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PREREQUISITES
FOR PARTICIPATION OF NON-STATE ACTORS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WATER INITIATIVE
Olga Ponizova, Eco-Accord Center, accord@leadnet.ru
March 2003
Strengthening the role of the public and of non-state sector
in addressing environmental and sustainable development issues is a characteristic feature
of today.
Environmental issues are best handled with the
participation of all concerned citizens (Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration).
Non-state sector actively promotes the improvement of
environmental situation, facilitates the eradication of poverty, and defends citizens’
rights to health protection and healthy environment. Non-state sector proposes new
initiatives which often give birth to different local, national and international
processes and projects, draws the attention of policy makers and state authorities to
important issues, suggests the alternative ways to solve problems by using its own
information, experience, knowledge and enthusiasm and implements specific projects to
solve environmental problems.
As described in Agenda 21, the Major Groups of non-state
sector include:
Women;
Youth;
Non-governmental organisations;
Local authorities;
Science and technology communities;
Business;
Trade-unions;
Indigenous peoples;
Framers.
- EU Water Initiative was developed to the
World Summit on Sustainable Development as a WSSD partnership initiative.
The involvement of non-state sector
is an indispensable feature of partnership initiatives. In the context of preparations for
the World Summit on Sustainable Development General Assembly Resolution 56/226 encourages
“… global commitment and partnerships, especially between Governments of the North and
the South, on the one hand, and between Governments and major groups on the other”.
That is why the original partners of the EU Water
Initiative, besides the European Union, governments and international organizations,
include non-governmental organizations (including, for example, the World Wildlife Fund,
European Environmental Bureau), water management companies, business organisations,
associations of local authorities and others.
The work over the EECCA component of the Water Initiative
is in progress. However, we hope that its working groups and coordination mechanisms will
include different groups of non-state sector.
- The role of non-state sector in the settlement of water related problems is extremely
important.
The scientific community
has an important role to play. It is important to raise the role of science in the
rational use of natural resources in general and in the settlement of water problems in
particular. Effective decisions can only be made based on reliable scientific data.
Therefore, the provision of information is one of the tasks of the science. Broadening the
scientific picture of the world, improving long-term scientific assessments, strengthening
scientific capacity and ensuring scientific response to the new challenges are important
for the fulfillment of this requirement. Science should facilitate the development of less
intensive trends in the use of resources, including the rational use of water resources.
Engineer and Technology
communities should bring a large input in addressing the abovementioned
challenges, in promoting the efficiency of the use of resources and search for new
technologies.
Business and Industry may greately
contribute to the settlement of water problems. By implementing effecient industrial
processes and preventive strategies, by using cleaner technologies and production methods
during all life cycle of a product, policies and activities of Business and Industry can
play an important role in mitigating environmental effects and in particular in the
settlement of water problems.
Since many water related problems can be addressed
at local level, the participation of Local Authorities in the Water
Initiative is one of decisive factors to achieve its goals. Local authorities create and
maintain economic, social and environmental infrastructure, determine local environmental
policy and facilitate the implementation of national and international environmental
strategies. They have an important role in raising awareness of the local public and
encouraging the public to act for sustainable development.
The role of non-governmental
organizations is extremely important.
In the preparatory process to Almaty meeting of Ministers
of Environment, Economy and Finances on Reforms in Water Sector (2000), environmental
non-governmental organizations of EECCA region developed a strategy with main directions
where they could contribute to the settlement of problems in the reform process in water
sector. In particular, they could:
Monitor and assess the development of plans on reforms in water sector
and programmes of rational use of resources.
Defend consumer and environmental rights of citizens during the reform
process, as well as rights of the nature to renew resources; promote the improvement of
legislative and regulatory acts on sustainable water use. Demand the realization the right
to public participation in environmental decision-making from state authorities in charge
of reforms in water sector and integration of environmental and economic policies.
Monitor and evaluate the implementation of national, local and regional
Environmental Action Plans in order to increase their efficiency.
Explain the need for reforms in water sector and programs on rational
use of resources, publicize the information on the nature and implementation of reforms.
Influence the formation of public opinion concerning the reforms in water sector and
inform decision-makers on the position of the public.
Facilitate the openness of information on reforms in water sector and
integration of environmental and economic policies, as well as transparency of discussions
over important issues. Lobby the issues of water sector reforms at regional, national and
local levels of government. Promote public access to information on the quality of
drinking water and reforms in water sector.
Facilitate the dialogue between stakeholders and the transition to
multi-stakeholder process of decision-making on the issues of reforms in water sector and
integration of economic and environmental policies. Pay special attention to the
development of dialogue between ministries of environment, ministries of economy/finances
and the public.
Perform independent environmental expertiza of strategies, programmes
and plans at all levels. Participate in the development of transboundary basin programmes.
Form basin NGO coalitions to address the problems connected with reforms in water sector
and integration of environmental and economic policies.
Strive for transparency of information on the formation and spending of
state budgets, participate in the development of funding strategies. Perform analyses of
external and domestic investments and participate in the monitoring of expenditures of the
projects on reforms in water sector.
Facilitate the understanding of the importance of water problems and
their link to economic and social development among the public and decision-makers.
Facilitate public access to justice on the issues of reforms in water
sector and, if needed, protect public interests in courts.
Many of these provisions are successfully implemented by
non-governmental organizations in different countries of EECCA region. Some of these
provisions are only plans and ideas. The Water Initiative could facilitate their
implementation.
The settlement of water problems requires the
participation of other non-governmental organizations, in addition to environmental ones.
These are consumer organizations, groups dealing with poverty eradication, women, youth
and other groups.
The major ways for participation of non-state sector in the
implementation of the Water Initiative are:
The EU-EECCA WI is open to all stakeholders –
government, inter-governmental organisations, NGO’s, academia, financing institutions,
the private sector, etc. The information is available at: ftp://eecca:WaterInitiative@ftp.dhi.dk/pub/,
forms to submit building blocks shall be sent to Mr. Jens Kristian Lorup, jkl@dhi.dk
The recognition of the role of non-state sector in the
implementation of Water Initiative is not enough. Wide and active participation of major
groups in these processes shall be actively promoted. This requires the determination of
ways to support wide involvement of non-state sector and realization of necessary measures
to achieve it.
In particular, the following measures are needed:
Wide dissemination of information on the Water Initiative, clarification
of its nature and ways of participation for non-state actors should be ensured. Intensive
work to inform state sector and non-governmental environmental organizations in EECCA
countries has begun. The work shall intensify among other major groups of non-state sector
– in particular, science and technology communities, business, local authorities, wide
range of non-governmental organizations and other groups. It is needed to identify key
networks at national, subregional and regional levels which could facilitate the effective
dissemination of information. The methods for dissemination of information (lists,
Internet, seminars, etc.) are to be sorted out.
It is important to enhance partnership and coordination of different
stakeholders in the implementation of Water Initiative. It is advisable to promote
exchange of information and discussions inside the major groups of non-state sector as
well as between major groups, as well as between state and non-state sectors.
Participation of non-state actors in the working groups on components
and coordination mechanisms of the Water Initiative could increase the transparency and
democracy in the activities of these institutions and raise the effectiveness of their
actions. The activities of these structures shall receive wide coverage in the region, in
particular among stakeholders.
These issues will be discussed in more detail during the
Moscow High-Level Meeting on EU Water Initiative – EECCA Component in March 2003, in
particular at the session on the involvement of non-state sector.
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