDA/WFD Transition
Key Problems Identified
Pressures and Impact Assessment in the DRB
» Organic pollution (from urban settlements, industry,
agriculture
» High risk of ground water pollution from fertilizers, chemicals,
untreated sewage, etc.
» Nutrient loads (N&P) and consequent eutrophication causing
severe ecological imbalance in the Black Sea
» Hazardous substances (29 Danube Priority Substances)
» Hydromorphological alterations (incl. dams, river regulations,
etc.), affecting mainly wetlands and biodiversity

13. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 14
1. Characteristics of the river basin district
2. Significant pressures and impacts of human activity
3. Identification and mapping of protected areas
4. Monitoring networks and monitoring results
5. Environmental objectives and exemptions
6. Economic analysis of water use
7. Programme of measures
8. Register of more detailed programmes and management
plans
9. Public information and consultation measures incl. results
10. List of competent authorities
11. Contact points for obtaining background documentation
Black: chapters included in RR 2004
Red: new chapters for RBM Plan
From: Annex VII WFD – Elements of the river basin management plan
DANUBE RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN
Outline

14. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 15
CONCLUSIONS
» Completion of the revised SAP  Danube WFD Roof Report
» Revised SAP  Danube WFD RBM Plan
» TDA/SAP / WFD approach led to balancing of different uses
of the Danube
» The EU WFD: driving force and mechanism for support of
integrated water management
» DRB Countries made significant progress in establishing the
necessary mechanisms for coordination and cooperation in
transboundary context

15. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 16
CONCLUSIONS
» Major challenges to achieve sustainability in the Danube
Basin:
» Agricultural practices and future development of the sector
towards less intensive and less polluting production
» Investment needed for sufficient treatment of wastewater from
municipalities
» Strategies for industrial development to prevent pollutant
releases to waters.
» Transportation policy respecting natural hydromorphology of
the rivers

16. 3rd Biennial GEF IW 17
GEF SUPPORT IN THE DANUBE BASIN
GEF Danube – Black Sea Strategic Partnership
» country related investment projects (World Bank-GEF
Investment Fund for Nutrient Reduction)
» UNDP/UNEP Black Sea Project
» UNDP Danube Regional Project
» other GEF and donor interventions targeting nutrient
reduction