Public participation in the Danube Basin: approaches, activities, challenges Jasmine Bachmann ICPDR Secretariat UN Conference on Info Management and Public Participation St. Petersburg, June 8-10, 2005

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Public participation in the Danube Basin
approaches, activities, challenges Jasmine
BachmannICPDR SecretariatUN Conference on
Info Management and Public Participation St.
Petersburg, June 8-10, 2005
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Content

• Danube River Basin
• ICPDR, WFD Public Participation
• Key Documents
• Key Activities
• Lessons Learned

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• 10 of Europe
• 81 Mio Inhabitants
• 18 Countries
• Most international River Basin in the World

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Economic Indicators
GDP on PPP, 2002, /capita/year
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Danube River Protection Convention(based on the
principles of the UNECE Water Convention)
The legal frame for co-operation to assure
protection of water and ecological resources and
their sustainable use in the Danube River Basin.
signed 29 June 1994, Sofia
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ICPDR International Commission for the
Protection of the Danube River
International commission responsible for the
implementation of the DRPC.
since 1 October 1999
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Contracting Parties

• Austria
• Bulgaria
• Bosnia i Herzegovina
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• European Union
• Germany

• Hungary
• Moldova
• Romania
• Serbia i Montenegro
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Ukraine

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Observers
Danube Commission
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International Commission for the Protection of
the Danube River (ICPDR)
Permanent Secretariat
Strategic EG
Monitoring Laboratory Info Mgmt EG
Accident Prevention Control EG
Flood Prevention Control EG
Emission EG
Ecology EG
River Basin Mgm EG
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EU Water Framework Directive
ICPDR has been nominated the platform to develop
the Danube River Basin Management Plan.
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WFD Implementation
CH
Cooperation (example)
IT
DE
UA
AT
Bilateral agreements (examples)
PL
MD
CZ
ICPDR
SK
RO
HU
BG
SI
CS
MK
HR
BA
Cooperation (example)
AL
Sub-river basin cooperation (example Sava River)
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What is Public Participation?

• Allowing the public to influence the outcome of
  plans and working processes.

• It IS NOT about
• everybody joining
• always participation
• losing control
• achieving consensus at all costs
• everybody deciding

• It IS about
• management of expectations
• two-way communication
• tailor-made (no blue print)
• no pre-determined outcome

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ICPDR process
April 2002 Issue Paper on PP for the
Implementation of the WFD in the DRB by WWF and
GWP April 2003 PP Workshop in Bratislava with
50 participants from all over the Danube River
Basin Jun/Nov 2003- Danube River Basin Strategy
for PP in RBM Planning (short PP Strategy) -
ICPDR Operational Plan 2004, 2005
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What is the Danube PP Strategy?

• Its is NOT about
• to prescribe activities to the governments at the
  national levels

• It IS about
• to provide guidance to national governments on
  all levels of PP e.g. tools, mechanisms,
  structures
• to promote PP concerning the RBM process
• to inform other key stakeholders about PP
  possibilities and structures

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What is the ICPDR Operational Plan?

• It is NOT about
• to define activities on all levels
• to duplicate effective ICPDR processes

• It IS about
• to develop activities on the roof level
  (living document)
• to assist the national governments to fulfill
  their PP obligations
• to demonstrate that PP is taken seriously by the
  DRB countries

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ICPDR Operational Plan (1)

• Phase I (information )
• Stakeholder analysis
• Communication Network between countries
• Public Participation Network between countries
• Launching of International Danube Day - June 29

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ICPDR Operational Plan (2)

• Phase II (facilitate active participation)
• WFD Leaflet (outcomes of the roof report)in
  English/national languages
• Stakeholder Forum 2005 June 2005 Hearing for
  stakeholders presentation of Roof Report 2004
  discuss pressures and impacts
• Selected stakeholders even more actively involved
  in ICPDR Expert Groups

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Danube Day, June 29

• Danube Solidarity
• connect people
• joining forces

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More than 300 events throughout the Danube with
wide participation
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Danube River Basin Stakeholder Conference

• 1,5 day conference on June 28-29 in Budapest
• 100-120 participants
• 4 blocks a) ICPDR general, incl. pp concept of
  the ICPDRb) Danube Analysis Report (art.5 report
  WFD) c) Flood Action Programme d) summary and
  next steps
• Facilitated discussions work sessions

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Lessons Learned

• PP is a process take the time and plan the
  process carefully
• Be patient new concept of governance
• Accept also failures
• PP has to happen on different levels it is
  crucial on the local level, but can be supported
  internationally

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Lessons Learned

• No need to be scared there are not many
  stakeholders on the door
• Start early and involve the main players
• Use synergies and cooperate (DEF, GWP, WWF)
• Make the procedures clear to avoid
  misunderstanding and mistrust
• Make the best use of the peoples time

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For more information, please visit
www.icpdr.org