Public%20Participation%20in%20Transboundary%20issues%20in%20Moldova

1
Public Participation in Transboundary issues in
Moldova

• Ilya Trombitsky
• International Environmental Association of
  Dniester River Keepers
• Kisninev, Moldova
• www.eco-tiras.org

2
Legal Framework for Public Participation in
Transboundary issues in Moldova

• - Aarhus Convention (from 2001)
• Helsinki Water Convention (from 1993)
• Law on access to Information (2000).
• The Concept of Water Policy (non-legally
  binding), approved as Regulation of Parliament
  (2003) provides some stakeholders involvement and
  public participation but not implemented.
• No specific PP requirements for transboundary
  waters in national legislation.

3
Main legal acts regulating NGOs in Moldova

• Constitution (1994)
• Civil Code (2002)
• Law on Civil Associations (1996)
• Law on Foundations (1999)
• Law on Protection of the Environment (1993).

4
NGOs and their environment

• The number of NGOs in Moldova is about 3200, from
  them environmental ones about 300 (9).
• NGOs can be national, international and local.
• Legislation in Moldova is liberal and do not
  creates obstacles for formation of NGOs. The same
  is the practice of its application.

5
Examples of NGO involvement in Dniester River
Environment monitoring management

• Spheres of NGO activity
• Biodiversity Conservation (evaluation of status,
  development of Concept of National Ecologic
  Network)
• Formulation of necessity of Ramsar Status for
  Lower Dniester Wetlands
• Management plans for water protection zones
• Substitution of the Lower Dniester National Park
• Development of local ecological networks
• Monitoring of water quality and sediments
• Environmental education and research
• Campaigns against unsustainable projects.

6
Multistakeholders approach and public awareness

• Three big international conferences were
  organized during last years to attract attention
  of politicians, scientists, water users to the
  Dniester River environmental problems
• 1998 (Biotica)
• 1999 (Biotica)
• 2004 (Eco-TIRAS)
• 1999 Draft of the Dniester River Convention to
  apply the IWRM to the river basin is proposed.

7
Institutialisation of NGOs River Basin network

• Eco-TIRAS International Environmental
  Association of River Keepers is established in
  1999 by the group of Moldavian and Ukrainian NGOs
  and registered in 2000 as an international
  non-governmental association of NGOs of the
  Dniester River Basin. In present it includes 46
  NGOs.
• In 2003 in frames of the Fifth Pan-European
  Ministerial Conference Environment for Europe
  the Side Event was organized by Eco-TIRAS on the
  issue of Dniester Convention draft.
• In 2004 the International Conference Integrated
  Management of the Transboundary Dniester River
  Basin was organized with participation of 160
  people from Moldova and abroad.
• Also in 2004 the Second NGO Forum Dniester-2004
  was organised by Eco-TIRAS. Information on site
  www.eco-tiras.org.

8
Local NGOs along the Dniester

• There are a serious number of NGOs working along
  the Dniester, which educate the people, elaborate
  together with the authorities local management
  plans, develop eco- and agro-tourism and promote
  sustainable development.

9

• From 2000 started a work to develop environmental
  NGOs in Transdniestria. In present they are 15.
  There are five Resource Centers for NGOs in
  Transdniestria with access to Internet and
  libraries. They all are members of Eco-TIRAS. In
  2001 NGO Eco-Dniester from Tiraspol organised
  together with the university the International
  Conference Geo-ecologic and Bio-ecological
  Problems of N.W. of Black Sea.
• In September 2005 the Second such conference will
  be organised in Transdniestria.

10
Transboundary Cooperation

• Moldavian NGOs permanently cooperates with
  Ukrainian ones and jointly lobby publiv benefit
  interests related to the Dniester River.

11
PRIORITIES FOR DNIESTER (From Resolution of
Second Dniester River NGO Forum, 2004)

• Modernisation of legal and institutional
  framework of Dniester River Basin cooperation
  taking into consideration EU WFD and Helsinki
  Convention
• Creation of Dniester River Basin Multistakeholder
  Forum as a consultative body
• Development of the Strategic Action Plan for
  Dniester
• Creation of Database of ecological status of
  Dniester
• Coordination of natural uses policy in the
  Dniester River basin between Moldova and Ukraine
• Creation of the Ecological Network of Dniester
  River basin
• Development of the Network of Protected Areas in
  the Dniester River Basin
• Establishing of national parks in both states to
  protect Dniester River Wetlands
• Creation of joint transboundary Ramsar sites and
  biosphere reserves under bilateral management
• Involvement of NGOs and local authorities in the
  Dniester River basin actions planning and
  management
• Strengthening of NGO river community.

12
Institutional arrangements for the public
participation in water management

• The only Water State Concern Apele Moldovei is
  involved in transboundary water management.
  Public participation is not reflected in its
  activity. No website.
• The institutional framework should be changed
  especially to involve other state agencies, water
  users and NGOs.

13
Level of public and stakeholders involvement into
transboundary water management in your region

• The limited involvement of other state agencies
  like Ministry of Environment, Hydrometeo,
  Sanitary Service exists during meetings of
  Plenipotentiaries. Public is not presented there
  and not informed about the results. The
  Plenipotentiaries did not establish any
  mechanisms to inform public.

14
Procedures for the public and stakeholders
involvement into transboundary water management
in Moldova

• In fact, the procedures of stakeholders
  involvement in water management issues are not
  established.
• Annual reports on the state of environment by the
  National Ecological Institute under the Ministry
  of Environment.
• Sporadic publishing of brochures and newsletters
  by state authorities and NGOs.
• Proceedings of scientific conferences, initiated
  mostly by NGOs

15
In Moldova already exist some tools / mechanisms
of public participation and information

• Public information publications, mailing-lists,
  information centres etc. - developed
• Consultations comments, interviews, public
  hearings etc. less developed
• Discussions roundtables, conferences etc. -
  developed
• But
• Joint decision-making referendums, public
  councils and bodies in the state authorities etc.
  almost not developed
• Independent decision-making pubic functions of
  the water users associations etc. not developed
• NGO River Forums developed, but weakly
• River Forums of all stakeholders not developed

16
List of challenges facing the process of public
and stakeholders involvement in Moldova with
prioritization

• Strengthening of legal framework on stakeholders
  involvement and PP in transboundary water
  resource management
• Access to information (day to day information on
  river status is not available for public)
• Public awareness (actions are sporadic and rare)
• Lack of river basin approach on national and
  transboundary levels (no involvement of
  stakeholders)
• From consultation to participation
• To avoid misunderstanding of the role of public
  as low prepared people to be consulted on
  primitive level.
• Liquidation of monopoly of water issue management
  by one state agency

17
Policies, strategies and actions

• Information on river and water status should be
  open and available to everybody by Internet and
  other sources.
• The joint transboundary body should arrange
  availability of all own information.
• GIS for river basin should be developed.
• It has to be developed web sites of profile state
  agencies and river commission.
• It has to be solved in spirit of Aarhus
  convention the issue of access to primary data on
  water quality, quantity, hydrology etc.
• NGO river basin associations should get access to
  information and to be strengthened and involved
  in inter-governmental river basin management
  structures. Creation of legal and institutional
  conditions for constructive public participation.