REPORT
on the Inception Workshop for the PPG GEF project “Enabling transboundary cooperation and integrated water resources management in the Dniester River Basin”
Chisinau, Moldova, 12 July 2016
1. The inception workshop of the Project Preparatory Grant (PPG) of the GEF-funded project “Enabling transboundary cooperation and integrated water resources management in the Dniester River Basin” took place in Chisinau, Moldova on 12 July 2016. The objective of the Project Preparation Grant is to develop a full project document, to prepare other required documents, and to identify co-funding equal almost 9 million USD - to validate the full grant (1,950 mln USD) till the end of 2016. The PPG is administered by the UNDP country office in Moldova, with the guidance by the UNDP Istanbul office for Europe and Central Asia, and UNECE.
2. The aim of the workshop was to introduce the project concept, the timeline for the development of the project document, and to discuss key issues which the beneficiaries and the stakeholders expect the project to address. The meeting agenda is found in Annex 1 of this report. 32 participants from the Moldovan and Ukrainian environment and water authorities, hydrometeorological and emergency services, civil society, and international organizations took part in the meeting (see Annex 2).
3. The project concept, management structure and timeline for implementation of the PPG phase were presented during the meeting. The project concept includes the three principal components:
- Development of a Transboundary Diagnostic Study (TDA) which, upon request of the beneficiaries from Ukraine (environment authorities), should meet the requirements of the article 5 of the Water Framework Directive. TDA is a baseline document.
- Development of a Strategic Action Programme (compatible with the transboundary action programme, a political document to be approved by the governments of the riparian states), support to the Dniester basin Commission, organization of the study tour to another basin commission, stakeholders and public participation, awareness raising,
- Monitoring, early warning, capacity building of the laboratory personnel, biodiversity conservation, pilot demonstration projects (ecosystems restoration, bottom topography, fish conservation), and adaptation to climate change).
The PPG team includes 3 Moldovan and 3 Ukrainian experts, an international consultant, and a team leader.
The key dates in for the PPG are:
- the inception meeting (Chisinau) – 12 July 2016,
- development of the draft project document (with a timeline and measurable indicators) – till mid-September 2016,
- concluding workshop to discuss and validate the project document (Kyiv) – mid-October,
- submission of the final project document, along with letters on co-financing (from the governments and international organizations) – end of December 2016,
- the project start – second half of 2017 (tbc). The project will run for three years.
It was stressed that if the GEF is keen in supporting follow up projects for SAP implementation, so, after the end of the present project if project is evaluated positively, the states may further apply for GEF funding for implementation of the SAP.
4. Specific issues related to the GEF project raised by participants were:
- the ratification of the Dniester Treaty (2012) by the Ukrainian government,
- a need for a bilateral meeting of the deputy ministers of the environment,
- operation of the hydropower plants and plans for further development of the hydropower (particularly linked with the second consecutive year of low water and climate change scenarios),
- contribution of the GEF project to the efforts of EU approximation (Water Framework Directive, Flood Directive) in both riparian states. Specifically, Ukraine needs assistance in identification of the water bodies and their ecological status (article 5 of the WFD), which may be addressed in the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis under the GEF project.
- coordination with different EU and other assistance projects e.g. EPIRB, a new phase of the EU Water Initiative National Policy Dialogue (EU WI NPD) on IWRM in which the UNECE is a part of the implementing consortium,
- use of experience and capacity the OSCE has in the Dniester region (the Dniester projects, the Arhus centres, a mandate for close cooperation with the Transdniester regional authorities).
5. Results of group discussions, on the different project themes (expected products, other relevant projects and processes, challenges) are presented below.
Group 1 (TDA, SAP, Commission, and river basin management plan) highlighted:
- a need for linking TDA and the requirements of the WFD, and design of the SAP close to the operational and achievable transboundary management plan,
- differences in national Moldovan and Ukrainian legislation and a need for comparative analysis,
- a need to address ecosystem services,
- support to the work of the Plenipotentiaries (under 1994 Treaty on the bordering waters) and the future Commission (under the 2012 Dniester basin Agreement),
- addressing water and health issues.
Group 2 (monitoring, adaptation to climate change) stressed a need for:
- monitoring stations for surface and ground waters (a prerequisite to development and implementation of the RBMP). It was preliminary agreed that while GEF cannot spend funds on equipment, it may search for other possible sources of funding (e.g. EUWI+, UNDP country offices, SIDA). Equipment purchased by the EU EPIRB project should be considered (the project team should get in touch with the project representatives),
- flood modeling of priority areas (similar to the one done by the OSCE / UNECE for Mogilyov, Podolskyy and the Dniester delta),
- addressing drought and low water,
- further development of the joint platform on data exchange involving not only hydrometeorological services but other relevant entities. This could be linked with development of the geoportal,
- interactive monitoring for early warning system,
- improve capacity building on short term forecasting of flash-flood in small tributary of Dniester,
- further calculations of the current and forecasted water balance (downscaling),
- further development of the hydrological forecasting of flow to the Dniester water reservoir and forecast information management,
- further work with AGWA on the Dniester reservoirs (finalization of the modeling for the Dniester reservoirs functioning),
- inventory and passportization of small rivers, water reservoirs and ponds (e.g. restoration of natural flow) with recommendations of their management.
Group 3 (biodiversity and public awareness) suggested the following long list of activities for the GEF project to slow down biodiversity loss:
- monitoring of the impacts of hydropower plants operation on biodiversity,
- support to development of a methodology to calculate ecological water release,
- сreation of fish spawning areas on both sides of the river,
- transboundary cooperation on the fisheries in the Lower Dniester,
- further development of the ecological network (linking with Natura 2000),
- transboundary monitoring of the migratory birds in the migratory corridor of international importance,
- support to initiation of a transboundary protected area or transboundary Ramsar wetland in the Lower Dniester, and creation of the Ramsar wetland symmetrical to the Moldovan one in Ungur – Golosnita,
- assessment of the water balance of small rivers, their impacts, and afforestation of their banks
- organization of Dniester basin conferences with participation of various stakeholders,
- development of a communication strategy for the project and its results,
- support to the transboundary Dniester summer schools for youth,
- transboundary expeditions along the Dniester,
- support to the art competition “Colours of the Dniester”,
- further consultations on biodiversity activities will be held with representatives of the Dniester upper course,
- restoration water flow under the bridge at Mayaki - Palanca to restore water exchange between the Dniester and floodplain meadows at low water seasons.
6. Concluding the meeting it was agreed that:
- the PPG team will ensure that the project document is widely consulted and addresses the most priority issues,
- the PPG team will conduct consultations with all key stakeholders in the basin (local, national, regional and national) to ensure links and cohesion with past, current and future endeavors of all stakeholders and the project,
- information about the project and invitation for comments will be placed at http://dniester-basin.org/ and at the websites of the beneficiaries and stakeholders,
- the project document will be drafted by mid-September, translated into Russian by end of September, and widely consulted before the validation meeting in Kyiv (tentatively) in mid-October.
Inception Workshop
Enabling transboundary cooperation and integrated water resources management in the Dniester River Basin
(PPG- Project Preparation Phase)
12 July 2016
Hotel Jolly Alon, 37 Maria Cebotari Str., Chisinau, Moldova
AGENDA
13.00 / Fourchette lunch and registration of participants14.00 / Presentation of project components, objectives and planned activities
Vladimir Mamaev (UNDP-GEF Team Leader and Regional Technical Advisor / UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub for Europe and the CIS), Bo Libert (UNECE Regional Environmental Adviser) and Tamara Kutonova (PPG Team Leader), Peter Whalley (PPG International Consultant)
15.00 / Moderated Discussion of the project components in three working groups
16.00 / Coffee break
16.20 / Presentation of the results of the groups discussion
17.00 / Way forward and concluding remarks
Vladimir Mamaev, Peter Whalley
18.00 / End of the meeting
Inception Workshop
For the PPG GEF project “Enabling transboundary cooperation and integrated water resources management in the Dniester River Basin”
12 July 2016, Chisinau
List of participants
/ Name / Institution / Contact details /Republic of Moldova
1. / Alexei Andreev / NGO Biotica / +373 22 498 837 / 434 726 / 450 579
2. / Gherman Bejenaru / State Hydrometeorological Service, UNDP Consultant /
3. / Victor Bujac / Apele Moldovei, EPIRB project / +373 69 715 577
4. / Bubulici Tatiana / Fish Inspectorate / +373 792 45 388
5. / Ala Druta / Head of climate change office, National Adaptation Planning Project (UNDP/ADA project) /
6. / Valeriu Cazac / Hydrometer Institute
Head Hydrology Department / +373 69 191 014 ,
7. / Natalia Ciobanu / NGO ECO- Logistica / +373 690 11 494
8. / Roman Corobov / International Association of Rivers Keeprs Eco-TIRAS / +373 691 66 687
9. / Ina Coseru / NGO National Environmental Center / + 373 798 17 448, +373 60 589 998
10. / Inessa Galitchi / GEF Small Grants Programme National Coordinator / + 373 794 40 234
11. / Ivan Ignatyev / NGO Ecospectrum / +373 777 743 60
12. / Constantin Mihailescu / Austrian Development Agency (Moldova)
13. / Victor Negru / IWRM graduate / eco-logistica / +373 961 15 777 ecologistica/
14. / Mihail Pencov / UNDP Consultant / +373 69 486 740
,
15. / Alla Rotaru / Ministry of Environment /
Coordinator Biodiversity department / +373 22 204 522
16. / Vasile Scorpan / Head of climate change office /
17. / Ludmila Serenco / Emergency Situations Service / + 373 69 191 034
18. / Ghennadii Syrodoev / Institute of Ecology and Geography / +373 22 323 871, +373 691540 03
19. / Ilya Trombitsky / International Association of Rivers Keeprs Eco-TIRAS, UNDP Consultant / +373 22 225615,+373 22 550953, +373 69121726
20. / Elena Zubkov / Institute of Zoology, Moldovan Academy of Science / +373796383 11
,
Ukraine
21. / VictoriaBojco / Ukrainian Hydometerological Service of Ukraine / Head of Department for Hydrological Forecast /
22. / Lysiuk Olha / SCWM Ukraine /
23. / Marushevsky / UKR MOE
focal project to the project / +380 44206 31 11
24. / Zakorcheva Natalia / UNDP Consultant /
International organizations
25. / Giorgi Arzumanyan / Cluster Lead UNDP Moldova /
26. / Sergiu Cotaga / BD-Mainstreaming project assistant /
+373 69 683 536
27. / Leonid Kalashnyk / OSCE Secretariat / Environmental Programme Officer / +43 676 40 40 460
28. / Tamara Kutonova / PPG GEF Dniester project Team Leader / +380 93 24 03 28
29. / Bo Libert / UNECE /
30. / Vladimir Mamaev / UNDP/GEF regional Team Leader and Technical Advisor International Waters, UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub /
31. / Alexandru Rotaru / UNDP, Biodiversity mainstreaming project manager / +373 691 62 798
32. / Peter Whalley / Consultant / +44 776 81 66 713
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