Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer System

From Assessment to Implementation

DIKTAS: PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF THE DINARIC KARST TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFER SYSTEM

DIKTAS IS A PROJECT INITIATED BY THE AQUIFER-SHARING STATES AND SUPPORTED BY GEF - GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY. IT IS IMPLEMENTED BY UNDP AND EXECUTED BY UNESCO.

TO FACILITATE THE EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF THE TRANSBOUNDARY WATER RESOURCES OF THE DINARIC KARST AQUIFER SYSTEM, AND

TO PROTECT THE UNIQUE GROUNDWATER DEPENDENT ECOSYSTEMS THAT CHARACTERIZE THE DINARIC KARST REGION OF THE BALKAN PENINSULA.

DIKTAS IS ABOUT GROUNDWATER IN A KARST ENVIRONMENT

KARST IS A SPECIAL TYPE OF GEOLOGIC ENVIRONMENT THAT IS FORMED BY DISSOLUTION AND CORROSION OF SOLUBLE ROCKS, SUCH AS LIMESTONE AND DOLOMITE. KARST HYDROGEOLOGY IS CHARACTERIZED BY HIGH FRACTURE CONTROLLED PERMEABILITY, ALMOST TOTAL ABSENCE OF SURFACE WATER, HIGH INFILTRATION RATES AND RAPID UNDERGROUND FLOWS OF GROUNDWATER.

Tool 1: Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis

FACT-FINDING ANALYSIS, OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT AND NOT A NEGOTIATED DOCUMENT

HYDROGEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISATION

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS

ANALYSIS OF GOVERNANCE (POLICY, LEGAL AND ORGANISATIONAL ASPECTS

ISSUES OF TRANSBOUNDARY CONCERN AND THEIR UNDERLYING/ROOT CAUSES

DIKTAS Project: From Assessment to Implementation

Tool 2: Cooperation Mechanisms

INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEES AT NATIONAL LEVEL

REGIONAL CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE BODY

STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT

COOPERATION WITH OTHER PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND SUMMER KARST SCHOOL

International Conference and Field Seminar

11-15 June 2014 Trebinje (Bosnia & Herzegovina) – Dubrovnik (Croatia)

KARST WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

First Announcement

DIKTAS Project: From Assessment to Implementation

Tool 3: Strategic Action Plan

BASED ON THE TRANSBOUNDARY DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS

NEGOTIATED POLICY DOCUMENT

ESTABLISHES PRIORITIES FOR ACTION TO RESOLVE THE PRIORITY TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS PROBLEMS

IDENTIFIES POLICY, LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS AND INVESTMENTS NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS PROBLEMS

ITERATIVE AND INCREMENTAL PROCESS

DIKTAS Project: From Assessment to Implementation

Conclusion & Recommandations:

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON A SHARED, VITAL NATURAL RESOURCE IS A COMPLEX PROCESS. INVISIBLE GROUNDWATER AND KARST ENVIRONMENT MAKE THIS PROCESS EVEN MORE CHALLENGING;

THREE TASKS APPROACH (FACT FINDING, COLLABORATION MECHANISM AND JOINT ACTION PROGRAM) IS LOGICAL AND EFFECTIVE;

THE ROAD TO COOPERATION IS ROCKY BUT REWARDING;

APPLY MULTIDISCIPLINARY ASSESSMENT (INC. HYDROGEOLOGICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIO-ECONOMICAL AND GOVERNANCE ASPECT) OF INTERNATIONALLY SHARED (GROUND)WATERS;

A COMBINATION OF SCIENCE (FACT FINDING) AND DIPLOMACY (PROCESS MODERATION) IS THE VEHICLE FOR ELIMINATING POTENTIAL SOURCES OF CONFLICT AND IMPROVING THE OVERALL BENEFIT FROM SHARED RESOURCES

DIKTAS Project: From Assessment to Implementation

http://diktas.iwlearn.org

bridging the people