Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer System Second Workshop "River Basin Commissions and Other Joint Bodies for Transboundary Water Cooperation: Technical Aspects " Genève, 9-10 April 2014
DIKTAS project Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer System GLOBAL focusing the attention of the international community REGIONAL facilitate equitable and sustainable utilization and protection of the ttransboundary water resources of the Dinaric Karst Aquifer System protect unique groundwater dependent ecosystems that characterize the Dinaric Karst region of the Balkan peninsula
DIKTAS Elaborated Core partners GEF UNDP UNESCO Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro Regional partners Slovenia, Greece and Italy International partners GWP-MED, IGRAC, IAH,
Dinaric region and DIKTAS project area the main orientation of the system is NW-SE, parallel to the Adriatic Sea NE Italy (Friuli) through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro to Albania also in Serbia, FYR of Macedonia and possibly in NW Greece
What is Karst? special type of geomorphological and geologic environment formed by dissolution and corrosion of soluble rocks, such as limestone and dolomite hydrogeologicaly is characterized by high fracture permeability, almost total absence of surface water, high infiltration rates and fast velocity of underground flows of groundwater CaCO 3 + H 2 O + CO 2 Ca 2 + + 2HCO 3 2-
Karst in DIKTAS project area Cave decorations, Vjeternica cave, B&H Dinaric Karst Limestone dissolution fractures The large waterfall, Plitvice Lakes, CRO
Project Components International Consultation and Information Exchange Body (CIE) National Inter-ministerial Committees (NIC) Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) Improving the understanding of the resource and of its environmental status Establishing cooperation mechanisms among countries sharing the aquifer Strategic Action Programme (SAP) Facilitating harmonization of policies and priority reforms Stakeholder Participation, Consultation and Communication
Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) TDA is: fact-finding analysis objective assessment not a negotiated document 4 working groups Identification of: priority issues of transboundary concern environmental and socio-economic impacts underlying/root causes analysis of governance (policy, legal and organizational aspects)
Strategic Action Program (SAP) based on the TDA negotiated policy document adopted by the NICs and CIE establishes clear priorities for action identifies policies, legal and institutional reforms and investments needed the preparation - cooperative process among key stakeholders in the countries of the region
DIKTAS Cooperation Mechanisms National Inter-ministerial Committees NIC Consultation and Information Exchange Body CIE Consultation mechanism among the GEF and other relevant projects and activities in the region (carried out by NGOs, Water Agencies, UN, international development org.,..)
Progress to-date
DIKTAS Web Portal
KARST WITHOUT BOUNDARIES http://www.karstwithoutboundaries2014.org 62 days until the conference
Bridging the people Thank you! Mirela Hahn Ministry of Agriculture Republic of Croatia mhahn@voda.hr