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INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON WATER SCIENCES AND RESEARCHImage: JCIImage: JCIThe Krupac Water Spring in Eastern SerbiaA spillway on the Prvonek Dam in Southern Serbiasummary, major efforts need to be made during the next 15-20 yearsto harmonize Serbia’s water sector arrangements with EuropeanUnion requirements, and at the same time achieve a water statuswhich reflects legitimate societal needs.JCI actively monitors developments in the international arena andhas established close ties with a number of international institutions.International cooperationSpecial emphasis is placed on the following activities:• collaboration with international associations such as theInternational Water Association (IWA) and the InternationalAssociation of Water Supply Companies in the Danube RiverCatchment Area (IAWD)• cooperation with international commissions including theInternational Commission for the Protection of the DanubeRiver (ICPDR) and the International Sava River BasinCommission (Sava Commission)• participation in international projects (FP, SEE etc)• organization and hosting of international conferences:• Groundwater Management in Large River Basins (2007)• Planning and Management of Water Resources Systems (2008)• Balkans Regional Young Water Professionals Conference (2010)• IWA Specialist Groundwater Conference (2011).JCI has made and continues to make significant scientific contributions.For example, it is actively involved in long-term research onthe ageing of wells and other groundwater abstraction facilities, inrelation to the aerobic state of the aquifer.UNESCO Category II CentreIn order to satisfy Serbia’s water sector need, and to facilitatenetworking and capacity building at the regional and internationallevels, in 2012 UNESCO approved the opening of its new CategoryII Centre for Water for Sustainable Development and Adaptation toClimate Change at JCI. The centre has been operational since 2013.The main activities of the centre include networkingin water management knowledge dissemination, witha focus on capacity building and problem solving ineconomic transition countries and taking into accountclimate change and socioeconomic transformation. Thecentre provides highly-specialized human resources andmanagement capacity building, and assists in the developmentof baseline studies and water management plans.Expected benefitsSeveral benefits are expected from the outcomes of thecentre’s activities. At the country level, these includemanagement capacity building at centralized andmunicipal institutions in charge of water managementand the establishment of closer ties with scientific andprofessional organizations, both from countries withinthe region and beyond. The integration and enhancementof water management capacities and knowledge,and assistance in the development of studies and masterplans, are also key benefits expected at this level.At the regional level, the centre will enable the networkingof institutions and all resources involved in water managementdevelopment and climate change programmes. Theseactivities include study and awareness raising about theimpact of economic transition and climate change on watermanagement, and capacity building.Under UNESCO-IHP, the centre will enable advancesin capacity building and networking. Activities will beaimed at identifying the impact of climate change onwater resources, and raising awareness of the issuesof transition countries and the impact of such issueson water management. The centre will also focus onimproving north-south water management cooperationin circumstances involving socioeconomic andclimate changes.[ 320 ]