CABRI-Volga Report Deliverable D2 CABRI - Cooperation along a Big River: Institutional coordination among stakeholders for environmental risk management in the Volga Basin Environmental Risk Management in the Volga Basin: Overview of present situation and challenges in Russia and the EU Co-authors of the CABRI-Volga D2 Report This Report is produced by Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering and the International Ocean Institute with the collaboration of all CABRI-Volga partners. It is edited by the project scientific coordinator (EcoPolicy). The contact details of contributors to this Report are given below: Rupprecht Consult - Forschung & RC Germany [email protected] Beratung GmbH Environmental Policy Research and EcoPolicy Russia [email protected] Consulting United Nations Educational, Scientific UNESCO Russia [email protected] and Cultural Organisation MO Nizhny Novgorod State University of NNSUACE Russia [email protected] Architecture and Civil Engineering Saratov State Socio-Economic SSEU Russia [email protected] University Caspian Marine Scientific and KASPMNIZ Russia [email protected] Research Center of RosHydromet Autonomous Non-commercial Cadaster Russia [email protected] Organisation (ANO) Institute of Environmental Economics and Natural Resources Accounting "Cadaster" Ecological Projects Consulting EPCI Russia [email protected] Institute Open joint-stock company Ammophos Russia [email protected] "Ammophos" United Nations University Institute for UNU/EHS Germany [email protected] Environment and Human Security Wageningen University WU Netherlands [email protected] Karlsruhe University IWK Germany [email protected] Aristotle University of Thessaloniki INWEB Greece [email protected] Centro di Cultura Scientifica “A. Centro Italy [email protected] Volta” Volta Compagnie Nationale du Rhône CNR France [email protected] The Regional Environmental Center RREC Hungary [email protected] for Central and Eastern Europe International Ocean Institute IOI Malta [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 6 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.......................................................................... 11 I. Volga Basin: Water for sustainable development................................................ 11 II. Institutional Frameworks in Practice: environmental risk reduction and sustainable development in river basins in the EU and Russia ...........................15 III. Human and Environmental Security: Vulnerability assessment and flood risk reduction in the EU and in Russia........................................................................18 3 OVERVIEW OF PRESENT SITUATION AND CHALLENGES................ 21 3.1 VOLGA BASIN: WATER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.............................. 21 3.1.1 Water Use and Surface Water Quality in the Volga Basin ................................... 21 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 21 Water availability............................................................................................................................... 21 Public water supply and municipal wastewater treatment................................................................. 22 Wastewater discharges..................................................................................................................... 23 Surface water quality ........................................................................................................................ 26 Sediment quality ............................................................................................................................... 27 References........................................................................................................................................ 28 3.1.2 Socio-economic Characteristics of the Volga Basin: Regional and Sectoral Overview. ............................................................................................................................ 28 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 28 Population distribution....................................................................................................................... 29 Regionalism ...................................................................................................................................... 30 Transport infrastructure density ........................................................................................................ 31 Per capita GRP (Cities)..................................................................................................................... 33 GRP and water consumption ............................................................................................................ 34 Innovation centers............................................................................................................................. 34 References........................................................................................................................................ 35 3.1.3 Inland Water Transport and Water-ways in the Volga Basin................................ 35 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 35 Qualitative changes in navigation ..................................................................................................... 36 Railroads in the Volga-Caspian region.............................................................................................. 37 Motorcar transport and roads............................................................................................................ 37 Water tourism.................................................................................................................................... 38 Problem-solving ................................................................................................................................38 3.1.4 The Lower Volga, the Delta and the Coastal Zone............................................... 39 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 39 Biodiversity........................................................................................................................................ 39 Fisheries ........................................................................................................................................... 39 Oil and gas developments................................................................................................................. 40 Socio-economic development ........................................................................................................... 40 Environmental problems ................................................................................................................... 42 Public awareness and participation................................................................................................... 43 Business involvement in environmental problem solving .................................................................. 43 3.1.5 Small Rivers of Russia: Environmental Protection, Rehabilitation and Development ........................................................................................................................ 45 SSEU, Russia ...................................................................................................................... 45 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 45 Ecological situation on small rivers in Russia and in the Volga Basin............................................... 46 Sources of pollution and degradation of small rivers......................................................................... 47 Small rivers conservation.................................................................................................................. 48 References........................................................................................................................................ 51 3.2 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS IN PRACTICE:................................................... 52 Coordination, Sustainable Development and Environmental Risk Reduction in River Basins in the EU and Russia ............................................................................................................................ 52 3.2.1 EU Water Framework Directive ............................................................................ 52 European Water Policy ..................................................................................................................... 52 Key Elements of WFD....................................................................................................................... 52 Requirement for cross-border cooperation between countries and all parties involved .................... 54 Coordination of measures and combined approach.........................................................................