Countries in Central and Eastern Europe are located mainly in the Baltic Sea and Black Sea (Danube) basins. Water resources are degraded and threatened by pollution, overuse and loss of habitats. This situation must be remedied if the region is to meet its needs for water for domestic use and sanitation, irrigation, industry, fishing, recreation and other purposes.
Applying integrated approaches to water management is a key challenge, and the rationale for setting up the 12 Country Water Partnerships that form GWP Central and Eastern Europe.
European water polices
GWP Central and Eastern Europe works in the context of European water polices, in particular the EU Neighbourhood Polices and the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). This means cooperating with GWP Central Asia and Caucasus through the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the International Water Assessment Centre (IWAC) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as well as with regional NGOs such as the Coalition for a Clean Baltic, the European Water Partnership and Women in Europe for a Common Future.
Multi-stakeholder dialogues
Country Water Partnerships actively support the development of national polices by convening IWRM multi-stakeholder dialogues. These create a better understanding of IWRM in the context of the WFD. Dialogues cover water supply and sanitation, an issue that cuts across all water sectors, environment and rural development, and the needs of the poor and small settlements. Promoting water as a part of national development will be a particular challenge in preparing the Danube Strategy.
Floods, drought and transboundary issues
GWP Central and Eastern Europe cooperates with the World Meteorological Organisation on flood and drought issues in the context of adapting to climate change. Transboundary dialogues on water quality, hazardous substances and hydro-morphological impacts are facilitated by GWP Central and Eastern Europe in cooperation with the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) , as well as the Elbe, Oder, Sava and Tisza Commissions.
Knowledge sharing and capacity building
Communication, including knowledge sharing and capacity building, is done through publications and web-based activities such as the GWP ToolBox. In order to secure financial sustainability, fund-raising activities target EU programmes, national development assistance and international river basin commissions.