86
8 Transboundary Water Governance in the European Union
8.2.2.3 Core Obligations
The Convention contains two major categories of obligations:
– general obligations: the first, more general, group of obligations apply to all parties and include such requirements as the authorisation and monitoring of wastewater discharges; setting emission limits for discharges from point sources based on
the best available technology; the application of best environmental practices to
reduce inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances from agriculture and other diffuse sources; environmental impact assessment; the development of contingency
plans; the setting of water-quality objectives and the minimization of the risk of
accidental water pollution (Art. 3.1., 3.2.),
– obligations of riparian states: the second category of obligations is more specific
and must be implemented by parties sharing transboundary waters. Thus, riparian
states are obliged to conclude specific bilateral or multilateral agreements and to
establish joint bodies, to hold consultations concerning the shared watercourse, to
exchange information on the state of water bodies, to provide mutual assistance
in critical situations (Art. 9., 10., 13., 15.), etc.
8.2.2.4 Operation and Institutions
The framework nature and the flexible institutional set-up of the Convention permitted the parties to adopt comprehensive work programmes and a wide range of
supporting instruments and mechanisms over the years. This has greatly contributed
to the further development of the original principles and requirements of the Convention. Thus, today, the Convention’s activities extend to such novel issues of water
management as climate adaptation or payment for ecosystem services, etc. To facilitate implementation strategic and technical guidelines have been developed under
the Convention on specific issues like monitoring, flood control or groundwater
(Bernardini 2015). The UNECE Water Convention is supported by a robust institutional framework, including the regular meetings of the parties, an implementation
(compliance) mechanism, various working and expert groups and a highly active
secretariat (McCaffrey 2016).
8.2.2.5 Evaluation
Following its entry into force, the Convention has quickly evolved into a full-fledged
model platform for transboundary water cooperation that has pioneered on such critical areas as transboundary groundwater management, climate adaptation or monitoring, water allocation, etc., receiving critical acclaim worldwide.
17 It is also widely
17 In his address to the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties on 28 November 2012, UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had stated: “Since its launch twenty years ago, this Convention
has significantly enhanced the integrated norms and standard for cooperation, which makes it a best
8 Transboundary Water Governance in the European Union
8.2.2.3 Core Obligations
The Convention contains two major categories of obligations:
– general obligations: the first, more general, group of obligations apply to all parties and include such requirements as the authorisation and monitoring of wastewater discharges; setting emission limits for discharges from point sources based on
the best available technology; the application of best environmental practices to
reduce inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances from agriculture and other diffuse sources; environmental impact assessment; the development of contingency
plans; the setting of water-quality objectives and the minimization of the risk of
accidental water pollution (Art. 3.1., 3.2.),
– obligations of riparian states: the second category of obligations is more specific
and must be implemented by parties sharing transboundary waters. Thus, riparian
states are obliged to conclude specific bilateral or multilateral agreements and to
establish joint bodies, to hold consultations concerning the shared watercourse, to
exchange information on the state of water bodies, to provide mutual assistance
in critical situations (Art. 9., 10., 13., 15.), etc.
8.2.2.4 Operation and Institutions
The framework nature and the flexible institutional set-up of the Convention permitted the parties to adopt comprehensive work programmes and a wide range of
supporting instruments and mechanisms over the years. This has greatly contributed
to the further development of the original principles and requirements of the Convention. Thus, today, the Convention’s activities extend to such novel issues of water
management as climate adaptation or payment for ecosystem services, etc. To facilitate implementation strategic and technical guidelines have been developed under
the Convention on specific issues like monitoring, flood control or groundwater
(Bernardini 2015). The UNECE Water Convention is supported by a robust institutional framework, including the regular meetings of the parties, an implementation
(compliance) mechanism, various working and expert groups and a highly active
secretariat (McCaffrey 2016).
8.2.2.5 Evaluation
Following its entry into force, the Convention has quickly evolved into a full-fledged
model platform for transboundary water cooperation that has pioneered on such critical areas as transboundary groundwater management, climate adaptation or monitoring, water allocation, etc., receiving critical acclaim worldwide.
17 It is also widely
17 In his address to the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties on 28 November 2012, UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had stated: “Since its launch twenty years ago, this Convention
has significantly enhanced the integrated norms and standard for cooperation, which makes it a best