REC Bosne i Hercegovine

Regional Environmental Center (REC) has started the implementation of the project "Enhancing cross-border cooperation in the Drina River Basin to fight poverty and improve water management through the support to Drina River Committee.
This project is follow-up to the activities initiated before 8 years under other grants awarded to the Regional Environmental Center (REC) by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for implementation of projects focused on enhancing cross-border cooperation in the Drina River Basin.
Previous projects resulted in establishment of the Drina River Committee, in technical support for initiation of continuous cleaning of the surface waste in the Drina River, and in extended awareness on the need to protect the river as a unique resource. Previous activities also established a platform for cross border dialogue encompassing all relevant stakeholders, contribution to the accession process to the EU of the entire region through promotion of internationally accepted practices and standards for protection and management of the DRB.

Based on current status of cross border cooperation in the Drina River Basin with firm commitment of the national governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia to continue harmonization with the EU policy framework in the process of accession, counting on the local capacities developed within the framework of the Drina River Commission , this project will:

develop the Inventory of Significant Pressures and Impacts in the Drina River Basin;
support in solving waste problems in three pilot municipalities in the Drina River Basin;
build capacities and support for networking to the existing Danube/Sava Accident Emergency Warning System (AEWS);
provide environmental awareness and education for the citizens of the Drina River Basin;
provide support to the Drina River Committee.

All the activities are within the priorities of the three national governments (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia), Sava Commission and in line with the EU accession process. The activities will further enhance cross-border cooperation; contribute to decreasing poverty and improving water management practices in the Drrina River Basin.

Task 1. Development of the Inventory of Significant Pressures and Impacts
This task will concentrate on a collection and maintenance of information on the type and magnitude of the significant anthropogenic pressures to which the water resources in the Basin are liable to be subject, in particular the estimation and identification of significant point and diffuse source pollution, from urban, industrial, agricultural and other installations and activities and carry out an assessment of the susceptibility of the surface water status of bodies to the pressures identified above. The methodology developed by the Danube countries will be adapted and used for this purpose. The task will be executed within the DRC working group established for this purpose and with the assistance of the national experts from the region.

Task 2. Support in solving waste problems in three pilot municipalities
Based on the results of the Task 1, REC will select three municipalities in the region for implementation of priority actions aimed in preventing pollution of the Drina River Basin. Following applications submitted by the local communities, REC will distribute grants of 25.000 EUR per municipality for soundly designed activity focused on municipal waste management. Beneficiary municipalities will be obliged to commit and execute up to 25.000 EUR as co-financing (in cash or in-kind).

As in previous projects, REC will develop set of criteria for distribution of the grants and run transparent and inclusive process of selection of beneficiary municipalities.

Apart from concrete activity which will contribute to prevention of pollution of the water bodies in the Drina River Basin, the ultimate goal of this task is to affect people's awareness and introduce new practices that might me replicated in other municipalities as successful examples (e.g. construction of fences at the local landfills, organized waste collection, transport etc).

Task 3. Capacity building and support for networking to the existing Danube/Sava Accident Emergency Warning System (AEWS)
Fostering institutional framework and capacity building for better accident prevention, early warning systems, and improved emergency preparedness and response measures at regional and local level is going to be in focus of this task.
The fully operational Danube AEWS has been developed and established by the Danube countries, since the beginning of this century. As the Drina river basin is one of significant Danube/Sava sub-basin, the project will support Drina countries efforts to link to the System, implemented methodology and follow the ICPDR guidance.
Facilitation of the process will be implemented within the framework of the Drina River Committee working group, with assistance of ICPDR and Sava Commission experts.
The proposal has been discussed and supported by the International Sava River Basin Commission and Countries.

Task 4. Environmental awareness and education
All the tasks will be supported by various tailored events organized with the aim of promotion of achievements and engaging broader participation of local population from the basin.
School children will be primary target, as well as selected stakeholders groups, assisting to implementation of the tasks 1, 2 and 3.
REC will organize pilot lectures at the elementary schools aimed in environmental awareness raising. Project will also support important public events on the Drina River, traditionally organized by municipalities in all the three countries (agricultural fair, amateur boat races, public celebrations etc).
Training events will be organised aimed to inform brother public, with emphasize on young generation and women about the interaction between water resources protection and waste management and public role for an efficient operation of the AEWS as well as general ideas on the new EU water policy; addressing selected issues and using different assistance tools.

Task 5. Drina River Committee Support
During the project implementation period continuous work of the Drina River Committee working bodies is envisaged. Along the work of experts' groups, it is necessary to support organization of the large stakeholders meetings.
Meetings of the DRC members and national authorities will be unique opportunities for communication of project activities and project results. They will provide full participation of the local communities and interested public.
It will also serve as a forum for further development of cross border cooperation and a basis for drafting of cross border environmental action plan for protection of the Drina River, as proposed by the DRC executive body, at the meeting held on March 2009, in presence of the representative of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For the project period, four meetings of the DRC will be organized.