Planned Areas of Work in 2012 under the EUWI NPD for the component of EECCA

The UNECE, through the Secretariat of the Water Convention, and the OECD have jointly planned the following areas of work under the National Policy Dialogues either on IWRM or on WSS in the countries of EECCA region for 2012. These activities are subject to possible changes. If needed please check the information with the UNECE Secretariat at npd@unece.org

Eastern Europe

The Republic of Moldova

• Development of a national strategy on adaptation of the WSS sector to climate change;
• Sustainable business model(s) for operating and financing water sanitation systems in rural areas and small towns;
• Implementation of targets under the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health;
• Climate change adaptation on a transboundary level.

The Russian Federation

• Economic instruments for Water Resources Management and/or sound economic regulation and sustainable business model(s) in WSS.

Ukraine

• Coping with over fragmentation in WSS sector;
• Economic instruments in IWRM;
• Climate change adaptation on a transboundary level.

The Caucasus

Armenia

• Pilot project - investigation of the feasibility of applying economic tools in the Debed River basin;
• Official adoption of a legal act on Payments for Ecosystem Services;
• Reviewing water resources fees in Armenia in accordance with the European experience in development of methodologies and criteria for water pricing and assessing the economic value of water;
• Setting targets under UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health (preparation of an action plan and a governmental regulation).

Azerbaijan

• Review and completion of the National Water Strategy on the management of water resources based on IWRM principles and communication with the Government on its adoption;
• Revisions of legal acts and preparation of subsidiary legislation in order to implement the Water Strategy;
• Start of an irrigation pilot project in one of the basins;
• Transboundary water cooperation, including the development of transboundary water agreement with Georgia.

Georgia

• Review of the Georgian legal and institutional frameworks for water management and recommendations for implementation of the principles of the EU Water Framework Directive, including preparation and adoption of a National Water Law based on IWRM principles;
• Transboundary water cooperation, including the development of transboundary water agreement with Azerbaijan;
• Preparation to accession to the UNECE Water Convention;
• Setting targets and target dates under the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health.

Central Asia

Kazakhstan

• The NPD will be launched in 2012. An exploratory mission will determine the focus of work and possible policy packages. The activities will include a mapping report to recommend policy packages.

Kyrgyzstan

• Implementation of river basin management approach through development of the river basin management plan for the Chu River;
• Pilot project on the application of the principles of UNECE/WHO-Europe Protocol on Water and Health: setting targets and target days in the pilot Chu River basin;
• Economic instruments for water resource management and sustainable business model(s) for water users associations in selected basin.

Tajikistan

• Support to the water sector reform strategy including development of the legal and institutional frameworks based on IWRM principles;
• Strengthening transboundary cooperation with Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan;
• Development of policy packages to implement the Roadmap on IWRM.

Turkmenistan

• Support to the understanding and application of the principles of the UNECE Water Convention as part of the accession process;
• Support to incorporation of IWRM principles in the national legislation;
• A pilot project on river basin management.

Uzbekistan

*subject to expression of interest by the Uzbek Government

• Sustainable business model(s) for water users associations and Economic instruments for water resource management in selected basin.

More information on the EU Water Initiative National Policy Dialogue on IWRM is available at  www.unece.org/env/water/npd.html