The Water Convention:

framework and activities

Diane Guerrier, Water Convention Secretariat, UNECE

Harry Liiv, Deputy Director, Ministry of Environment & Vice-chair
of the Water Convention

High-level consultation - The Water Convention: an opportunity for

Lebanon? (11 April 2019)
The Water Convention
A legal and institutional framework for
transboundary water cooperation
contributing to sustainable
development, international peace and
security.

A unique platform to discuss progress

of transboundary water cooperation
worldwide under the umbrella of the
United Nations

Opened to all interested countries,

with more than 100 countries
exchanging experiences and
knowledge to prompt progress in
cooperation
 What would be the benefits of joining the
Water Convention for Lebanon?
• Reinforce the legal framework (being already a Party of the 1997 Convention)
• Strengthen national water governance
• Improve ability to cooperate in the management of transboundary waters
(even with non Party riparian countries)
• Offer a platform to openly discuss and resolve challenges and address new
problems in its cooperation
• Contribute to international peace and security
• Support from the community of Parties and partners to implement the
Convention
• Facilitated access to financial assistance and donor cooperation
 The Water Convention:

Main objective:

Water Convention
Principle of prevention

Key Principles
Foster cooperation
over transboundary Principle of equitable and
waters in order to reasonable utilization
ensure that they are
sustainably and
equitably managed Principle of cooperation
Main provisions of the
Water Convention (1)
General obligations for Parties:
Parties shall implement all appropriate
measures to prevent, control and reduce
transboundary impact:
• Waste water treatment, licensing of discharges
and monitoring of authorized discharges
• Best environmental practice for non-point
pollution sources
• Minimization of the risk of accidental pollution
• Protection of groundwaters
• Application of Environmental Impact
Assessment
• Monitoring and assessment of water resources
Main provisions of the Water
Convention (2)
Specific provisions for riparian
countries:
• Conclusion of bilateral and
multilateral agreements and creation
of joint bodies
• Consultation between Riparian
Parties
• Joint monitoring and assessment
• Common research and development
• Exchange of information between
Riparian Parties
• Warning and alarm systems
• Mutual assistance
• Public information
Water Convention (92) and Watercourses Convention (97)

Party to the Water Party to UN Watercourses Party to both Conventions

Convention (1992) Convention (1997) Total: 16
Total: 43 Total: 36
 Water Convention Programme of Work 2019-2021
Increasing awareness of and accession to the Convention and
Delivering at application of its principles drawing on the benefits of cooperation
different levels: Supporting monitoring, assessment and information sharing
in transboundary basins

National
Promoting an integrated and intersectoral approach to water
management at all levels

Basin Adapting to climate change in transboundary basins

Facilitating financing of transboundary water cooperation

Regional

Reporting on SDG indicator 6.5.2 and

Global
under the Convention

Partnerships, communication and knowledge management

The Water Convention is active worldwide
The living Water Convention : institutional mechanism
BENEFITS
- Take decisions at the meeting
of the Parties and the Working
Meeting of the Parties Group
(MOP) - Shape the Programme of Work
(activities and topics covred)
- Take on formal roles in bodies
of the Convention (Vice Chair,
Bureau  Task Force on water Lead Party for the work on
Implementation and climate Benefits..)
Committee  Task Force on Water-  Work closely with secretariat,
Working Group on IWRM
Food Energy- receive support for
Working Group on M&A Ecosystems nexiu implementation
 Expert Groups
 Exchange of experience, foster
Water Convention Secretariat collaboration with other
Parties and Non-Parties
UNECE
The Water Convention :
How did it help Estonia to improve collaboration with
neighbouring countries over shared resources?
• Convention helped to compose main topics in bilateraal agreement
with Russia, as Cooperation agreement was in 1997
• Convention indicated to main Water management elements: quality,
quantity, joint monitoring programs
• Convention indicated to relevant joint commission working groups, we
followed Convention working groups as IWRM and monitoring and
assessment
• Water management safety issues we elaborated , based on Convention
prinpiples
Other concrete use of the Water Convention
for Estonia
• Benefits of cooperation- not only economical, also political,
Water diplomacy level
• Convention helped to share knowledges about Estonian water
woldwide, World Water Forums, World Water Development
Report, Panel Water and Peace
 Thanks for
your attention!
Water Convention Secretariat Contact:

Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

Water.convention@un.org

For more information:

https://www.unece.org/env/water/