Responsible body: Working Group on Integrated Water Resources Management, with Switzerland as lead Party, assisted by the Legal Board and the Joint Ad Hoc Expert Group on Water and Industrial Accidents established under the Water Convention and the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents (Industrial Accidents Convention), with Germany and Hungary as lead countries.

Rationale: The focus of this programme area is on intersectoral activities to support the implementation of the Convention with regard to integrated management of transboundary water resources. Activities aim to prevent, control and reduce transboundary impact and thereby prevent damage to the environment; promote the ecosystem approach in the framework of integrated water resources management (IWRM); ensure conservation and, where necessary, restoration of water-related ecosystems; promote the concept of payments for ecosystem services; prevent damage by water, including floods and droughts; build and/or strengthen institutions responsible for the management of transboundary waters; facilitate the work of joint bodies; and promote access to information and public participation in decision-making. Work under this programme area will include awareness-raising and capacity-building activities. It will also in particular assist countries in SEE and EECCA and thereby contribute to the implementation of the EECCA Environment Strategy and the EU Water Initiative.

2.1 Implementation of the Convention

2.1.1 Strategic guidance on integrated management of transboundary water resources

Work to be undertaken: The Meeting of the Parties will develop strategic guidance on integrated management of transboundary water resources. The guidance will take into account the results and recommendations reached under previous Convention’s activities as well as material developed by other partners, will focus on EECCA and SEE, promote a step-by-step approach and will reflect the experience in the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive. In the development of the strategic guidance, the experience of the Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment will be taken into account, moreover capacity building activities carried out under workplan element 2.2 will be used to develop and test the guidance. Furthermore, the Legal Board will develop guidance on a legally sound interpretation of the provisions of the Convention whose misinterpretation hampers ratification (such as the polluter-pays principle).

Lead Party: Switzerland for the strategic guidance.

Participating Countries: Finland , Romania and others to be defined.

Possible Partners: Cooperation will be sought with UNDP, the Global Water Partnership (GWP), UNESCO and its Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science, the Regional Environmental Centers and others to be defined. The Legal Board will be involved in the legal issues.

2.1.2 Ecosystem services and payments for such services in integrated water resources management

Work to be undertaken: The Meeting of the Parties will support the implementation of the Recommendations on payments for ecosystem services in integrated water resources management through: (i) the development of capacity-building and awareness-raising activities (Georgia has expressed interest in the organization of a regional workshop for the Caucasus on the application of the Recommendations); (ii) the development/use of technical guidance on specific aspects of the Rules ; (iii) the development of pilot projects for the implementation of the Recommendations in transboundary river basins in the region (Serbia has expressed its interest in the development of a pilot project on the Kolubara River; Kyrgyzstan has also expressed its interest in a pilot project, Ukraine and Moldova have expressed interest in a pilot on the Dniester River); (iv) the promotion of the Recommendations at the Belgrade Ministerial Conference and at the fifth Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forests in Europe ; and (v) the establishment of a network of experts on payments for ecosystem services. The Parties at their fifth meeting will review the experience in the application of the Recommendations and decide to update, if need be, these Recommendations in light of the practice and lessons learned , technological advances, economic and social factors as well as changes in scientific knowledge and understanding.

Lead Party: Switzerland.

Participating Countries: France, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, The Netherlands, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia and others to be defined.

Possible Partners: The Ramsar Convention secretariat, the UNECE Timber Committee, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UNDP (for using the Recommendations in the framework of their projects), UNEP, UNESCO and its category II centre on Eco-hydrology in Poland (for the implementation of pilot projects), the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE), the EECCA RECS (for the dissemination of information, the development of pilot projects and the organization of regional workshops), WWF and private-sector organizations. Cooperation will also be sought with ongoing or planned international projects, such as GEF-funded projects.

2.1.3 Water and Climate adaptation in transboundary basins, including flood and drought risk management

Work to be undertaken: (a) The Flood Task Force will be transformed into a Water and Climate Task Force, and will prepare a guidance on “Water and Climate Adaptation” for presentation and possible adoption by the Meeting of the Parties at its fifth session. This work will be targeted to support cooperation and decision making in transboundary basins on a range of relevant or emerging issues resulting from climate change, including issues not covered by the 2000 Guidelines on Sustainable Flood Prevention. The work will address possible impacts of climate change on flood and drought occurrences, health related aspects as well as practical ways to cope with the transboundary impacts through adaptation. The adaptation responses to be considered in the context of integrated water resource management (IWRM) include, inter alia, integrated management of surface and groundwater for flood and drought mitigation and response, including benefits of floods to increase water availability and to improve the ecological status of waters. Land use, regional and spatial planning as well as land use management, and their role in reducing flood and drought risks and damage potential, in particular in the transboundary context, will also be considered. Appropriate use will be made of the analysis of some successful cases and/or ongoing projects on transboundary cooperation, and (b) the Task Force should support the transfer of the experience and results of the European Network of Expertise on Flood Risk Management to non-European Union (EU) countries. To this end, two workshops should be organized on flood forecasting and flood risk mapping. Furthermore, the Task Force and the Legal Board should assist Parties to the Convention as well as non-Parties in using the model provisions for transboundary flood management. On the basis of legal developments in the region and experience gained, the two bodies should further develop the provisions and their supporting commentary, as needed.

Lead Party: Germany , the Netherlands and Switzerland in cooperation with Hungary and Greece (lead Party for the flood model provisions).

Participating Countries: Bulgaria , Finland , Georgia, Poland, Portugal , Romania , The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine and others to be defined.

Main Partners: The Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Water and Health for health-related aspects. Cooperation will be sought with the WMO Commission for Hydrology, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification , UNESCO, UNDP, UNEP, OECD, WHO, EU, DG Research, the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the GEF, REC and the Environment and Security Initiative and ICWC.

2.1.4 Management of transboundary groundwaters in the UNECE region

Work to be undertaken: Under this programme area the Core Group on Groundwater will develop activities related to: (a) Water and health issues, to support the implementation of the Protocol on Water and Health, in particular in relation to the use of groundwater as a source of drinking water; (b) Groundwater aspects of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Groundwater Directive, including the promotion outside the EU of the lessons learned under the Common Implementation Strategy for the WFD related to groundwater (monitoring, protected areas, direct/indirect discharge to groundwaters) as well as progress under the currently developed Groundwater Directive. Specific capacity-building workshops could be organized in EECCA and SEE; and
(c) Groundwater-dependent ecosystems. These activities will be carried out in cooperation with the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Water and Health and the Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment.

Lead Parties: Slovakia through the International Water Assessment Centre .

Participating Countries: Hungary Lithuania, Switzerland, Ukarine and others to be defined

Possible Partners: Cooperation will be sought with UNESCO and in particular its International Hydrological Programme (IHP), the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC), the GWP (for the Roundtable on Transboundary Groundwaters in SEE).

2.1.5 EU Water Initiative and National Policy Dialogues

Work to be undertaken: Within the framework of the EECCA component of the EU Water Initiative, the Meeting of the Parties will support the development and implementation of integrated water resources management in EECCA countries at the national and transboundary levels. Work under this programme element will aim to d evelop activities related to IWRM to improve the regulatory and administrative framework, priority setting and project identification, and development of capacity in the EECCA region through a dialogue that will involve, among others, public authorities and representatives of the civil society, thereby contributing to the development of road maps to the water-related Millennium Development Goals and IWRM targets in the EECCA region . To this end, Steering Groups will be set up in the concerned EECCA countries and will include stakeholders of key importance in the development of IWRM plans. The UNECE secretariat will facilitate the development of the National Policy Dialogues in these Steering Groups. The output of the National Policy Dialogues will be the definition and tiered implementation of policy packages addressing issues of importance for IWRM. In the period 2007 – 2009, activities will focus on the establishment of National Policy Dialogues in two or three EECCA countries. The National Policy Dialogues will be presented at the sixth Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe”. The Meeting of the Parties will also cooperate with the Mediterranean component of the EU Water Initiative.

Lead Party: European Commission.

Participating Countries: Armenia, Moldova, Tajikistan and Ukraine and others to be defined.

Possible Partners: Cooperation will be sought with UNDP, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Barcelona Convention and its Mediterranean Action Plan, the EECCA RECs, GWP and others to be defined.

2.1.6 Water and industrial accidents

2.1.6.1 Protocol on Civil Liability

Work to be undertaken: The Meeting of the Parties will organize in [early 2007], jointly with the Conference of the Parties to the Industrial Accidents Convention, a workshop on Transboundary Waters, Transboundary Accidental Pollution, Liability – Challenges and Opportunities . The activity will aim to share information on the latest developments of the critical issues in context of transboundary environment/water pollution and on relevant issues of liability in the UNECE region. The workshop will also allow to analyze obstacles to the ratification of the Protocol on Civil Liability and propose future steps. The outcome will be presented at the sixth Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe”. In preparation for the seminar, a background paper will be prepared in cooperation with the Legal Board analysing the historical pollution events, the evolution and comparison of the Protocol and other relevant civil liability instruments, highlighting difficulties and making preliminary recommendations.

Lead Party: Hungary in cooperation with Greece and Switzerland.

Participating Countries: Romania and others to be defined.

Possible Partners: Cooperation will be sought with organizations from the industrial and insurance sectors, the Basel Convention secretariat and the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) .

2.1.6.2 Joint Ad Hoc Expert Group on Water and Industrial Accidents

Work to be undertaken: Through the Joint Ad Hoc Expert Group on Water and Industrial Accidents, assistance will be provided to implement the activities set out in the joint programme (see ECE/MP.WAT/2006/7 – ECE/CP.TEIA/2006/9), including such issues as: (a) pro vision of guidance and assistance to countries with economies in transition on the implementation of the conclusions and recommendations of the Hamburg seminar; (b) drawing up guidelines and good practices for tailing dams; (c) facilitation of the exchange of information on the functioning of alarm and notification systems at the national, regional and local levels established within the framework of the two Conventions and/or international river commissions (e.g. Rhine, Elbe and Danube) through joint consultations of representatives of points of contact designated under the UNECE Industrial Accident Notification System and river alarm systems; (d) provision of guidance for establishing cross-border contingency plans; (e) promotion of the organization of response exercises, in particular in the transboundary context; (f) drawing up guidelines and good practices for the navigation of ships on rivers; (g) maintenance and updating of existing safety guidelines and good practices for the prevention of accidental transboundary water pollution and provision of guidance on their adaptation to the specific needs and circumstances in river basins; and (h) development of methodologies to identify hazardous activities that handle smaller amounts of substances than those specified in annex I to the Industrial Accidents Convention.

Lead Parties: Germany and Hungary.

Participating Countries : Georgia, The Netherlands, Romania and others to be defined.

Possible Partners: Cooperation will be sought with UNEP, the Basel Convention secretariat, the REC and organizations from the industrial and navigation sectors.

2.2 Capacity-building for integrated water resources management

2.2.1 Integrated management of transboundary waters in EECCA

Work to be undertaken: Within the framework of the UNECE project “Capacity for Water Cooperation” (CWC), this programme element aims to strengthen the capacity of transboundary water management in EECCA. The objective is to create a framework which enables cross-fertilization and exchange of experience between river basins and countries regarding regulatory, institutional, methodological and other aspects of integrated management of transboundary waters and, at the same time, bring in valuable experience from other parts of the UNECE region. CWC also aims to establish a network of EECCA experts involved in transboundary water management who are used to cooperating and sharing knowledge. In the period 2007 –2009, yearly CWC workshops will be organized on specific aspects of transboundary water management, such as the work of transboundary commissions, the implementation of the Protocol on Water and Health, management of transboundary floods or the development of river basin management plans.

Lead Party: To be implemented by the secretariat.

Participating Countries: All EECCA countries and the countries with which they share waters.

Possible Partners: Cooperation will be sought with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNEP, UNESCO, OSCE, the REC, the EECCA RECs and others to be defined.

2.2.2 Synergies between the Water Convention and the EU Water Framework Directive

Work to be undertaken: This programme element aims to introduce the concepts and principles of the EU Water Framework Directive into the water management of non-EU countries, particularly those on the fringe of the enlarged EU. The activities will particularly seek to (i) provide training on guidance documents developed in the framework of the EU Common Implementation Strategy; (ii) transfer early experience on ways of better integrating water management issues into other sectoral policies; (iii) disseminate the results of the EU pilot projects on transboundary water basins under the Common Implementation Strategy; (iv) promote joint implementation of the Convention and the WFD, including through pilot projects; and (v) develop tools to deal with with conflicting water uses (navigation/environment, hydropower/irrigation/fish migration, agriculture/environment).

Lead Parties: Italy for activities in SEE. Poland for activities at the North-Eastern border of the EU (to be confirmed).

Participating Countries: Estonia , Finland, Romania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and others to be defined.

Possible partners: Cooperation will be sought with joint bodies in the region, such as the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) and the International Sava River Basin Commission, ongoing and planned relevant Interreg projects, GWP-MED, REC, INBO, the Estonian-Russian Joint Commission on the Protection and Sustainable Use of Transboundary Waters.

2.2.3 Third International Conference on Sustainable Management of Transboundary Waters in the UNECE Region

Work to be undertaken: A programme committee led by Poland will be responsible for the preparations for the Conference.

Lead Party: Poland in cooperation with Finland.

Participating Countries: The Netherlands (depending on the programme – climate change).

Possible partners: Cooperation will be sought with UNEP, WHO/EURO, the European Commission, j oint bodies in the region and relevant NGOs.