The International Conference on “Europe-Asia transboundary water cooperation” was held from 15 to 16 December 2011 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. The Conference was organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), at the invitation of the Government of Switzerland, in the framework of the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), which is currently chaired by Switzerland.
Many transboundary river basins lie at the border between Europe and Asia and are an important source of drinking water, irrigation and hydropower. Cooperation for the sustainable use of these resources are key for the social, economic and environmental development of their riparian countries. Transboundary cooperation becomes more and more crucial in view of the expected impacts of economic development, population growth and climate change on water resources, in order to prevent conflicts between riparian countries, optimize the use of resources and ensure sustainability.
The Water Convention has, since its entry into force in 1992, provided an important framework for cooperation on transboundary waters in the UNECE region. A wealth of guidance and experience has been accumulated under its umbrella. In 2003, upon a proposal by Switzerland, the Parties adopted an amendment to open the Convention beyond the UNECE region. Once in force, this amendment will allow accession by non-UNECE countries.
In adopting the amendment, Parties stressed its particular importance for neighbouring non‑UNECE countries that share waters with UNECE countries, and have called for an increased exchange and cooperation, even before the formal entry into force of the amendment.
The International Conference on “Europe-Asia transboundary water cooperation” promoted dialogue and cooperation on the management and protection of transboundary waters along the border of the two continents, i.e., those shared by two or more of the following countries: Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam.
In particular, the conference allowed participants to:
- Debate the current state, the progress achieved and the remaining challenges for cooperation on waters in this border region
- Exchange experiences and showcase good practices of transboundary cooperation from different basins within the European and Asian region
- Increase awareness and understanding of the UNECE Water Convention and its work, including the technical and strategic guidance documents developed under its framework and the practical experiences of its application
- Identify options for the way forward.
The conference focused on the following themes:
- Legal and institutional aspects of transboundary water cooperation
- Balancing different interests and uses in transboundary basins, and the application of integrated water resources management
- Protection of ecosystem and water quality, including monitoring and data exchange
- Extreme weather events and adaptation to climate change in transboundary basins
- Prevention and response to industrial accidents.
The report of the conference will be made available soon.
Document | ENG | RUS |
|---|---|---|
Brochure of the Convention | ||
Text of the Convention | ||
Amendment to articles 25 and 26 of the Convention | ||
Programme of work 2010-2012 for the Convention | ||
Guidance on water and adaptation to Climate Change | ||
Second Assessment of transboundary river, lakes and groundwater | ||
Brochure of the Protocol | ||
Text of the Protocol |
ENG | RUS | |
|---|---|---|
Opening Session
| ||
Cooperation between Europe and Asia on transboundary waters - key to regional stability | ||
Promoting transboundary cooperation at the global level by using the experience | ||
The UNECE Water Convention: obligations and practical application | ||
Session 1: Setting the Scene
| ||
Statements from the delegations of Afghanistan | ||
Statements from the delegations of Islamic Republic of Iran | ||
Statements from the delegations of Democratic People's Republic of Korea | ||
Statements from the delegations of Kazakhstan | ||
Statements from the delegations of Kyrgyzstan | ||
Statements from the delegations of Mongolia | ||
Statements from the delegations of Russian Federation | ||
Statements from the delegations of Tajikistan | ||
Statements from the delegations of Thailand | ||
Statements from the delegations of Turkmenistan | ||
Statements from the delegations of Uzbekistan | ||
Statements from the delegations of Vietnam | ||
Session 2: Protection of ecosystems and water quality, including monitoring and data exchange | ||
Mr. Alexandr Bragin, Director, Department of International Environmental Conventions | ||
Mr. Eugene Simonov, Coordinator, Rivers without Boundaries International Coalition, | ||
Mr. Talaibek Makeev, Director, Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia, | ||
Session 3: Legal and institutional aspects of transboundary water cooperation and management | ||
How to develop transboundary agreements and institutions for their implementation based | ||
The Framework Agreement on the Sava River Basin and its implementation | ||
Legal and institutional framework for transboundary water cooperation in Central Asia | ||
Transboundary water cooperation between the Russian Federation and its neighbours: | ||
Ongoing process of institutional reform to decentralize the Mekong River Commission: | ||
Session 4: Disaster risk reduction and prevention, preparedness and response to accidental | ||
Mr. Shukhrat Talipov, Chief Specialist, State inspection Gosvodhoznadzor, Uzbekistan, | ||
Ms. Heide Jekel, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany, | ||
Mr. Boris Minarik, Director, International Water Assessment Centre, | ||
Session 5: Balancing different interests for development in transboundary basins | ||
Iran and Turkmenistan: lessons learned from transboundary water cooperation | ||
Sharing costs of water infrastucture and joint decision-making on water allocation: the Agreement and Commission on the Chu Talas Rivers | ||
Hydropower and flood protection: the cooperation between Finland and the Russian Federation | ||
Mining developments in Mongolia and possible transboundary impact of water transfers from Orkhon and Herlen Rivers | ||
| ||
Ms. Sonja Koeppel, UNECE Secretariat, on the importance of transboundary cooperation in climate change adaptation | ||
Mr. Sulton Rahimov, First Deputy Minister, Ministry of Melioration and Water Resources | ||
Mr. Antonio Guerreiro de Brito, President, River Basin Administration of the Northern region, | ||
Mr. Badrakh Tsend, Director, Water Authority, Mongolia, on climate change and its effects on water resources | ||
Information session on activities under the UNECE Water Convention
| ||
Regional Dialogue and cooperation on water resources management in Central Asia | ||
EU Water Initiative National Policy Dialogues | ||
The Second Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters | ||
Support to implementation and conflict prevention | ||
Information session on the activities of the other UNECE environmental conventions
| ||
Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution | ||
Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context | ||
Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters | ||
Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents | ||
Protocol on Water and Health | ||
