Anna-Maria Renner - Sustainable Development M.Sc. 2013-2015 School of Economics, Business Administration and Legal Studies INTERNATIONAL HELLENIC UNIVERSITY Studies The environmental degradation of the Asopos River Basin How can the problem be solved in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable way? Author Anna-Maria Renner Course Sustainable Development M.Sc. Supervisor: Prof Dr Konstantinos Evangelinos Thessaloniki, 28 February 2015 Anna-Maria Renner - Sustainable Development M.Sc. 2013-2015 School of Economics, Business Administration and Legal Studies Studies Anna-Maria Renner - Sustainable Development M.Sc. 2013-2015 School of Economics, Business Administration and Legal Studies Studies Declaration I hereby declare that the work submitted is mine and that where I have made use of another’s work; I have attributed the source(s) according to the Regulations set in the Student’s Handbook. © 28 February 2015, Anna-Maria Renner, ID number: 1105130009 No part of this dissertation may be copied, reproduced or transmitted without the author’s prior permission. February 2015 Thessaloniki - Greece Anna-Maria Renner - Sustainable Development M.Sc. 2013-2015 School of Economics, Business Administration and Legal Studies Studies Anna-Maria Renner - Sustainable Development M.Sc. 2013-2015 School of Economics, Business Administration and Legal Studies The envStudiesironmental degradation of the Asopos River Basin How can the problem be solved in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable way? Content i. Table of abbreviations ........................................................................................................... 1 ii. Table of illustrations ............................................................................................................. 1 ii.i List of figures ....................................................................................................................... 1 ii.ii List of tables ....................................................................................................................... 2 0. Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 4 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 The case of the Asopos River Basin ............................................................................. 5 1.2 Current state of research ................................................................................................ 9 1.3 Research question ....................................................................................................... 14 1.4 Structure ...................................................................................................................... 16 2. Fundamentals ...................................................................................................................... 17 2.1 Environmental Degradation ........................................................................................ 17 2.2 Hexavalent Chromium ................................................................................................ 18 2.3 Political framework ..................................................................................................... 20 2.2.1 The European Union Water Framework Directive .................................................... 20 2.2.2 Important Laws .......................................................................................................... 23 2.4 Involved parties ........................................................................................................... 24 2.4.1 Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change ............................................. 24 2.4.3 SOS ASOPOS ............................................................................................................ 26 2.4.4 The Ecologist Greens ................................................................................................. 27 2.4.5 Hellenic League of Human Rights and the Council of Europe .................................. 28 Anna-Maria Renner - Sustainable Development M.Sc. 2013-2015 School of Economics, Business Administration and Legal Studies 2.4.6 CHARM Project ......................................................................................................... 29 Studies 2.5 Current state of affairs ................................................................................................. 30 3. Methodology ................................ ....................................................................................... 32 3.1 Research strategy ............................................................................................................... 32 3.2 Data collection ................................................................................................................... 33 3.2.1 Interviews ................................................................................................................... 33 3.2.2 Questionnaires ............................................................................................................ 35 3.2.3 River structure evaluation .......................................................................................... 37 3.3 Data analysis................................................................................................................ 39 3.3.1 Data analysis interviews ............................................................................................. 39 3.3.2 Data analysis questionnaires....................................................................................... 39 3.4 Quality assurance ........................................................................................................ 40 4. Results ................................................................................................................................. 42 4.1 Interviews .......................................................................................................................... 42 4.1.1 Interview with the Special Secretariat for Water ........................................................ 42 4.1.2 Interview with the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company ............................ 45 4.1.3 Interview with the Hellenic League for Human Rights .............................................. 47 4.1.4 Interview with Yiannis Oikonomidis ......................................................................... 48 4.2 Questionnaire on Business Strategy, Environmental Management and Corporate Social Responsibility Practices of Companies in the Asopos River .................................................. 50 4.3 Questionnaire on Farming in the Asopos River Basin ...................................................... 61 4.3.1 Results and frequencies of the questionnaire ............................................................. 61 4.3.2 Additional Statements ................................................................................................ 67 4.4 Environmental Analyses.................................................................................................... 68 4.4.1 River structure evaluation Section 1 ........................................................................... 68 4.4.2 River structure evaluation section 2 ........................................................................... 71 4.4.3 River structure evaluation section 3 ........................................................................... 73 4.4.4 River structure evaluation section 4 ........................................................................... 74 4.5 Observations ...................................................................................................................... 75 4.5.1 Collected waste ........................................................................................................... 75 4.5.2 Missing buffer strips ................................................................................................... 75 4.5.3 Indoor air pollution ..................................................................................................... 76 5. Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 77 Anna-Maria Renner - Sustainable Development M.Sc. 2013-2015 School of Economics, Business Administration and Legal Studies 5.1 Methodical strengths and weaknesses analysis ........................................................... 77 Studies 5.2 Discussion Aspect: NGOs ........................................................................................... 80 5.3 Discussion Aspect: Environmental restoration ........................................................... 81 5.4 Discussion Aspect: Business ....................................................................................... 81 5.4.1 Economy .................................................................................................................... 81 5.4.2 Polluter pays principle and Extended producer responsibility ................................... 83 5.4.3 ISO EMS Certification and Eco-Management and Audit Scheme ............................ 85 5.4.4 Low-cost country sourcing ........................................................................................