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Appendix III
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Appendix III.
RESOLUTION OF THE 2nd SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DNIPRO BASIN COUNCIL
UNDP-GEF Dnipro basin environmental rehabilitation program
RESOLUTION
Of the 2nd session of the International Dnipro Basin Council
(November, 25 – 26 2003, city of Minsk)
On November 25 – 26, 2003 the city of Minsk hosted the 2nd session of the International Dnipro Basin Council (subsequently referred to as the Council) which brought together over 60 representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, other government bodies of the riparian countries, local self-government bodies, organizations, enterprises, their associations, leading scientific research insitutions and organizations and environmental nongovernmental organizations.
Having addressed and discussed the issues relating to the implementation of the UNDP-GEF Dnipro Basin Environmental Rehabilitation Program (subsequently referred to as the Program) the session participants resolved:
As regards the Program preliminary results
1. To take into account the information on the Program status;
2. To state that the Program is being implemented in full compliance with the Program Document RER 98/G31 signed by representatives from the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
3. Approaches pursued in the process of preparing the TDA and subsequently the SAP and NAPs meet current international standards and are fully consistent with the procedures of drafting such documents as prescribed by GEF.
4. Delays in implementing the Program were first of all caused by the instability of the public administration systems of the riparian countries resulting in frequent changes affecting these systems. The time periods proposed by the Program leadership are justified since they enable efficient use of the available funding.
As regards the development of the Strategic Action Program and National Action Plans for the Dnipro Basin environmental rehabilitation
1. Priorities incorporated in the SAP and NAPs meet the needs and objectives of the Dnipro Basin rehabilitation process and are in full agreement with the national environmental policy and priorities of each riparian country.
2. The system of short-term indicators contained in the SAP is consistently logically and in great detail described in the NAPs and makes it possible to gradually achieve the Dnipro Basin environmental rehabilitation objectives.
3. The Regional Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy developed with the IDRC support is consistent with the ideology of the SAP and is an integral part thereof.
4. It is necessary to take further steps, that is, to produce an ecological and economic feasibility study of actions proposed in the SAP and NAPs and to identify national and additional sources of financing.
As regards the UNIDO activities under the Program and the preparation for the donor conference
1. To take into account the information on the results of UNIDO activities under the Program.
2. To recommend that the ranking methodology designed as part of the Project be used for identifying and assessing hot spots on a regular basis.
3. To support the proposal to identify the industrial and municipal sites covered by the Project as requiring immediate investment action.
4. To request UNIDO to finance the training program designed to teach national experts methods and tools of conducting of pre-investment studies and preparing investment proposals subject to availability of required financing.
5. To stress the pressing need for bringing the national environmental legislations in line with respective EU legislation.
As regards IDRC activities under the Program and implementation of IDRC-administered international technical assistance programs in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation
1. To stress the importance of the results of the IDRC-supported projects for environmental rehabilitation of the Dnipro Basin.
2. To acknowledge that the institutional frameworks set up as part of IDRC activities place the Program implementation and the SAP and NAP development processes on a solid footing and ensure their sustainable implementation in future.
3. To stress the importance of conclusions and recommendations made by IDRC-supported projects and to recommend the SAP and NAPs drafters to use them in preparing the SAP and NAPs.
As regards the preparation of the Dnipro Convention
1. To take into consideration the draft of the Dnipro Convention.
2. To stress that the preparation of the final draft of the Dnipro Convention (agreement) meets objectives of further international cooperation of the riparian countries.
3. To urge the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, national Program management committees and international Program management bodies to step up the preparation of this multilateral document, to submit the final version of the Convention (agreement) for approval to and to have it finally approved by the respective ministries and government departments of the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
4. To urge the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine to conduct meetings-consultations on issues relating to the Convention (agreement) development process with the participation of international law experts.
As regards the Report on the State of the Dnipro Basin Environment
1. To take into account the information on the report preparation process.
2. To point out that the Report is an effective means for presenting information and fulfills its purpose. The assessment of the current environmental state of the Dnipro Basin contained in the Report accurately reflects the environmental situation in the Dnipro Basin and can serve as a reference point fur further assessments of the effectiveness of the SAP and NAPs implementation process.
As regards the Regional Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy
1. The Regional Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy developed with the IDRC support is consistent with the objectives of the Dnipro Basin environmental rehabilitation, environmental policies and national priorities of the riparian countries.
2. The conceptual approaches used in the preparation of the Regional Strategy meet current international standards.
3. To recommend the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine to take into account the proposed bio and landscape diversity conservation measures when developing action plans of the respective environmental protection bodies and to explore the possibilities of securing funding and organizational support for the implementation of the Regional Strategy at the national and international level.
As regards the Dnipro Basin Transboundary Monitoring Program
1. To take into consideration the information on the Dnipro Basin Transboundary Monitoring Program (TMP).
2. To stress the utmost importance of the implementation of the TMP which is one of the elements of the international system for managing the Dnipro Basin environment and assessing the effectiveness of the SAP and NAPs implementation process.
As regards the Dnipro Basin environmental database
1. To take into account the presentation given by the Information Management Thematic Center coordinator on the Development of the Dnipro Basin Environmental Database
2. To stress that the Project produced an IT support tool that facilitates the adoption of managerial decisions aimed at improving the environmental quality of the Dnipro Basin. The concept and the structure of the Dnipro Basin Environmental Database (ED) fully meet the needs not only of state legislative and executive bodies of all levels but also of educational establishments, nongovernmental organizations, local citizens’ groups advocating nature conservation and sustainable development principles and the mass media.
3. The draft Rules governing the inter-state exchange of environmental information in the Dnipro Basin can serve as a basis for gathering, processing and sharing environmental information among the riparian countries on a regular basis.
As regards the participation of nongovernmental organizations in the UNDP-GEF Program and resolution Dnipro Basin environmental problems:
1. To take into account the information on the 2nd International Forum of Nongovernmental Organizations Operating in the Dnipro Basin held on October 29-31, 2003, in the city of Raubichi, Republic of Belarus.
2. To recommend the Program Steering Committee and the Program Management Unit to examine the possibility of holding the 3d International Forum of Nongovernmental Organizations Operating in the Dnipro Basin in April 2004 in the Russian Federation in order to consider and discuss the SAP and NAPs drafts, to evaluate public participation in the Program and to make plans and identify areas for further cooperation.
3. To recommend the National Program Management Committees to include in the SAP and NAPs necessary measures to maintain and further develop the International Dnipro River Network with the aim of ensuring wide and sustainable participation of the general public and environmental nongovernmental organizations in the Dnipro Basin environmental rehabilitation process.
As regards ensuring sustainability of international cooperation in the Dnipro Basin rehabilitation field
1. To support proposals of the national Program management committees that the SAP and NAPs development and implementation processes should be supported at the national level
2. To approve in principle the proposals of the regional thematic centers and international expert groups set up as part of the Program concerning their long-term prospects and cooperation priorities
3. To recommend the national Program management committees to make necessary arrangements in order to include in the drafts of the Dnipro Convention, SAP and NAPs provisions governing activities of the regional thematic centers and international working expert groups, which represent an important element of the organizational framework of remedial activities in the Dnipro Basin; to urge the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine to consider these proposals and to identify possible sources of financing and organizational support options.
4. Taking into account the need to involve the public in the development of the Program documents (SAP and NAPs), to secure public input and to ensure compliance by interested ministries and government agencies of the three countries with the prescribed examination, finalization and review procedures, to urge the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine to submit to the Global Environment Facility and the UNDP a joint proposal to extend the Program implementation period until July 31, 2004 under the existing size of funding;
5. With the aim of
- ensuring the implementation of goals and objectives specified in the SAP and NAP and collaboration and coordination of efforts during the implementation process at the national and international levels;
- refining the institutional frameworks created as part of the Program;
- preserving and maintaining business, scientific and intellectual links among central and local government bodies and leading scientific, production and nongovernmental organizations of the riparian countries;
- ensuring consistency and continuity of international cooperation in the Dnipro basin environmental rehabilitation field;
6. To request the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine to submit to the Global Environment Facility and the UNDP a joint proposal explicating the need to prepare the project documentation concerning the implementation of Phase II of the Program;
7. If the above initiatives are accepted, to recommend the Program Management Unit and the national Program management committees to prepare proposals concerning major goals and objectives of Phase II of the UNDP-GEF Program subject to approval by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine.
8. To request the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine to use the equipment provided to the RTCs as part of the Program at their disposal to keep them operating on a sustainable basis.
As regards organizational issues before the Council:
1. To approve the Indicative Work Schedule of the International Dnipro Basin Council for the first half of 2004. If necessary and subject to recommendations of the national Program management committees the Work Schedule can be modified subject to a decision of the Steering (or Joint) Program Committee.
2. To request the national Program management committees, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine and other interested central and local executive bodies to prepare and submit by May 1, 2003 to the national committees proposals concerning the Council work schedule for 2005 and the range of issues to be addressed at Council meetings.
3. In order to prepare and conduct sessions, to improve Council performance and enforce decisions adopted by the Council, it is necessary to create a standing Organizing Committee made up of representatives of the national Program management committees (2 representatives from each country). To establish rotating chairmanship and to appoint as Organizing Committee Chairman a plenipotentiary representative of the country hosting a Council session. Accordingly, the Council Secretariat should make necessary changes in the Council by-law.
4. To submit the Council by-law to the 3d Council session for consideration.
5. To conduct the next Council session in May 2004 in the Russian Federation as specified by the Indicative Work Schedule.
Adopted by the participants of the 2nd session of the International Dnipro Basin Council by mutual agreement.
November 26, 2003, city of Minsk
