Strategies, Law and Regulation in the EU ：

River Impacts on Oceans and CoastsCarl Gustaf Lundin

Director, Global Marine & Polar Programme IUCN

Structure1. European Union Framework2. Water Framework Directive3. River-basin decisions

Algal bloom Hazardous substances

4. Physical Modifications5. Strategies and Solutions

– Blue Carbon

European Union Framework

Different countries

Different national

legislations

Different ministries

Standardized regulatory base: EU legislative policies & directives

• Beyond EU: National legislations • National legislations: heterogeneous

European Union FrameworkKey Marine and Freshwater InstrumentsCommon Fisheries Policy (1970)Habitats Directive (1992)Biodiversity Strategy (1998)Strategic Environmental Assessment (2001)Water Framework Directive (2000)Integrated Maritime Policy (2007)Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008)

• EU Directives: mostly started in the 1990s• Aim: rectify missing legislations (marine)

Key Marine InstrumentsCommon Fisheries Policy (1970)Habitats Directive (1992)Biodiversity Strategy (1998)Strategic Environmental Assessment (2001)Water Framework Directive (2000)Integrated Maritime Policy (2007)Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008)

European Union Framework

• Some country’s national legislations more stringent• National legislations are important

Relevance to China

River Rhine Yangtze River

• Operates in similar geographical scale• Framework provides standardized structure• River Rhine/Yangtze River: brings together

heterogeneous member States/Provinces

Water Framework Directive (WFD)

• Objectives:– Achieve good ‘ecological status’ by 2015– New ways of protecting and improving:

• Rivers, lakes, groundwater, estuaries, coastal waters, land drainage

– Integrated ecological improvement• Physical habitat, water quality and flow regime

• Relevance to China:Long term perspective of implementation processPolluter Pays Principal

Milestones in WFD Implementation

Source: EU China River Basin Management Programme

Arkansas Water Advisory Group

OCEANS + COASTS

RIVER BASINS

OCEANS + COASTS

RIVER BASINS

+ DIRECT MODIFICATIONS OCEANS + COASTS

= TOTAL IMPACT ON OCEANS + COASTS

Algal Bloom

• Nitrates and Phosphates found in river systems

• Point and non-point sources

• Dependent on sewage and agricultural management decisions in river basins

© Daily Mail

青岛港

Point Source Pollution:-Sewage-Industry

Diffuse Source Pollution:-Agriculture-Urban land use and development

Natural Inputs:-Freshwater-Sediments

ACCUMULATION INTO OCEANS AND COASTS

© Daily Mail

Hazardous Substances

• Examples: – PCBs– Lead– DDE (a degradated

product of DDT) – Cadmium– Mercury– TBT– Dioxins– Brominated flame

retardants, etc.© Lu Guang

安徽省

© China Daily

Point Source Pollution:-Industries, factories-Sewage

ACCUMULATION INTO OCEANS AND COASTS

Diffuse Source Pollution:-Urban land use -Urban development-Agriculture

Good Environmental Status of Oceans + Coasts

Sewage

River Basin Decisions

Agriculture

Industrial

Runoff

Development

Various management boardsMultiple river basins

Impact numerous deltasACCUMULATION

EFFECT

Physical Modifications of Rivers, Coasts and OceansECONOMICS ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIETY

Land for development of industries

Threat to ecosystem functions

Revenue for local governments

Accessible and cheap transportation

Intensifies red tides and fisheries decline

Minimize compensation loss for buying land and changing land use

Avoid land use conflicts Pollution Alternative source of energy for development

Valuable energy resource Add into carbon budget Incentive for uncontrolled land reclamation

Great economic loss associated with natural and man-made hazards

Destroy natural coastal protection barriers and habitats

Physical Modifications of Rivers, Coasts and OceansECONOMICS ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIETY

Land for development of industries

Threat to ecosystem functions

Revenue for local governments

Accessible and cheap transportation

Intensifies red tides and fisheries decline

Minimize compensation loss for buying land and changing land use

Avoid land use conflicts Pollution Alternative source of energy for development

Valuable energy resource Add into carbon budget Incentive for uncontrolled land reclamation

Great economic loss associated with natural and man-made hazards

Destroy natural coastal protection barriers and habitats

© BBC

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami 2011

‘It is now the crucial moment

for China to set strategic plans for the

development of its oceans & coasts for the

next 10 to 20 years – A key phase to

stimulate sustainable social and economic

development in the future’

River Basin management decisions integrated with Ocean management decisions.

Significance of EU WFD to ChinaTheme Analysis

HISTORY Water policy and legislation shaped over a 25-year period bringing together differing member States.Suitable model for China to follow with varying differences at provincial levels.

CHARACTERISTICS 1. Clear governance structure2. Management by objective3. Ecology at the centreClear and easy framework to be followed, with specific

goals and targets to be met.

IMPLEMENTATION Long term perspective: spans equivalent of three Five-year plans of China.Take into account long term implementation and execution process.

COSTS - Polluter pays principal- Payment by beneficiariesMechanisms allow funding for measures to be executed

effectively

Strategy and Solutions

• Mountain top to ocean management (New trend to coastal management)

• Structure of management boards– Involve river basin managers in coastal planning

boards and vice versa

• Monitoring and Assessment: every stage of the process

Policy Solution: Blue Carbon

• Coastal ecosystems - mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass meadows and kelp forests

• Over 55% biological carbon is captured by marine living organisms

• High carbon storage in soils of coastal wetlands

• Degradation = substantial carbon emissions and loss of carbon sequestration functions

Policy Solution: Blue Carbon

• Include coastal carbon sinks into climate change policy frameworks

• Development of new financial mechanisms to support blue carbon

• Some policy mechanisms readily available, others are yet to be developed

© Lu Guang

广东省

贝江广西省

Thank you!

IUCN – Global Marine and Polar Programmehttp://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/marine/