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1
Dr. Anne Schulte-Wülwer-LeidigAssistant Manager
ICPR International Commission
for the Protection of
the Rhine
Transboundary Cooperation in Water
Management – Practical Experience from the Rhine River
Basin
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Content
(1) The Rhine river basin: uses and conflicts
(2) The ICPR Members Organization Rules and procedures of cooperation
(3) Results
(4) Some considerations and lessons learnt
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The Rhine River Basin
Catchment: 200.000 km²
The Rhine = 3rd biggest European river
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The Rhine from source to sea
Alp Rhine High Rhine
Upper Rhine Middle Rhine Lower Rhine Delta Rhine
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The ideal river...
... for nature protection
… for agriculture
… for drainage
… for navigation
... for local recreation
... for economy
... for power generation
... for drinking water uses
Functions of the Rhine
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The Rhine river basin
3rd biggest European river catchment200.000 km²
Inhabitants58 million
Drinking water 30 million people
Main stream 1230 km
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The Rhine river basin
Navigable length 825 km Basel - RotterdamEurope’s busiest shipping lane
Important chemical industries along the banks of the Rhine
Hydropower plantsHigh Rhine (11) and Upper Rhine (10)
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The Rhine river basin - 9 countries
Germany ~54%
Switzerland ~ 14% France ~ 12% The Netherlands ~17%
Italy, Austria, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Belgium (about 3%)
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Rules of cooperation I
De-centralised organization
Secretariat
National delegations
political mandatetechnical know howfunds
What makes ICPR work so effective?
Plenary assemblyLuxembourg
Organizational Chart of the ICPR
Koordinierungs-Komitee (CC)
Plenarsitzung (PLEN)
Data management
Working Group Floods
(H)
Working Group Water quality/Emissions (S)
WorkingGroup
Ecology (B)
Heads of Delegation (DEL)
Plenary Assembly (PLEN)Coordinating Committee (CC)
Strategy Group (SG)
Subordinate Strategy Group (SG-K)
Secretariat
Expert Groups
EG KLI MA
EG HVAL
EG HI RI
Expert Groups
EG SAPA
EG SMON
EG SANA
EG GW
Expert Groups
EG BMON
EG FI SH
Project Group Micropollutants
(MI KRO)
EG GI S
Regular budget - 1 200 000 Euro/year
75% salaries, 25% operating costs
Budget of the ICPR - secretariat
2.5%: EC12.0%: Switzerland85.5%: France (32.5%)
Germany (32.5%) Netherlands (32.5%) Luxembourg ( 2.5%)
Implementation: EU directives (special budget)
32% each: France, Germany, Netherlands1.5% each: Austria, Luxembourg0.5% each: Belgium/Wallonia, Liechtenstein
Repartition key
Unanimity / consensus
Decisions are recommendations
Obligation to report about the implementation of measures
Political trust, no sanctions
Rules of cooperation II
What makes ICPR work so effective?
Basin-wide cooperation requires solidarity
Upstream => downstream
water quality issues
water quantity issues: e.g. flood and drought
prevention, hydropower generation
sediment and temperature management
climate change impacts
Basin-wide cooperation requires solidarity
Downstream => upstream
River continuity (free migration for migratory fish species)
Shipping lane: down- and upstream continuity
1950 – 1976Drafting of conventions
1986 – 2000Sandoz accident accelerated implementationTwo heavy floods (Lower Rhine)
Since 2001Legislation: EU level
Water Framework Directive Groundwater DirectiveFloods Directive
ICPR – Milestones: 3 phases
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Cooperation with observersRepresentatives of the public opinion
1. Non-governmental organizations – NGOs (16):
Nature conservation Flood protection Drinking water supply Chemical industry Hydropower Navigation
2. Other river basin commissions: Danube, Elbe,…
3. Other intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)
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Lessons learnt I
Water is a common source not individual property
Defintions are imperative: 1. the common interests in a basin 2. the special interests of the different
countries 3. common concrete goals for
reducing water pollution improving flood mitigation/protection nature-near intact river ecosystems
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Lessons learnt II
Changing participants‘ perspective is imperative
Exchange of know-how and create mutual understanding
Allow time: The ICPR needed a lot of time for creating political trust
Best solutions are win-win solutions for all partners
Cooperation within basins creates mutual understanding and … friendship
