From River Watch to River Manage

Public engagement in Integrated River Basin Management in the

Eastern Baltic

Project Meeting Western Bug,

Sokal, Lviv region, Ukraine, 13 October 2017, 12:00-20:00

Sokal Town Council

Agenda of the Project Meeting

14:00-14:20 Start of the meeting and introduction of the goals; brief intro of the

project

Mikhail Durkin, Coalition Clean Baltic (Sweden)

14:20-15:50 Presentation of national cases with public participation in water

management in Bug catchments, state-of-the-art, challenges and

opportunities

• Situation in Poland – Maria Staniszewska, Polish Ecological Club

• Situation in Ukraine – Petro Hrytsyshyn, WORDLAB

• Situation in Belarus – Vladimir Zujev, Nerush; Oleh Tokarczuk

15:50-16:30 Road ahead – planning the project, deliverables, practicalities: who

does what

- Network of NGOs base on example The Coalition Save the Rivers

in Poland – Ewa Leś

- Discussions on our goals and visions on common Bug valley

16:30-18:00 Visit at waste water treatment

18:00 End of the meeting. Dinner

1. Update on the project (status vs. application)

2. Assessment of current river management and public engagement activities occurring in each country

3. Experience with Public Advisory River Teams (PARTs)

4. State-of-play with riverine monitoring of microplastics

5. Distribution of tasks for continuation of the project

6. AoB

Purpose of the Project Meeting

Overall objectives of the Project

1. Improve a consistent and holistic implementation of EU and regional policies• Strive towards reaching WFD’s GES of rivers draining to the

Baltic Sea as having immense importance for reducing pollution inputs, as well as for conservation of biodiversity.

2. Secure NGO and civil society participation and inclusiveness• Explore possibilities for establishing a joint public advisory team

for a transboundary Baltic river basin, with wide stakeholder engagement, to identify important actions needed for river management and to support reaching WFD water quality goals

3. Secure best use of public resources, both money and work• Evaluate efficiency of pollution abatement measures within

transboundary river basins

• Coordination and strengthening of NGO input and awareness raising work to be a relevant actor/partner

• Participation and demanding transparent processes in implementing and creating new policies

• Active support to policy development and implementation holding decision makers accountable

Strategic directions of the Project

• support to EU countries sharing transboundary river basins with third countries in facilitation of joint water management

• enhance public awareness, capacity building and public engagement in river basin management

• promote development and enforcement of stricter abatement measures in shared rivers basins

• provide input to HELCOM’s work on nutrient reduction targets and mitigation of marine litter inputs

• contribute to development of an approach to mitigate increased pollution load to rivers and Baltic Sea from increased precipitation/drainage, as impact of climate change

Envisaged project results (medium-term)

• Existing pollution abatement measures within Nemunas, Daugava and Western Bug river basins are evaluated

• Joint Public Advisory River Team (PART) for the above transboundary basins are establishing and functioning

• International Conference on Transboundary River Basin Managementin the context of reaching Good Ecological Status is arranged

• A methodology on potential riverine sources/inputs of litter is developed and tested at national and transboundary level

• CCB’s River Watch (RW) Manual (including appendices) for public environmental monitoring is amended with a methodology for monitoring litter inputs; the amendments are translated into few Baltic Sea languages;

• Youth RW camp/expedition (including training for RW leaders) and testing of updated RW manual is done

• Public awareness material on riverine inputs/sources of litter are prepared and published

Envisaged project results (short-term)

• number of policy inputs presented to HELCOM/EU Strategy for the BSR, e.g. on transboundary riverine inputs of nutrients and litter, contributing to implementation of HELCOM BSAP (and its follow up) and EU law

• proposals submitted to policy level with regards to setting river-basin nutrient reduction targets (downscaling HELCOM’s Country-Allocated Reduction Targets), as well as addressing riverine sources of litter

• number of communication materials produced in local, national and BSR media in relation to the project

• number of social media outreach in relation to project’s implementation

Verifiable indicators: communication

• number of Public Advisory River Teams (PARTs) establishedand functioning;

• stakeholder composition of PARTs (NGOs and individuals involved, sectorial stakeholder groups attracted, e.g. anglers, farmers, etc.)

• number of PARTs created as replication in other basins

• number and composition of thematic working groups within PARTs

• number of events arranged by PARTs, number and composition of participants of those events

• number and composition of participants, geographic scope covered by the international conference on transboundary river basins; feedback from the participants

Verifiable indicators: PARTs

• number of novel methodological tools produced (riverine litter monitoring methodology and manual);

• number of new sources of pollution identified within RW campaigns and communicated to the authorities

• number and type of mitigation measures taken to reduce pollution inputs from newly identified sources

• number and composition of national and international trainings on RW;

• number of dissemination events arranged and materials produced/disseminated at those events

Verifiable indicators: River Watch

• Nemunas: – plans for hydropower development in the lower and medium flow of the

river (Lithuania), salmonid fish conservation and habitat restoration (especially relevant upstream in Belarus), impacts of large infrastructure projects (construction of new Nuclear Power Plant in Belarus, operation of large Industrial Animal Farms across the catchment), protection of eel population;

• Daugava: – hydropower development in the medium and upper flow of the river

(Belarus), impacts of large infrastructure projects (construction of new large Industrial Animal Farms – especially in Pskov Region of Russia), protection of eel population;

• Western Bug: – harmonisation of Ukrainian legislation with EU environmental acquis (e.g.

WFD) and hence the need for respective capacity building, waste water management, especially in rural areas (Ukraine and Belarus), agricultural runoff

Activities: important for management

Joint Public Advisory River Teams

• act as an informal platform to boost transboundary cooperation within shared river basins and expand cooperation and exchange of experiences among several river basins

• comprise of civil society representatives (NGOs, individuals) working within specific catchment area with water/river basin management related issues

• regularly meet to discuss actual water management agenda,

• establish thematic working groups to address relevant issues e.g. flood protection/emergencies, nature conservation, water pollution, etc.

• invite for its meetings representatives of national water management authorities,

• cooperate actively with relevant research institutions,

• provide broad dissemination of information on its activities,

• facilitate public awareness and capacity building for local residents on the state of river basins.

Activities: important for PARTs (1)

• Inception Phase, starting already 2016 (implemented with EU/Sida funding)– preparatory work: (1) inventory of existing RBMPs across the selected basins (EU/non-

EU); (2) inventory of previous efforts/projects addressing joint river basin management; (3) inventory/mapping of public initiatives within river basins;

– a workshop for all priority river basins (Daugava, Nemunas, Western Bug);

• Phase I Implementation: 2017 (NCM, Postkod, EU, Sida)– establishment and launching joint Public Advisory River basin management Teams (PARTs)

in pilot river basins: Nemunas (Belarus/Lithuania/Poland/Russia), Daugava (Russia/Belarus/Latvia), Western Bug/Vistula (Ukraine/Belarus/Poland – activities in Ukraine will be funded from a different source);

– start-up of the thematic working groups within PARTs: on biodiversity (salmon, eel conservation), water pollution (nutrients, litter) and agriculture (runoff, IAF)

– arranging an international conference for major Baltic Sea transboundary river basins;

• Phase II, Follow-up: 2018 → (to ensure sustainability of PARTs, to be financed with other sources)– follow-up work with continuation of work of established PARTs and replicating this

experience in other transboundary river basins (e.g. Narva, Gauja, Venta); support to regular meetings of established bodies.

Activities: important for PARTs (2)

Activity Place and date Nemunas Daugava Western Bug/Vistula Role in the project / Tasks

International

Workshop on

transboundary river

basin management in

the eastern part of the

Baltic Sea catchment

area,

Minsk,

18.01.17

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

Green Front (RU)

PKE Gdansk

Center for Env. Solutions,

Nerush,

Ecohome/Ekokontseptsija

Ecoproject

Env. Protection Club LV,

Peipsi Lake Project

Friends of the Baltic

Center for Env. Solutions

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra

Nerush

Center for Env.

Solutions

Initial kick-off and introduction to the topic of

the project; teaming up with basin-wise

colleagues

Kick-off meeting of the

Plastic Free Baltic

Project

Stockholm,

05.03.17

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

Green Front (RU)

PKE Gdansk

Center for Env. Solutions,

Nerush,

Ecopartnership

Env. Protection Club LV,

Friends of the Baltic

Center for Env. Solutions

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra

Nerush

Center for Env.

Solutions

Introduction to the topic of microplastic

monitoring; discussion on the methodology

Baltic Sea Future

Congress

Stockholm,

06-07.03.17

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

Green Front (RU)

PKE Gdansk

Center for Env. Solutions,

Nerush,

Ecopartnership

Env. Protection Club LV,

Friends of the Baltic Center

for Env. Solutions

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra Nerush

Center for Env.

Solutions

Networking, discussing cooperation projects;

stakeholder engagement

Round table

“Ecosystem approach in

integrated river basin.

Role and place of public

participation”

St.Petersburg,

22.03.17

Green Planet (RU)

Center for Env. Solutions,

Friends of the Baltic

Center for Env. Solutions

Center for Env.

Solutions

Exchange of experience with forming PART in

Luga River Basin; discussing the ways for

public participation in river basin

management

Regional Workshop of

the ICLD Cooperation

Programme between

Russian and Swedish

Municipalities

Kaliningrad,

04-05.04.17

Green Planet (RU)

Green Front (RU)

Nature Heritage (RU)

discussing prospects for PART in Nemunas

River basin

Seminar: Ecological

Safety and Sustainable

Agriculture

Lviv,

27.04.17

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra

Discussing solutions for minimising inputs

from agriculture within transboundary river

basin; introducing WFD implementation and

public participation

CCB Annual Conference Rostock,

12-13.05.17

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

PKE Gdansk

Center for Env. Solutions,

Nerush,

Ecohome/Ekokontseptsija

Env. Protection Club LV,

Peipsi Lake Project

Friends of the Baltic

Center for Env. Solutions

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra

Nerush

Center for Env.

Solutions

Discussion within CCB WG RIVER (River Basin

and Wastewater Management), WG AGRI

(Water Protection in Agriculture) and WG

HAZARD (Hazardous Substances and Marine

Litter); planning activities in basin teams

Activity Place and date Nemunas Daugava Western Bug/Vistula Role in the project / Tasks

Collection of

baseline

information

and setting

up

partnerships

May-August, in all

three basins

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

PKE Gdansk

Center for Env. Solutions,

Nerush,

Ecohome/Ekokontseptsija

Env. Protection Club LV,

Peipsi Lake Project ,

Friends of the Baltic,

Center for Env. Solutions

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra

Nerush

Center for Env.

Solutions

Baseline information should be collected on

- the work on transboundary river management -

already completed or ongoing projects,

established networks (e.g. Eco-Krones) and

looking for potential partners.

- environmental conditions and pressures

(including individual hot spots within basin)

This work may result in compilation of a baseline report

(smth similar to background information in Joint Public

Monitoring Plan for Nemunas and Pregola Rivers) and a

map with indication of hot spots & pressures

International

River camp

[July/August] specific

date and place to be

decided by river teams

and may vary from the

proposed

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

PKE Gdansk

Center for Env. Solutions,

Nerush,

Ecohome/Ekokontseptsija

Env. Protection Club LV,

Peipsi Lake Project ,

Friends of the Baltic,

Center for Env. Solutions

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra

Nerush

Ecohome

Center for Env.

Solutions

- Participation of 1-3 persons per partner

- Microplastic monitoring (in coordination with

PlasticFreeBaltic)

- Sharing knowledge on PARTs and compilation of

baseline info

1st Working

Meeting of a

Basin team

[End of August],

specific date and place

to be decided by river

teams and may vary

from the proposed

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

PKE Gdansk

Center for Env. Solutions,

Nerush,

Ecohome/Ekokontseptsija

Env. Protection Club LV,

Peipsi Lake Project ,

Friends of the Baltic,

Center for Env. Solutions

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra

Nerush

Ecohome

Center for Env.

Solutions

- Presentation of baseline information

- Discussion of progress

- Planning

- Proposals for functions and establishment of

PARTs

- - Selecting core project/topic for PARTs (e.g.

inland waterway canal in W.Bug basin or WFD

implementation, flood risks or salmon

migration - in Nemunas, dams and IAF – in

Daugava)

2nd Working

Meeting of

Basin teams

[End of October],

specific date and place

to be decided by river

teams and may vary

from the proposed

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

PKE Gdansk

Center for Env. Solutions,

Nerush,

Ecohome/Ekokontseptsija

Env. Protection Club LV,

Peipsi Lake Project ,

Friends of the Baltic,

Center for Env. Solutions

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra

Ecohome

Nerush

Center for Env.

Solutions

- Establishing PARTs with involvement of other

NGOs

- Discussing both baseline information and tasks

for PARTs

- Planning the process

- In Daugava basin the meeting can be arranged

back-to-back with Dunes, Aarhus and SDG

Conference on 26-27 September

Joint Project

Conference

[End of December,

potentially in

Druskininkai], specific

date and place to be

decided by river teams

and may vary from the

proposed

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

PKE Gdansk

Center for Env. Solutions,

Nerush,

Ecohome/Ekokontseptsija

Env. Protection Club LV,

Peipsi Lake Project ,

Friends of the Baltic,

Center for Env. Solutions

PKE Gliwice

World Lab

Ecoterra

Ecohome

Nerush

Center for Env.

Solutions

- Review of the project work,

- sharing basin experiences and knowledge

- planning for the future

- preferably with involvement of national

authorities in river basin management from all

participating countries

- potentially can be combined with microplastic

project (tbc)

Budget, SEK

1 Main activities 216701

2 Wages 700923 Consultant fee/external services 108642,64 Administration/office related expenses 467285 Travel costs incl accomodation 992975.1 Kick off workshops 525696. Project dissemination 817747 Evaluation 14018,48 Audit 116828.1 Audit report 11682

Total Expenses 648935Total 100,00%Co-funding (CCB) 64893Applied for from the NCM 584042

Nemunas Daugava Western Bug

LT Fund for Nature

Green Planet (RU)

PKE Gdansk (PL)

CES (BY)

Nerush (BY)

Ecohome (BY)

Env. Protection Club (LV)

Peipsi Lake Project (RU)

Friends of the Baltic (RU)

CES (BY)

PKE Gliwice (PL)

CES (BY)

Nerush (BY)

World Lab (UA)

Ecoterra (UA)

Partnership

Important: please involve more partners in the national work!

To-do / Challenges list

• Collection of baseline information and setting up partnerships– Should be finalised by the 2nd Project Meeting

• International River camp– Will be arranged in Baranovichi, Belarus, 20-24 September– Up to 3 persons per country– Camp costs will be taken from second transfer proportionally from all

• 2 Project Meetings (October?)– Establishment of PARTs – involve other NGOs and sectors– Potentially back-to-back with other projects/meetings/events– Update on microplastics screening / methodology

• Joint Project Conference– Druskininkai, Lithuania, 18-19 Dec 2017– All partners and PARTs to be present/presented

• Financing and Reporting– Money to be spent by 31 December 2017– Fin. & narr. Reports by organizations: 31 January 2018– CCB reports to NCM by 28 February 2018

• New application to NCM– November? Continuation of PARTs work

Östra Ågatan 53, SE-753 22 Uppsala, Sweden

+46 73-977 07 93;

mikhail.durkin@ccb.se

www.ccb.se

@coalitioncleanbaltic/

@CCBnetwork

http://yt.vu/+coalitioncleanbaltic

Thank you for your attention!