Danube-Black Sea Regional Projects

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Danube-Black Sea Regional Projects Catalysts
for Nutrient Reduction

• Experiences with Setting Targets, Measuring
  Compliance and Results, and Scaling up
  Achievements in Nutrient Reduction

Ivan Zavadsky, UNDP/GEF Regional Programme
Director Danube/ Black Sea
Regional Conference on Nutrient Pollution Control
in theDanube-Black Sea Basin, Moldova, 4-6
October 2006
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COOPERATION FOR POLLUTION CONTROL IN THE DANUBE
BLACK SEA REGION

• GEF Support GEF Danube Black Sea Strategic
  Partnership and TDA/SAP Process (1991 - 2007)
• Danube Convention and the ICPDR (1994/1998)
• Black Sea Convention BSC (1992/1994)
• EU Water Framework Directive and other EU
  Directives, EU Marine Strategy(2000)
• DABLAS Task Force (2001)
• ICPDR/BSC Memorandum of Understanding (2001)

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GEF Danube Black Sea Strategic Partnership
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INDICATORS

• Process
• Strengthening Institutions
• Policy / Legal
• Stress Reduction
• Nutrient Reduction investments / achievements
• BAPs
• Status
• N/P loads
• DO in Black Sea
• Ecological status

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PROCESS INDICATORS

• Institutional Strengthening
• ICPDR / BSC
• DEF / Black Sea NGO Forum
• Policy / legal

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Status of Water-Related Policy, Programmes and
Action Plans in the Danube Countries
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STRESS REDUCTION Targets

• Danube
• 22 reduction in P emissions and 33 reduction in
  N emissions by 2005 cf 1996 baseline level.
• BS TDA
• To avoid exceeding nutrient loads of 1997
• To reduce nutrients loads allowing Black Sea
  ecosystems to recover to conditions similar to
  those observed in the 1960s.

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STRESS REDUCTION Considerations in target-setting

• Point vs. diffuse sources of nutrients
• Groundwater contribution to nutrient budget (47
  of Danube input is GW-derived)
• Recent historical changes in nutrient inputs and
  outputs law of diminishing returns!
• Internal loading of nutrients
• Economic influences on nutrient management (e.g.
  agricultural practices).

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STRESS REDUCTION Livestock manure
N
P
Romania
Bulgaria
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SUMMARY OF REDUCTIONS
Context Emissions estimated 700kt/a (N) 70kt/a
(P) Load estimate 410 kt/a (N) 12 kt/a (P)
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STATUS INDICATORSDanube loads to Black Sea
Inorganic N
Total P
Actual loads
Flow corrected loads
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STATUS INDICATORS Ecological status of Black Sea
Phytoplankton
Zoobenthos
Zooplankton
Phyllophora/Fisheries
?
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LESSONS LEARNED (1)

• Robust decisions are based on good information.
• Public perception and/or alternative drivers are
  critical to ensuring success.
• Present sensible targets challenging, but not
  over-ambitious. Timing is crucial.
• Not the only player in town co-operation is the
  lifeblood of success.

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PUBLIC PERCEPTION
Do you think the Black Sea is healthy?
46 felt it was only occasionally polluted in
certain places
A third of people thought it was either
completely dead (14) or the most polluted Sea in
Europe (19).
Only 6 of respondents felt it is healthier than
it used to be.
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LESSONS LEARNED (2)

• Source apportionment studies are invaluable, but
  the same methodology must be used by all
  participants.
• Over a short-intermediate timescale, P export is
  easier to tackle than N export.
• Point source nutrient emissions are easier to
  tackle than diffuse source emissions.
• Regional improvements in P export are due
  primarily to the end of state-subsidies.

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GOOD MONITORING DATA (1)

• Collation of existing data
• Supply of monitoring equipment
• Regional workshops on methods development and
  production of standardised methods manuals
• Pilot monitoring exercises to test manuals.

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GOOD MONITORING DATA (2)

• Analytical proficiency testing exercises
• Research cruises to
• Improve understanding of the eutrophication
  process
• Fill-in gaps left by national / international
  monitoring programmes
• Support the scientific community.

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ACHIEVEMENTS

• Institutional
• Co-operation EC/GEF
• SAP developed
• ICPDR funded and functional
• DEF strengthened
• Danube Analysis
• BSC/ICPDR JTWG

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ACHIEVEMENTS

• Environment
• Reduced nutrients upper Danube
• Reduced P discharges from Danube
• Reduced anoxic conditions NW Black Sea
• Increased zoobenthos diversity NW Black Sea

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FUTURE CHALLENGES

• Achieving / maintaining mid-1990s nutrient levels
  and more!
• Agriculture and CAP reform
• N reduction
• Improving data

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TRANSFERABLE LESSONS

• For IRBM to succeed
• Political will countries collaborate
• Legal framework - convention
• Strong institution e.g. ICPDR
• Long-term support e.g. UNDP/GEF projects