Returning to the Danube waters
Returning to the Danube waters
The ICPDR’s new Executive Secretary brings a long association with the Danube countries and a strong background in environmental programmes to the work of the Danube region.
Ivan Zavadsky speaking at the public event for the Joint Danube Survey 3 on 5 September 2013 in Belgrade. © ICPDR/Liska
In August 2013, Ivan Zavadsky took over as Executive Secretary of the ICPDR. Already well known to many members of the ICPDR family, he has worked at the UN Global Environment Facility (GE F) in Washington and was responsible for the UNDP/GE F Danube/Black Sea Regional Programme and the UNDP/GE F Danube Regional Project, assisting in the implementation of the Danube River Protection Convention. He spoke to Danube Watch about the changes in the Danube region that have taken place over the last few years, and what the future holds for the ICPDR.
Danube Watch: What will be the focus on your work in the coming years?
Zavadsky: I was very pleased that the Danube countries have given me the opportunity to work for the protection and sustainable use of this river. The ICPDR is a mature institution, serving its contracting parties for almost two decades in the implementation of the Danube River Protection Convention and more recently in the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and the EU Flood Directive. Consequently, the emphasis of my work and the work of the Secretariat should be on continuing the support for the implementation of the Convention and these directives in such a way that Danube countries see benefits in water management, nature conservation and flood protection. More specifically, we will assist countries to finalise the Second Danube Basin Analysis and then the Second Danube River Basin Management Plan, due in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
The pioneering work of the ICPDR on cross-sectoral issues such as navigation, hydropower and adaptation to climate change underpinning the first management plan needs to be further expanded at both technical and political levels. The practical use of the joint statement on navigation and environment and the ‘Guiding Principles on Sustainable Hydropower Development in the Danube Basin’ will be important for this. We also need to focus on the fourth cross-sectoral issue impacting the Danube basin: agriculture. The threats of nutrient pollution from intense agriculture need to be aligned with the new Common Agriculture Policy (CAP). The CAP has perhaps not always been properly used by the water administrations and may be an area where some awareness raising would be helpful.
The EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) is an important regional policy framework fostering an integrated approach to sustainable development through the strategy. The ICPDR should remain a key partner to the EUSDR, particularly within those priority areas where the ICPDR has the mandate, expertise and mechanisms to maximise the impact of the EUSDR. I would also like to strengthen the cooperation with the Black Sea Commission to provide Danube and Black Sea governments and citizens with reliable information and a scientifically sound assessment of the influence of the Danube River on the environment of the Black Sea. Although the ICPDR made progress regarding the pollution load, more work is still needed on the assessment from the Black Sea side.
Danube Watch: What has changed in the Danube Basin since you managed the UNDP/GE F Danube Regional Project?
Zavadsky: Since I left the Danube Basin, many things have changed – for the better, I’m glad to say. The EU enlargement means that 9 out of 14 ICPDR countries are now EU Member States. This has created not only great incentives for policy and legislative changes towards better water management, but also opened opportunities to put to use financing tools to reduce pollution and pursue measures for the protection of rivers, lakes and water-dependent ecosystems. What worries me now, however, is the increased frequency of heavy floods. Therefore flood protection measures, flood risk management plans and the development of tools and policies to manage floods should be another priority for the ICPDR.
Ivan Zavadsky, ICPDR Executive Secretary
Ivan Zavadsky joined the ICPDR Permanent Secretariat as the Executive Secretary in August 2013. Prior to this position, he worked as International Waters Focal Area Coordinator and Senior Water Resources Management Specialist at the Global Environment Facility Secretariat. Until 2007 he served as Regional Director for the UNDP/GEF Danube/Black Sea Regional Programme. In December 2001 he joined UNOPS as Project Manager of the UNDP/GEF Danube Regional Project assisting Danube countries in implementating the Danube River Protection Convention, with emphasis on inter-state cooperation and nutrient and toxic pollution reduction.
From 1992 he served as Director General at the Ministry of Environment of Slovakia responsible for policy and regulation of water, waste and air sectors. He has extensive experience in managing and coordinating environmental programmes and projects of large geographical and policy scope both within and outside the GEF International Waters area. During 1999-2001 he led the negotiations for the accession of Slovakia to the EU for the entire environment sector. Throughout his more than 15 years’ of government service he has represented Czechoslovak and Slovak governments on a number of international bodies or organisations, including the ICPDR, but also the Environmental Policy Committee of the OECD, the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy and others.
Mr Zavadsky holds degrees in water management (1981) and economics in water management (1986) from the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava.
Danube Watch: What is the ICPDR’s role in the international picture of transboundary water management?
Zavadsky: The Danube is in a unique position within the global environmental and development arena. The institutional and legal framework as represented by the ICPDR, the technical capacity of the protection efforts and the improved governance of the most international river basin in the world have made the Danube a flagship for the Global Environment Facility. What’s more, the Danube is a model for many of the 276 transboundary river basins striving towards developing their own cooperative frameworks.
However, this comes with the obligation to return the support given to the Danube Basin. I think that our cooperation with the Orange-Senqu River Commission and future global partnerships should stay on the ICPDR agenda.
Ivan Zavadsky brings rich experience from the global water community and a long association with the Danube Basin to his new role as ICPDR Executive Secretary.
© Liska/ICPDR
In addition, I am very pleased that this issue of Danube Watch is dedicated to the UN International Year of Water Cooperation. We all have to thank the Government of Hungary for hosting the Water Summit a few months ago where world water leaders made contributions to the Strategic Decision Group framing the world water, environment and development architecture for coming decades. In his opening remarks in Budapest, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon highlighted the Danube as an example of excellent transnational water management, and I am immensely grateful that he contributed the editorial to this issue of Danube Watch.
Danube Watch: How has the financial crisis affected the work of the ICPDR?
Zavadsky: The ICPDR constantly needs to prove its added value to the governments of contracting parties, which have to juggle funding for many international commitments in these times of austerity. It is necessary to clearly demonstrate to the countries at large the advantages of the joint work within the ICPDR on the economic growth and wellbeing of citizens. This would allow the ICPDR to further benefit from the high level of political commitment and support by the Danube ministers in charge of water management and environment.
Cooperation with the private sector is also crucial for ICPDR activities. The Business Friends of the Danube provide opportunities to develop stronger, more effective partnerships with industries operating in the Danube Basin. The experience and lessons learnt from the long, continuing cooperation with the Coca-Cola system should provide a model for others.
Danube Watch: What it your relationship to the Danube?
Zavadsky: Well, as a Danube Basin citizen, born and raised just a couple of hundred metres from the river, I have always been impressed by the power, beauty, economic importance, but also the threat of floods the river is famous for. Almost 30 years of direct involvement with river affairs, underlined by the understanding of the basic challenges that most similar rivers are facing worldwide, has made me proud to be a part of the Danube family.
The Danube truly connects the entire basin and provides a base for all types of cooperation, partnerships and business development. So for me, the Danube is a symbol of unity, cooperation and hope for good river basin management to secure all its intrinsic values, appreciate the people of the basin and sustain their work to protect this natural resource.
