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- The International Roundtable on “Integrated Management of Shared Groundwater in South Eastern Europe”
The International Roundtable on “Integrated Management of Shared Groundwater in Southeastern Europe” took place in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia, 14-16 November 2007. It was jointly organised by the Slovenian Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med) and supported by GEF IW:LEARN.
The Roundtable is part of the activities within the Petersberg Process Phase II / Athens Declaration Process .
The International Roundtable aimed to promote cooperation for sustainable utilization, management and protection of shared groundwater resources in the SEE region. It addressed issues of integrated management of shared groundwater resources. Linkages to the management of connected river basins, coastal areas and ecosystems as well as contribution of groundwater to economic development were also addressed. It built on related ongoing work in the region carried out by international organizations such as GEF, UNECE and UNESCO IHP.
Among the objectives of the International Roundtable was to:
- Identify the most significant problems, pressing needs and challenges for the SEE region relating to groundwater resources management;
- Promote recognition and awareness of the socio-economic and environmental values of shared aquifers as well as the need for integrating shared groundwater management with river basin management;
- Exchange information and communicate good practices and success stories in different aspects of shared groundwater resources management;
- Identify key areas of action where the involvement of Petersberg Process Phase II / Athens Declaration Process, would result in the enhancement of synergies with on-going and planned activities in the region;
- Identify key steps needed to advance a strategy and action programme for the management of shared groundwater in the SEE region;
- Facilitate the establishment of a peer network between persons working in the shared groundwater management area.
A study visit was organized on the occasion of the International Roundtable, on 12 November 2006. It aimed to provide the opportunity for participants to share experiences at the field level. The participants visited the Karst Research Institute in Postojna as well as the entrance of Planina Cave . The main objective of such events is to allow for the exchange of practical knowledge on a variety of aspects of joint management including the development and implementation of field based activities
The activities contribute to the works of the Mediterranean Component of the EU Water Initiative (MED EUWI) as well as to the new GEF Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Sea Large Marine Ecosystems.
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Participants  were representatives of competent national and local authorities, institutions and stakeholders from the countries of Southeastern Europe; donor countries and international institutions and organizations; the Core and Collaborating Partners of the Process and GEF IW:LEARN Activity D2, attended the Roundtable.
OVERALL PLAN
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12 November
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13 November
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14 November
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Morning Session
Lunch
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International Roundtable on Integrated Management of Shared Groundwater in in SEE
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International Roundtable on Integrated Management of Shared Groundwater in in SEE
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International Roundtable on Integrated Management of Shared Groundwater in in SEE
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Afternoon Session
Dinner
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Study visit
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Day 1 – Wednesday, 14 November 2007
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09.00
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Registration |
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09.30
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Welcome Address
Mr. Mitja Bricelj, State Secretary, Slovenian Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning |
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09.40
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Introductory Remarks
German Ministry for the Environment Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety World Bank
GEF
GEF IW:LEARN |
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10.00
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Setting the stage – Is groundwater management the “forgotten child” in the Integrated Water Resources Management family?
(Conversation table dialogues - Groups of 5-6 people will discuss the framing question and will identify key roadblocks to integrating groundwater resources management. Each table will report key points made by the group. Facilitated plenary discussion will follow.)
- 10.00 Introductory presentation
- 10.15 Discussion in groups
- 10.45 Presentation of the outcomes of the group discussions - Discussion in plenary
Introduction made by / Facilitator: Mr. Ron Hoffer, World Bank
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11.45
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Coffee break
Presentation of the Global Experience, Understanding the Issues in the SEE Region
Shared groundwater management - Initiatives / Experiences
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12.00
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Shared Groundwater Management in Southeastern Europe
Current situation, challenges, trends - Institutional, legal, socio-economic, assessment and monitoring aspects.
Mr. Jacques Ganoulis UNESCO Chair / INWEB 
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12.15
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Experiences of shared groundwater management from Europe and Northern Africa
(Facilitated panel discussion on key topics. The panel will interact with the participants)
Case studies:
- Groundwater resources of Karavnke Mountains (Slovenia, Austria), Mr Mitja Bricelj,
Slovenian Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and, Mr. Mihael Brencic, Geological Survey of Slovenia
- Groundwater resources of upper Rhine valley (Germany, France), Mr. Thomas Gudera, Institute for the Environment, Measurements and Nature Protection, Baden-Wuerttemberg
- Nubian Sandstone Aquifer (Chad, Egypt, Libya, Sudan), Mr. Sameh Afifi, UNDP/RBAS Regional Water Governance Project for Arab Countries
- IAEA/ UNDP/ GEF Mainstreaming Groundwater Considerations into Nile River Basin Management, Mr. Andy Garner, IAEA
Mr. Andrea Merla, UNDP Consultant will comment on issues that the panel will raise in the context of experience from South America and Middle East respectively.
Facilitator: Mr Stephen Lintner, World Bank
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13.30
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Field Trip
13.30 Departure from Brdo
14.45 Arrival to Planina - Visit at the entrance of Planina Cave
15.45 Arrival to Karst Research Institute in Postojna
16.00 Welcome by Dr. Tadej Slabe, Head of the Institute
16.05 Presentation: “Karstological research of groundwater resources”
17.00 Departure from Postojna
18.00 Arrival to Kranj, hotel Creina
End of Day 1
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Day 2 – Thursday, 15 November 2007
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09.30
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Moving from Issues to Actions
Development of hydrogeological mapping in Europe as a cornerstone for WHYMAP
Mr. Wilhelm Struckmeier, German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources
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09.50
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Shared Groundwater management under the UNECE Water Convention
Mr. John Chilton, British Geological Survey, UNECE Consultant
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10.10
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Groundwater management under the EU acquis. (EU Water Framework Directive and EU Groundwater Directive)
Mr. Philippe Quevauviller, European Commission
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10.30
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Coffee break
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11.00
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Topical Parallel Working Sessions
Topical Parallel Working Sessions
Topical Parallel Working Sessions
Group 1 - Resources assessment and linkages to freshwater and marine systems management
(e.g. monitoring quality and quantity of shared groundwater resources, assessment of risks, sharing of information, hydrogeological modelling etc.)
Facilitator: Mr. Joerg Prestor, Geological Survey of Slovenia
Rapporteur: Mr. Tarik Kupusovic, Hydro-engineering Institute, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group 2 - Land use and economic development.
(e.g. sectoral policies, agriculture and industrial development that affect groundwater, water pricing, ecosystem support, cost and benefits of improved management, etc.)
Facilitator: Mr. Jaroslav Vrba, UNESCO Consultant
Rapporteur: Mr. Neno Kukuric, IGRAC
Group 3 - Institutional arrangements
(e.g. bilateral and regional mechanisms of cooperation, expansion of responsibilities of joint commissions, capacity building and knowledge sharing, legal agreements, role of private sector, civil society and academia, etc.)
Facilitator: Mr. Dejan Panovski, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, FYR Macedonia
Rapporteur: Mr. Dejan Komatina, Secretariat of International Sava River Basin Commission
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13.30
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Lunch break
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The role of GEF in fostering groundwater management
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15.00
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GEF strategic priorities with regard to groundwater management in Southeastern Europe - The case of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer
Mr. Andrea Merla, UNDP consultant
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15.30
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Coffee break
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16.00
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Plenary session
Question: What are the key steps needed to advance a strategy and action programme for the management of shared groundwater in the SEE region?
Facilitator: Thomas Stratenwerth, German Ministry for the Environment Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
Rapporteur: Mr. Mish Hamid, GEF IW:LEARN
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17.30
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Afternoon event: Water tasting
Three glasses of water from around the world - Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Australia and Vienna – will seat on a table waiting for a taste test. They all look identical. They all smell alike. They all originate from local rain. The big difference is, some of it fell recently and some thousands of years ago. So how will the water taste?
A water-tasting serves to demonstrate the use of certain isotopic investigations to determine the age of water, information often needed by water resource managers. Knowing the age of water reveals how long it has been underground. The younger it is the more communities can pump with the confidence that rainfall is replenishing their water supply. And that constitutes a basic element of groundwater management.
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18.30
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Dinner
End of Day 2
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Day 3 – Friday, 16 November 2007
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09.30
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Presentation of the summary reports of the working groups (plenary) - Discussion
Summary report of working group 1
Summary report of working group 2
Summary report of working group 3
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10.45
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Break
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High-level segment
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11.15
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Conclusions of the Roundtable
Chaired by Mr. Janez Podobnik, Slovenian Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning
11.15 Presentation of the conclusions of the International Roundtable on Integrated Management of Shared Groundwater in the Southeastern Europe – Next steps
Mr. Fritz Holzwarth, German Ministry for the Environment Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
Mr. Stephen Lintner, World Bank
Mr. Michael Scoullos, Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean
12.00 Conclusive remarks - Joint Statement of representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, parties of the Sava Framework Agreement for the management of the shared groundwater resources in the Sava River Basin
- Mr. Janez Podobnik, Minister, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Slovenia
- Mr. Sasa Dragin, Minister, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Serbia
- Ms. Ruzica Drmic, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Croatia
- Mr. Nikola Ruzinski, State Secretary, Ministry of Environmental Protection Physical Planning and Construction, Croatia
- Mr. Senad Oprasic, Head of environmental protection department, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Joint Statement presented by Mr. Dejan Komatina, Secretary, Secretariat of International Sava River Basin Commission
End of the International Roundtable
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13.00
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Lunch for the participants of the Roundtable in Brdo Castel
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Integrated Shared Groundwater in Southeastern Europe