Session 2 EEF.DEL/22/15 11 May 2015
ENGLISH only
Transboundary Water Cooperation: Mission (im)Possible?
Ambassador Aušra Semaškienơ The 23rd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum “Water governance in the OSCE area – increasing security and stability through co-operation” Belgrade, 11-13 May 2015
“The water problems of our world need not be only a cause of tension; they can also be a catalyst for cooperation…If we work together, a secure and sustainable water future can be ours.”
Kofi Annan, February 2002
2015.05.08 2 Getting transboundary water resources management “right” is urgent because...
¾ Half of global available surface water is found in 263 international river basins ¾ Groundwater resources cross under at least 273 international borders
2015.05.08 3
Water nexus other sectors
Getting transboundary water resources management “right” is urgent because...
Water energises all sectors of society
Comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the management of water sector is needed
2015.05.08 4 Water and Energy Nexus
Water for Energy
Extraction & Hydropower Refining
Fuel Production Thermo electric (Ethanol, hydrogen) Cooling
Wastewater Extraction and Treatment Transmission
Drinking Water Energy Associated Treatment with Uses of Water
2015.05.08 Energy for Water 5
Interrelationships between Water and Energy
Energy required to deliver 1 m³ of clean water from...
Lake or river: 0.37 kWh/m3
Groundwater: 0.48 kWh/m3
Wastewater treatment: 0.62 - 0.87 kWh/m3
Wastewater reuse: 1.0 - 2.5 kWh/m3
Seawater: 2.58 - 8.5 kWh/m3
Source: Amended diagram based on Scientific 2015.05.08 American, October 2008 6 Cooperation on Transboundary Waters is a Lengthy Journey
For each international basin the optimal mode of cooperation depends on a mix of factors including: ¾ hydrologic characteristics ¾ the economics of cooperative investments ¾ numbers and relationships of riparians ¾ costs of parties coming together
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Cooperation Tools
International Conventions & Agreements UNECE Convention on the protectionand use of transboundary watercourses and international lakes
TransboundaryT Environmental Transboundaryansbounda Impact Assessments Water Shared experience Cooperation Joint learning Round tables Cooperative assessments
2015.05.08 8 Nemunas River Basin Management
Countries (% of total river basin): Lithuania 48 Belarus 46 Russia 3 Poland 2,6 Latvia 0,1
Area (km²) 98 200
First-class tributaries:Neris Shchara Šešupơ Katra Merkys etc.
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Legal Cooperation Framework
1. Agreements between Lithuania and Poland’s Ministries of Environment 2. Technical Protocol on Cooperation in the Protection and Use of the Water Resources in the Transboundary Neman River Basin between Lithuania and Belarus’ Ministries of Environment (in progress) 3. Agreement between Lithuania, Belarus, Russia and the EU (as a goal) 4. Bilateral agreements with other countries
Agreements between River Basin Countries Provide Legal Framework 2015.05.08 for the Protection of the River ! Let the Water Run… ? Intensive water use goes on in the Nemunas River basin due to industry, household water consumption, agriculture and hydro-power engineering
2015.05.08 1111
Unsafe development and operation of nuclear, hydro and water treatment projects put at risk too much
2015.05.08 12 Water treatment facilities necessary for Nemunas water Lithuania Index Real and its environment Norm Number Nemunas BOD 5 ? Oil ? Index/ Real SO4 ? Norm Number Sovietsk NH4 ? ThOD ? BOD 5 50 times more Oil 0,025 more SO4 - Index/ Real Zlaia NH4 22 times Norm Number more BOD 5 3 times Instruch ThOD 6,3 times more more Polesk Oil - - 60 ml. SO4 6 times Baltiysk Rub/day NH4 more 34,2 ml. Rub/day Kaliningrad Dreima ThOD - Pregolia Gusev
Index/ Real Angrapa 427,8 ml. Norm Number Rub/dayPissa BOD 5 3 times more Bagrationovsk Oil - - SO4 6 times NH4 Poland 0,2 ml.Rub/day more 13 Source: Transperancy International ThOD -
Safety Formula Transboundary Water Cooperation + Effective Public Participation + Access to Information + Water Treatment
2015.05.08 14 Thank You for Your Attention !
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