|
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FRESHWATER
2003
DECLARATION
on
the Co-operation for the Creation of a Lower Danube Green
Corridor
We,
the Minister of Environment and Water of the Republic of
Bulgaria, the Minister of the Environment and Territorial
Planning of the Republic of Moldova, the Minister of Waters,
Forests and Environmental Protection of Romania, the Minister of
the Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine, meeting in
Bucharest at the occasion of the launch of the Lower Danube
Green Corridor Initiative,
Considering that the Lower Danube River and its floodplains and
wetlands are a unique natural area which ecological, scenic and
scientific significance is of international importance;
Recognizing the importance of a healthy floodplain and wetlands
for the maintenance of water quality and environmental health in
the Danube River and Black Sea and as a basis for creating
economic development opportunities for local populations (fish
harvesting, tourism etc);
Recognizing that a world wide scientific assessment of
biodiversity by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) identified
the lower Danube as one of the world’s most important ecoregions
with a representative selection of the worlds most outstanding
and distinctive biological resources;
Taking
into account the Strategic Action Plan for the Protection and
Restoration of the Danube River Basin, the GEF Danube River
Pollution Reduction Programme Transboundary Analysis and a
series of wetland related activities in the Danube basin funded
by the EU Phare Multibeneficiary Programme for Environment which
emphasized the need to take actions to protect and restore
wetlands and floodplain habitats throughout the entire Danube
River Basin;
Recognizing that the countries of the lower Danube are
signatories to the Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar, 1971), the
Convention on the Conservation of Wildlife and Natural Habitats
in Europe (Bern, 1979) and the Pan European Landscape and
Biological Diversity Strategy and have expressed national
commitments to protect biodiversity;
Taking
into account the Convention on Co-operation for the Protection
and Sustainable Use of the Danube River (Sofia, 1994) and the
reinforcement of the principle of joint action from Danube
countries to protect and restore the water quality and
environmental conditions of the Danube river ecosystem;
Considering the existing damage to the floodplain and wetlands
of the lower Danube and the increasing pressure of human
activities having adverse effects on the ecological, biological
and scientific values of the area;
Aware
that individual actions of countries are not sufficient to bring
about ecological restoration and conservation of the world wide
important floodplain and wetland ecological systems of the lower
Danube;
Convinced that further international actions aimed at
maintaining the ecological functions of the floodplains and
wetlands, ensuring sustainable use and development, and
preventing and reducing pollution and further damage to
floodplain and wetlands of the lower Danube should be taken as
part of a progressive and coherent measures in order to protect
the Danube and the Black Sea marine environment;
Have
declared the following:
1.
To take concerted action to create a Lower Danube Green Corridor
that will expand the co-operation, co-ordination and
consultation between the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of
Moldova, Romania and Ukraine aiming at Danube River floodplain
and wetland protection and restoration.
2.
That the countries will establish the Lower Danube Green
Corridor composed of a minimum commitment of 773.166 ha of
existing protected areas, 160.626 ha of proposed new protected
areas, and 223.608 ha areas proposed to be restored to natural
floodplain. The Lower Danube Green Corridor will comprise the
following areas:
a. Areas with strict protection regime;
b. Buffer zones with differentiated protection regime,
in which human activities could be permitted and degraded areas
restored
c. Areas where sustainable economic activities could be
developed.
3.
That within a period of one year after signing this declaration
each country will prepare an action plan that will designate
additional areas of floodplain that will be protected and
restored.
4.
To establish programs and take all suitable measures to ensure
the protection of the Lower Danube Green Corridor wetlands and
floodplain habitat by:
a. protecting and restoring the wetlands and floodplain
habitat in the Danube river basin, taking into account the
necessity of protecting some social economic objectives of great
importance from floods;
b. setting up a common standard system for water quality
indicators allowing a clear evaluation of the state of the
environment and certain human activities in buffer and economic
zones;
c. protecting and improving the quality of water and
environmental conditions of the Danube river ecosystem.
5.
To organise a regular exchange of information in order to
achieve effective protection of the Lower Danube Green Corridor.
The exchange will include the following information:
a. qualitative and quantitative data on water and aquatic
ecosystems;
b. experiences gained through the application of best
available techniques and results of research and development in
the fields of wetland protection and water management;
c. measures for prevention, control and reduction of
pollution in the floodplains and wetlands in the lower Danube
basin;
d. economic, social and environmental impacts of the
establishment of the Lower Danube Green Corridor
6.
To recognise the crucial role of environmental Non-Governmental
Organisations in the expression of public interests and ideas in
a democratic framework and to offer citizens and environmental
NGOs the opportunity to play an active role in decision making
processes.
7.
To seek partners locally and nationally as well as
internationally (i.e. GEF, UNDP, UNEP, World Bank, EU, WWF, IUCN,
Ramsar Convention) and Governments (i.e. Austria, Germany,
Denmark, Netherlands) in order to co-operate and assist in the
creation and maintenance of a Lower Danube Green Corridor.
8.
To take efforts to develop economic instruments which contribute
to the reduction of the costs from pollution (polluter pays
principle) and to promote sustainable development and ecological
imperatives in sectorial policies and in mobilising national
funds for environment and other ways for private and public
financing.
9.
To present the Lower Danube Green Corridor as a Gift to the
Earth as part of the WWF Living Planet Campaign which is aimed
to secure the conservation of the worlds most important
biological resources and ecosystems into the next millennium.
Signed
in the city of Bucharest, on 5 June 2000, in six original
copies, each in Bulgarian, Moldavian (Romanian), Romanian,
Ukrainian and English, all texts being equally authentic. In
case of divergences on interpretation, the English version shall
prevail. Each party will receive one original copy. One original
copy shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Bureau
of the Convention on Wetlands (the depository). One original
copy will be given to WWF, symbolising a Gift to the Earth.
Evdokia Maneva
Minister of Environment and Water of the Republic of
Bulgaria
Arcadie Capcelea
Minister of the Environment and Territorial Planning of the
Republic of Moldova
Romica Tomescu
Minister of Waters, Forests and Environmental Protection of
Romania
Ivan Zayets
Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine
|
