scholarly journals Applying Participatory Multicriteria Methods to River Basin Management: Improving the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Messner
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
Multicriteria Methods

scholarly journals Law and Politics in River Basin Management: The Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in The Netherlands

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3367
Author(s):  
Erik Mostert
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
Binding Effect ◽  
Law And Politics ◽  
Environmental Objectives

This article discusses the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the Netherlands and shows how law and politics combine in river basin management. Initially, the implementation of the WFD in the Netherlands was approached as a technical and administrative issue, handled by water quality and ecology experts, but, in 2003, this approach was broken open by the agricultural sector, who feared stricter regulation. Subsequently, the environmental objectives of the WFD were set as low as possible and they play no role when authorising new projects. In July 2015, however, the European Court of Justice determined that the environmental objectives have a binding effect and that Member States have to refuse authorisation of projects that jeopardise the achievement of these objectives. This example shows the important role that law as a social phenomenon or “field” can play in river basin management, provided the courts enjoy sufficient social and political support and function relatively independently, as they do in the Netherlands. The article discusses the origin of the juridical field and its relation with politics and concludes that, to understand river basin management fully, it is essential to understand how (water) law functions.

EU policy on nutrients emissions: legislation and implementation

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Blöch
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Waste Water Treatment ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Water Legislation ◽  
Emission Limit

After 25 years of EU water legislation the European Union has just thoroughly restructured its water policy. The European Parliament and the Council, following a tough conciliation procedure between the two legislators, have in summer 2000 agreed a proposal by the European Commission for a Water Framework Directive. This legislation will have the following main objectives:integrated river basin management across borders, with coordinated programmes of measuresprotection of all waters, surface waters and groundwater, in quality and quantity with a proper ecological dimensionemissions and discharges controlled by a “combined approach” of emission limit values and quality standards, plus the phasing out of particularly hazardous substancesintroducing water pricing policiesstrengthening public participation This new Water Framework Directive adopted in September 2000 will complement existing EU water legislation on nutrients reduction - the 1991 Directive on nitrates pollution from agricultural sources and the 1991 Directive on urban waste water treatment. These Directives will remain main pillars of EU water policy whilst at the same time being integrated into the river basin management in a coherent way.

Water framework directive implementation in Greece: Introducing participation in water governance - the Case of the Evrotas River Basin management plan

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 336-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leeda Demetropoulou ◽  
Nikolaos Nikolaidis ◽  
Vasilis Papadoulakis ◽  
Kostas Tsakiris ◽  
Theodore Koussouris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
River Basin Management Plan

Implementing the Water Framework Directive in Bulgaria: integrated river basin management on the Black Sea coast

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (11) ◽  
pp. 53-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Pratt ◽  
J. Lønholdt ◽  
P.E. Jørgensen ◽  
B. Persson ◽  
V. Nikolov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
National Level ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
Black Sea Coast ◽  
Sea Coast

EC member states and candidate countries are in the process of implementing the requirements of the EC Water Framework Directive 2000/60,[Q1] which came into force on 22 December 2000. At the core of the Directive is an integrated approach for sustainable water management in river basin districts. The overall objective is to reach good water status for all waters by the year 2015. The challenges for countries implementing the Directive are substantial not least for the River Basin Management Authorities who will be the implementing unit at the regional level. The Black Sea River Basin Directorate in Varna is one of four Directorates established in Bulgaria in 2002 in accordance with the Bulgarian Water Act and is the regional operational unit under the Ministry of Environment and Water for the Black Sea Basin catchment area. The catchment area covers 20% of Bulgaria and 100% of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Current implementation activities in the Black Sea Basin Directorate and also at the national level are supported by the Danish EPA through its DANCEE programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Water. This paper highlights the main activities and outputs of the technical and institutional undertakings in the Black Sea Basin Directorate focusing on the preparation of the River Basin Overview by Dec. 2004.

scholarly journals An integrated approach to water protection and management: the European Union model

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Adshead
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
Member States ◽  
Modern Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integrated River Basin Management

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive. It seeks first to determine whether its provisions align with modern thinking on integrated river basin management and second to assess the degree to which it has the potential to achieve legislative and inter‐agency integration throughout the Union.Design/methodology/approachThis is a desktop study. The paper draws upon theories and definitions of integrated river basin management and internal integration in existing literature and then proceeds to examine the provisions of the Water Framework Directive in the light of the models identified.FindingsThe framework for river basin management in the Water Framework Directive does not fully match the modern approach to integrated river basin management. The directive is limited by its primary focus upon the single medium of water, and its consequent failure to fully address wider land use planning issues. It, therefore, also fails to achieve integration between all relevant legislative instruments. It provides a framework for stakeholder involvement that could potentially serve the goal of inter‐agency integration. However, due to the high level of discretion in the hands of member states, there is likely to be a substantial divergence of practice across the EU.Originality/valueIn assessing the Water Framework Directive against modern notions of river basin management and the directive's stated integrative aspirations, the paper informs implementation and practice in member states.

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