www.ecologic.eu International cooperation for transboundary water pollution control: The Rhine River example The Rhine River example Dr. Darla Nickel Ecologic Institute
www.ecologic.eu 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 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 2
www.ecologic.eu 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 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 3
www.ecologic.eu …and in Germany 10 river basins, 6 transboundary 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 4
www.ecologic.eu 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 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 5
www.ecologic.eu 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 functions The 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 . 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 6
www.ecologic.eu 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 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 7
www.ecologic.eu 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 management national, 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. 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 8
www.ecologic.eu Focus upon transboundary pollution control and prevention 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 WFD 2001 – 2020 Rhine 2020 programme www.iksr.org 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 9
www.ecologic.eu 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. 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 10
www.ecologic.eu 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.) � Clear targets for chemistry, technology and biology 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 11
www.ecologic.eu Warning and alarm plan Rhine (WAP) In case of accident, the WAP informs neighboring countries Seven main warning centers Survellience and chemical monitoring Survellience 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 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 12
www.ecologic.eu 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 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 13
www.ecologic.eu 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) 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 14
www.ecologic.eu Rhine 2020 Programme strategies for pollution control Strategies (measures and targets) aimed at reducing: Diffuse pollution 1. of nutrients and pesticides Micropollution such as pharmaceuticals and other 2. new dangerous substances Improving the quality of river 3. sediments 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 15
www.ecologic.eu 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!). 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 16
www.ecologic.eu 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
www.ecologic.eu Recommendations, components of coordinated action 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 4 April 2011 Dr. Darla Nickel 18
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