How to integrate SHARE MCA in hydropower and river ecosystems management regulations Session 4 - Integrated water management experiences

Final meeting

Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

SHARE, Final meeting – Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

Policy makers and deciders have to deal with complexity:

To take decision for a local or a regional authority challenges to consider the

point of view of many citizens, the interests of many users or actors …

sometime contradictory !

But also schizophrenic legal orientations …

How to combine

the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (« good quality of

water ») and

the enhancement of Hydropower fostered by the RES-e Directives and

the Energy-Climate package (objective of 20% of renewable energy in 2020

and considering the Alpine hydropower potential) ?

SHARE, Final meeting – Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

Integrated water management experiences

Why to integrate MCA-SHARE in hydropower and river ecosystem management ? To deal with a complex decision making !

Why to integrate MCA-SHARE in hydropower and river ecosystem management ? The Alpine challenge: The Alpine economy has been strongly oriented by its capacity to make of a permanent natural handicap an asset - abundance of water (precipitation) +slope = risk + energy ; - hydropower = one of the main structural forms of energy production for the Alpine valleys; - installation of many electro-intensive industries (EII such carbon, aluminum, etc.) in Alpine valleys during the XIXth and XXth centuries are the direct consequence of the proximity of hydropower plans; - hydropower remains a strategic sector (necessity energy mix and main renewable energy source); -hydropower a strategic sector ? Even if it is not low-cost energy, it is flexible and performing. -… the total power output of the Alpine hydropower stations is more than 45 800 MW !

SHARE, Final meeting – Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

Integrated water management experiences

Alpine regions have a strong natural capital in heritage ! Link to economic value, the Alps is a leading region for green growth ! Importance of adaptation to climate change: the Alps would face a two times warm up Then, many alpine actors and municipalities have developed or want to develop climate plans which instigated some crucial energy policies… i.e: Action plan for climate of the Alpine Convention: A complex context in the one policy makers should decide or not to develop micro-hydroelectricity in the Alps (… AC small hydro guidelines).

Important risk : the important potential of RE in the Alps could appear impossible to realize or too expensive to mobilize … because of the political complexity to decide what is good or bad … even if the real choice is generally between the worst and the lesser evil.

SHARE, Final meeting – Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

Integrated water management experiences

Why to integrate MCA-SHARE in hydropower and river ecosystem management ? To avoid opposition between River ecosystems Vs hydropower? Environment Vs adaptation to climate change?

Considering this favorable Alpine “compost”, MCA appears as a perfect tool

to integrate complex data and to manage multipart system.

Better than to ignore a dimension or to overweight an issue, the MCA would support a balance integration of every interests: - Objectify a decision; - Avoid non-transparent political assessment made with too technical positions; - Avoid pros or cons ex-post evaluation of new hydropower projects but prefer a shared ex-ante evaluation; - Political analysis and decision still possible regarding the weight given to the various indicators link to priorities;

During meetings done with various experts, stakeholders or deciders, the MCA process gives real opportunities to organize a better partnership and multilevel governance. This is absolutely necessary for mountain territories as Alpine regions to adapt policies to the specific challenges or “regions with natural or geographic permanent handicaps”. Regional environmental governance is a key challenge for the sustainable development of mountain regions.

SHARE, Final meeting – Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

Integrated water management experiences

SHARE, Final meeting – Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

Integrated water management experiences

How to integrate MCA-SHARE in hydropower and river ecosystem management ? With a multilevel and environmental governance and a territorial cohesion objective !

A strict analysis of the various legal competencies (who is doing what !) : Europe, States administrations, Regional and local administrations;

To consider that territorial scales (river, valley, bassin, massif, etc.) are more pertinent to built a efficient integrated approach : Alpine level, multiregional bassins, valleys, rivers…

To consider that mountain regions need partnership and close decision making;

MCA-SHARE helps to give a commune « vocabulary » to various actors and deciders; MCA-SHARE appears as a tool of consensus between strategy and action, protection and development !

SHARE, Final meeting – Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

Integrated water management experiences How to integrate MCA-SHARE in hydropower and river ecosystem

management ?

By considering the demand of Economic valorisation of Ecosystem services !

TEEB study as a global reference

Evaluation sequence building on scientific information

But also the link to be done with Green infrastructures debates:

Design, implementation and cost elements of Green Infrastructure projects Green infrastructure is the network of natural and semi-natural areas, features and green spaces in rural and urban, and terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and

marine areas, which together enhance ecosystem health and resilience, contribute to biodiversity conservation and benefit human populations through the

maintenance and enhancement of ecosystem services. Green infrastructure can be strengthened through strategic and co-ordinated initiatives that focus on

maintaining, restoring, improving and connecting existing areas and features as well as creating new areas and features.

The technical link between renewable energy and ecosystem services made with MCA-SHARE is stimulating to organize better the new model of green economy that the Alps could propose to Europe. Therefore, Water and Energy should be topics to be develop in a European macroregional strategy for the Alps.

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How to integrate MCA-SHARE in hydropower and river ecosystem management ? By building a European Strategy for the Alps !

The Baltic sea and Danube examples are strong in the EU orientations

« An integrated framework that allows the European Union and Member States to identify needs and allocate available resources thus enabling the Baltic Sea Region to enjoy a sustainable environment and optimal economic and social development»

A higher complementarity between the future Alpine space programme and the Alpine Convention: No new institutions, no new budget The transnational mountainous identity of the Alpine regions + The necessary solidarity between the adjacent metropolises and the Alps + The share challenges of the Alpine states in the EU (even CH and Lie). A central place for the water issue : . The Alpine convention : RSA2, Water platform, etc. . The Alpine space projects: active and future . The Alpine events on water issues: 3rd Congress on high water sheeds (EURO Riob in Megève), 3rd

international conference (AC in Venezia), Marseille, Aoste !

could bring to : A better coordination and visibility of actions that confort a clear leadership of the Alps in European water management A key element for a proactive Alpine strategy link to the Alpine assets to contribute to the EU 2020 strategy

Integrated water management experiences

SHARE, Final meeting – Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

page 9

Integrated water management experiences

SHARE, Final meeting – Aosta – Italy, 24th May 2012

http://www.promonte-aem.net

nicolas.evrard@promonte-aem.net

Nicolas EVRARD Secrétaire général

Chambéry

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