Volume 3 - European Commission

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environmental projects will be launched in 2005: Institutional Support to Kyoto
Protocol Implementation (budget 2 ME) and Improvement of Drinking Water Quality
in North West Russia targeting Arhangelsk, budget 3 ME).
The EU is working with other International Financial Institutions (IFI) and donors to
promote environmental investments in Russia. For example the EU has allocated 50
ME for the Nordic Dimension Environmental Fund (of which 10 ME for the
environment).
3.4.2. Overview of EU assistance in water management
• Aral Sea: Tacis supports the Aral Sea Basin Programme together with
UNDP/UNEP/WB (GEF project) through the Water Resources Management and
Agricultural Production in Central Asian Republics (WARMAP) projects. End of
2003, an amount of 9.95 ME has been committed. Main objectives were the
preparation of interstate agreements on water management, creation of regional
information systems (WARMIS), analysis of water use and farm management
(WUFMAS) and assistance to the GEF project.
• Caspian Sea: Tacis supports the Caspian Environmental Programme (CEP)
together with UNDP/UNEP/WB (GEF project). Two projects of a total amount of
10.5 ME have been completed. The assistance included support to four Regional
Thematic Centres located in the NIS, the identification of investment projects and
support to the development of a draft sustainable fisheries management
agreement. The main objective is the promotion of sustainable development and
management of natural resources in the Caspian, the management of fish
resources, pollution reduction and prevention and monitoring of environmental
factors, including oil contamination, water level and the quality of the sea.
• Black Sea: Tacis has been one of the main donors of the Black Sea Environment
Programme (BSEP) together with UNDP/UNEP/WB (GEF Project). Several
projects have been completed representing an amount of around 18,7 ME. A
technical assistance project supports the three Regional Activity Centres in the
NIS establishing regional credibility and financial sustainability, maintain and
develop the impetus of the technical work programme and developing regional
strategy documents, including monitoring, priority setting for pollution reduction,
biodiversity recovery, improvement of the management of the coastal zone,
information and data exchange.
• Transboundary Rivers Management: A Joint River Management 4 ME project,
supported through the Regional Cooperation Action Programme aimed at
preventing, controlling and reducing adverse transboundary pollution impacts
caused by the quality of four rivers: Kura (Georgia/Azerbaijan), Pripyat
(Belarus/Ukraine), Tobol (Russia/Kazakhstan) and Seversky Donez
(RussialUkraine). It links with the UNECE Convention on the use and protection
of transboundary watercourses and lakes and assist in the application of
guidelines on water-quality monitoring as well as promoting investment into
transboundary river monitoring.
• Water management and supply: The general objective is to reduce pollution
and health risks and provide water resources to the population while promoting a
more efficient use of these resources. The specific objective is to strengthen the
institutional capacity and regulatory compliance of water services operators
(water supply, distribution and wastewater collection) as well as improving their
financial, environmental and health performance.
Evaluation of the Water and Sanitation Sector – Field Visit Russian Federation; July 2005