UNUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
 
done at Helsinki on 17 March 1992
Workshop on adaptation to climate change in water sector
1–2 July 2008, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
The workshop on adaptation to climate change in water sector was organised under the auspices of the Water Convention and of the Protocol on Water and Health to the Convention, following the outcomes of the first meeting of the Task Force on Water and Climate.

The workshop aimed to (a) share experiences and thus assist governments in developing strategies for adaptation to climate change in the water sector and the related health aspects, (b) assess information needs for elaborating such adaptation strategies based on well-informed data and information, and (c) especially address the benefits of and mechanisms for transboundary cooperation in adaptation activities.

The workshop addressed institutional, policy, legal, scientific and financial aspects of adaptation in the water sector, including cross-cutting issues such as education. It also gave an opportunity to present to a wider audience the draft Guidance on water and adaptation to climate change, for discussions and comments, and to enrich it with examples and good practices.

As a preparation for the workshop a survey was conducted among non-EEA countries in the UNECE region in order to identify the expected impact of climate change on water systems as well as the adaptation measures planned or implemented (see Questionnaire in En and Ru). A similar survey was conducted by the EEA previously. The workshop discussed the findings of these surveys.

The workshop was open to experts dealing with water and climate change issues from relevant national, regional and local authorities, the private sector or non-governmental organizations from all UNECE member countries as well as for experts from international organizations.

  English Russian
Information notice
Provisional workshop programme  
Draft Guidance on Water and Climate Adaptation
Background document  
Presentations
Opening session
Welcome speech by the host country, Mrs. Renske Peters, Director for Water Affairs, DG-Water, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, the Netherlands  
Opening speech by Mr. Roger Aertgeerts, Co-Secretary of the Protocol on Water and Health, World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe  
Session 1: Setting the scene
Introduction to the workshop and presentation of the draft Guidance on water and adaptation to climate change, Mr. Joost Buntsma, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water, Management, the Netherlands  
Key messages of the Symposium “Climate Change and the European Water Dimension”, Common Implemen-tation Strategy activities on climate change and the EU water policy until 2009, Ms. Meike Gierk, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation
and Nuclear Safety, Germany
 
Presentation of the findings of the EEA report “Climate change and water adaptation issues” and recent develop-ments, Mr. Peter Kristensen, European Environment Agency  
Climate change impacts and water adaptation strategies: Presentation of the results of the survey carried out in non-EEA countries, Mr. Jos Timmerman, RWS Centre for Water Management, the Netherlands  
Water and adaptation strategy: why health should be in, Ms. Luciana Sinisi, Environment Protection and Technical Services Agency, Italy; Chairperson of the Task Force on Extreme Weather Events  
Session 2: Making adaptation work: policy, legislation and institutions
Adaptation strategies in the transboundary context: the case of the Danube River, Mr. Gheorghe Constantin, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development Romania  
Adaptation needs of the legal framework for transboun-dary waters: challenges posed by climate change, Mr. Justice Gregory J. Hobbs, Colorado Supreme Court; USA  
Session 3: Reducing uncertainty: forecasting, modeling and vulnerability
Introduction on impacts assessment and scenarios, Mr. Pavel Kabat, Wageningen University, the Netherlands  
Governing vulnerability in transboundary context: the Trialog approach, Ms. Marloes Bakker, Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate, the Netherlands  
The experience of the NeWater project: Integrating environmental flows into water management to reduce social vulnerability - an example from the lower Amudarya River Basin, Ms. Gulchekhra Khasankhanova, Design and Research UZGIP Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources Uzbekistan  
Assessment of vulnerability of the Aral Sea basin, Ms. Natalya Agaltseva, Hydrometeorological Research Institute, Uzbekistan  
Adaptation of various economic branches of Belarus to climate change, Mr. Mikhail Kalinin, Central Research Institute for Complex Use of Water Resources, Belarus  
Water supply and sanitation after flooding events, Mr. Jim Foster, Drinking Water Inspectorate, United Kingdom  
Vulnerability of forest ecosystems, Mr. Roman Corobov, Eco-TIRAS International Environmental Association of River Keepers, Moldova  
Session 4: Make adaptation happen!
Group 1: Floods    
Example of preparedness: Experience from Germany, Ms. Meike Gierk, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety  
Example of response: Belarus experience in response to floods, Mr. Mikhail Kalinin, Central Research Institute for Complex Use of Water Resources, Belarus  
Example of recovery/aftercare after floods: Experience from 1997, 2002 and 2006 floods in the Czech Republic, Mr. Odrich Novicki, Masaryk Water Research Institute, Czech Republic  
Group 2: Water scarcity and droughts    
Example of preparedness: Monitoring of water balances in Hungary; Mr. Péter Kozák, Directorate for Environmental Protection and Water Management of Lower Tisza District, Hungary  
Example of response from the Netherlands, Luit-Jan Dijkhuis, Directorate General of Water Affairs  
Example of recovery measures after drought: Experience in Moldova; Mr. Ion Salaru, Ministry of Health, Moldova  
Group 3: Declining water quality and health issues    
Examples of preparedness: Early detection and early warning, Ms. Martina Behanova, Public Health Authority, Slovakia  
The Protocol on Water and Health as a tool for climate change adaptation, Mr. Roger Aertgeerts, WHO-EURO  

Example of response: Experience of Ukraine, Ms. Svitlana Garienchuk, Center of Ecological Audit and Certification, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ukraine

 
Example of recovery/aftercare: Managing the risk of vector-borne diseases in adaptation measures, Ms. Luciana Sinisi, Environment Protection and Technical Services Agency, Italy  
Session 5: How much does it cost? Where should the money come from?    
Dutch experience in financing adaptation measure s, Mr. Niels Vlaanderen, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, the Netherlands  
Perspectives in countries with economies in transition: the case of Ukraine, Ms. Natalia Zakorchevna, State Committee for Water management, Ukraine  
Costs of water related climate change versus the limitations in financing, Laurens Bouwer (IVM, A’dam) presented by Henk van Schaik (CPWC)  

Session 6: Final discussion on the guidance on water and adaptation to climate change

   
Presentation of the key messages by the rapporteurs for Session 4 / Group 1: Floods  
Presentation of the key messages by the rapporteurs for Session 4 / Group 1: Floods  
Presentation of the key messages by the rapporteurs for Session 4 / Group 1: Water scarcity and droughts  
Presentation of the key messages by the rapporteurs for Session 4 / Group 1: Declining water quality and health issues  
Presentation of the Workshop's Conclusions