UNESCO's Interdisciplinary Initiative for the Sustainable Development Of
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IOC, IGCP, IHP, MAB, MOST The Volga Vision UNESCO’s Interdisciplinary Initiative for the Sustainable Development of the Volga-Caspian Basin Contents 4 Foreword 6 Chapter 1. Introduction 12 Chapter 2. Vision summary 18 Chapter 3. Why a vision, by whom, for whom and how? 24 Chapter 4. Selecting the most characteristic variables and indicators for describing human needs and the environment 34 Chapter 5. Description of the present situation 94 Chapter 6. Drivers and constraints 106 Chapter 7. How the Volga Basin is expected to look: Formulating the goals to be reached in a generation’s time 118 Chapter 8. How to make the envisioned future possible 132 Appendix- Maps, references and list of abbreviations 4 V Foreword by the Director-General of UNESCO V 5 he present "Volga Vision" concludes based decision-making. UNESCO is ready the first phase of UNESCO's to play a catalytic role: to help stimulate the TInterdisciplinary Initiative for the formulation of new ideas, to promote them Sustainable Development of the Volga- amongst those most responsible for dealing Caspian Basin. This was a joint initiative of with the specific issues involved, and to UNESCO's five international science harness the required political support to programmes (IGCP, IHP, IOC, MAB and apply these ideas in practice. MOST), taking up the challenges of interdisciplinary research. By selecting the UNESCO expects that the Volga Vision will Volga Basin as a pilot case, the five science be used to ensure an open debate aimed at programmes of UNESCO and the finding better and more efficient solutions cooperating Russian scientists and scientific to the problems at stake. In this regard, it institutions have thus ventured to address should be noted that the first phase of complex problems in rapidly changing social UNESCO's Interdisciplinary Initiative has and natural environment. one additional pioneering feature. It attracted sizeable support from SUEZ The Volga Vision is a brief summary of what Environment of France, which not only scientists in the natural and social sciences helped the Initiative to succeed but also perceive as a possible, desirable future in a gave an excellent example of fruitful generation's time. This "realistic dream" is cooperation between UNESCO and the juxtaposed with a description of the present private sector. situation. The Vision is structured according to human-centred, environment- It is my pleasant duty to thank all the related objectives. relevant Russian authorities for their involvement and collaboration. My special This Volga Vision is clearly a first step thanks go to the National Commission of towards having an open, interdisciplinary the Russian Federation for UNESCO for its dialogue and interaction between scientists dedicated support throughout the and responsible policy makers. It seeks to conception and implementation of the first serve as a reference document to initiate phase of this Initiative. In October 2003, the follow-up activities and focused 32nd session of UNESCO's General interdisciplinary research projects. I am Conference adopted the resolution submitted pleased to acknowledge that numerous by the Russian Federation mandating initiatives have already been launched by UNESCO to extend the Initiative in the the international and Russian scientific present biennium to the entire Caspian Sea communities. Basin and to enhance it through the addition of a cultural dimension. I am The Volga Vision exemplifies UNESCO's grateful for this testimony of appreciation role of facilitating the strategic dialogue of UNESCO's efforts and look forward to between the science and policy communities more innovative, interdisciplinary scientific worldwide, thereby assisting the emergence work that will underpin the sustainable of policy-relevant science and evidence- development of this region. Paris, March 2004 Koïchiro Matsuura Volga Vision V 7 Chapter 1. Introduction 8 V Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1.Background In October 1999 representatives of UNESCO's intergovernmental environmental programmes, the WMO (World Meteorological Organization), GIWA (Global International Water Assessment ) and the Project Leader of the Russian Federal Programme "Revival of the Volga" met at UNESCO, Paris. At this meeting, they agreed to co-operate in initiating a project for the environmental and human sustainability of the Volga River and Caspian Sea basin. On 18 May 2001 the Chairs of UNESCO's five scientific programmes (International Geological Correlation Programme [IGCP], the International Hydrological Programme [IHP], the International Oceanographic Commission [IOC], the Man and Biosphere [MAB] programme and Management of Social Transformations [MOST]) noted the deliberations of the October 1999 meeting and welcomed the initiative. The Chairs agreed that UNESCO should take the lead in formulating and launching an interdisciplinary science project for the sustainable development of the Volga- Caspian basin. A fact-finding mission, with experts from all five science programmes participating was implemented between 20 August and 1 September 2001. Based on the report of this mission, the Steering Group decided at its third session (17-18 October 2001) to pursue the proposed UNESCO Interdisciplinary Initiative for the Sustainable Development of the Volga-Caspian Basin. Volga Vision V 9 to assist in the formulation of 1.2.The Initiative complementary project proposals, based on this Vision, that would be suitable for donor funding. Institutions and scientists (drawn mainly from the basin) have participated in During the last decade, several national and the consultation process and developed new international programmes have been approaches reflecting "real world" launched in the Volga-Caspian basin to environmental, natural resources and social improve ecological and human health, management issues. The vision approach is develop monitoring protocols and improve expected to be transferable as a concept to natural resource management in the basin. other large river basins worldwide. They have been based mainly on state-of- the-art scientific principles, methods and results, within well-defined scientific disciplines. Given the economic, social and cultural 1.3.The Vision importance of the basin for all its riparian countries, the rehabilitation and effective future management of the Volga-Caspian basin are urgent international tasks. Such Sustainable development of river basins an initiative would need to involve necessitates an integrated basin-wide ecological, geological, hydrological, social approach. In a river basin, causes and sciences, and coastal dynamics. effects result from the movement of air, water, people, animals and plants, against a Interdisciplinary, or even multidisciplinary background of climate change, environmental research, is still in its infancy. Scientists deterioration, social transformations and need to be encouraged to break down other major drivers. disciplinary boundaries to explore the potential synergies of doing things together. Integrated management of natural Setting common objectives can be a helpful resources and ecosystems must be based on first step. an interdisciplinary approach, building on established knowledge and setting common It was therefore decided in a planning objectives. meeting held at UNESCO's Paris headquarters in February 2002, that the The interdisciplinary/integrated approach initial goal in the first phase of the proposed to resource management implies public project, would be to prepare a science- participation and involvement of local based Vision for the effective future authorities and representatives of civil management of natural and human society. These features contribute to public systems. The Vision would focus on the acceptance, develop ownership and enhance sustainable development of the Volga basin capacity building, all essential elements of itself, as well as its delta and immediate sustainability. In this sense, the present coastal zone, addressing human well-being Vision is expected to serve as a catalyst for through a better understanding of the a consultation process lasting well beyond people-environment interactions. In this the preparation phase of this document. sense the Volga Vision can also be interpreted as a framework document for The Vision is neither a political document future natural resource management. nor a scientific work, yet some appreciation of both is useful in understanding its aim. It While this Vision aims to develop has been written by scientists, but with interdisciplinary approaches to tackling policy- and decision-makers as the primary complex problems, UNESCO also expects audience. 10 V Chapter 1. Introduction Politics in a pluralistic society such as the one now developing in the Russian Federation means 1.4.Phase 1 of the participation of all stakeholders as much in the decision-making process as in the Initiative implementation phase. Consequently the term "policy maker" does not only cover elected representatives of the legislative and in the executive branches of government In order to implement the "Vision" phase of but basically all those who are interested in the Initiative, UNESCO established a Volga the future of the Volga basin. Task Force within the UNESCO Secretariat, with representatives of all five The scope of this report is limited to the aforementioned intergovernmental programmes Volga basin proper; it is human-centred, as well as the UNESCO Moscow Office. and based on interdisciplinary science, yet it is acknowledged