Ferenc Márkus (WWF Hungary)

Public awareness and participation on
river management and sustainable
development
How NGOs can contribute to IRBM?
Budapest Initiative on Strengthening International Cooperation on
Flood Management in Framework of Sustainable Development
Follow-up conference on the Budapest Initiative
27-28 April 2004
Budapest / Hungary
Ferenc Márkus
WWF Hungary
Why is public participation?
• different experiences, knowledge from diff.
stakeholders improve the quality and
integrated approach of the plans and measures
• less litigation, misunderstanding
• increase environmental conciousness
• public acceptance and support regarding the
decision making process
Working with NGOs
NGOs’ strengths
• flexibility and quick response
(havaria!)
• high commitment
• sense to coordination
• catalyzing by pulling parties
together
• ability to analyse and
synthetize
• integrated thinking
• low level of bureoucracy
Role of NGOs
• filling the gap between governmental and local
level
a) reporting field/real life/local needs towards
decision makers
b) spreading information towards field/real
life/local level
• involve/connect parties
willing to cooperate
• public control
WWF working strategy
• policy and field work parallel
• finding local partners to be
involved and to cooperate
• negotiate to find compromise if
possible
• reasonable communication towards
the goals
Parties to cooperate with
• decision makers (EU, neighbouring countries,
national, regional and local)
• stakeholders:
mayors, municipalities, associations (farmers’,
anglers’, etc.)
• authorities
• NGO networks
Working Example: WWF activity
What does IRBM mean for us?
The integration of
1., water and flood management,
2., farming and land use and
3., socio-economic factor.
Main problems in the
region of rivers
• flood – inland water – draught
• agriculture: inappropriate land use and bad subsidy
system
• sociological situation: unemployment, low level of
education, depopulation and aging, changing lifestyle
•water quality (pollution, nutrients)
•river engineering (shipping, gravel extraction,
daming, etc.)
Some of these should be
considered as a given factor,
some others can be changed
Problems should be managed.
How?
According to what principles?
The only way is the integrated
management of problems.
Integrated landscape restoration
programme
• to save the spring water surplus for the dry
summer
• site adapted land use, extensive and intensive
land use reasonable combination
• activities targeting social problems: capacity
building, subsidy system
The implementation of these is
going to have benefit for flood
prevention, economic and social
field.
Role taken by WWF
Harmonize (counter) interests
• Water management and flood prevention:
water drainage
• Agriculture: intensive production
• Nature conservation: natural values
• People: income generation
Show field examples as models
How is it achieved?
Provide model examples
• find and encourage local initiations
• to show already existing examples to new
potential partners
• pull parties together (lead and/or moderate
negotiations)
• capacity building and networking of parties
where needed (seminars and training)
Field examples
TISZA
• Nagykörű
• Ecsed marsh and VTT Szamos-Kraszna
reservoire
DUNA
• Gemenc
• Gerechát
Results
• well operating field and local examples
• higher capacity of local stakeholders
• operating network of local stakeholders and
other parties (governmental units,
authorities, NGOs)
• multiplication and magnification of model
projects
What WWF offers?
•
•
•
•
field experience
outcomes of base studies
mechanisms
“ready-to-go” cooperative
parties in Hungary
(and in Romania)
Recommendations to achieve IRBM
• effective transboundary cooperation on
governmental and public level
• integrated management of flood, farming
and landscape – involvement of
stakeholders
• use already existing assets (case studies,
reports, contacts, visions, plans, etc.)
offered by NGOs
Thank you for your attention!
www.wwf.hu