# Presentation: 522963

## The UNDP-GEF Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project, Phase II(2004 – 2007)

**The UNDP-GEF Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project, Phase II****(2004 – 2007)**

**IOC-IUCN-NOAA-UNEP Large Marine Ecosystem****8th Consultative Committee Meeting****3-4 July 2006 – Paris, France**** **

**Yegor Volovik, Ph.D.****PIU Manager**** **

## Content

- Introduction to the Black Sea
- What BSERP is dealing with?
- Support to policy reform in the Black Sea region
- TDA Update/SAP Revision
- Capacity building activities
- Research activities and results of the BSERP research programme (2003-2006)

## LME #62 

**LME #62**** **

## Productive and diverse shelf system

**Productive and diverse shelf system**

**‘****Liquid bottom’ deep sea**

## Multiple threats

**Multiple threats**

## The Key Partner and Basis

- The Commission on Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (Bucharest Convention)
- The Black Sea Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (1996)
- The Black Sea Strategic Action Plan (1996, revised 2000)

## The UNDP-GEF Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project

- The Final GEF IW Intervention in the Black Sea region (1993 - 2008)
- A partner in the Black Sea – Danube GEF Strategic Partnership
- The key focus of BSERP is nutrient load reduction
- Activities cover policy/legislative reforms and institutional strengthening, capacity building, research, investment programme promotion and development, public participation, ....

## Slide 8

## Policy Reform and Institutional Strengthening

- Support to the Permanent Secretariat of the Black Sea Commission
- Cooperation with other international/regional Conventions (ICPDR)
- Institutional Review of the Black Sea Commission and its structures
- Development of Inter-Ministerial Coordination Mechanisms
- Update of the BSSAP (2007) following updated TDA (2006 end)

## Update of Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) – Key Steps

** **
***Identification***** and initial *****prioritisation***** of transboundary problems, analysis of those outlined in BS TDA (1996)**
**Gathering and interpreting information on *****environmental impacts***** and *****socio-economic consequences***** of each problem **
***Causal chain analysis***** (including root causes)**
**Completion of an analysis of *****institutions, laws, policies***** and projected investments**** **
**Status: TTT Meeting (July 2006)**
**To be completed by late 2006**

## Formulating the SAP

**Key steps:**
**Review *****long term vision *****and *****Eco/WR QOs***** for the region**
**Assess the *****acceptability of the options*****, including: technical feasibility, as well as economic and political**
**Set *****short-term targets***** and *****priority actions***
**Develop indicators **
**To be completed in 2007 and adopted at the Ministerial Conference**

## Capacity Building

**Capacity Building**

- Environmental Monitoring:
- Nutrients (IAEA MESL)
- Biological monitoring
- Toxic substances
- Inter-calibration exercises (2004, 2006) (IAEA MESL)
- TrainSeaCoast
- Pilot projects:
- Watershed management
- VTOPIS
- ICZM, inc. land use planning tools
- Best practices (agriculture, fishing)
- Community actions (Small Grant Programme)

## BSERP International Study Group

**What were/are the discharges of nutrients to the system?**
**7**
**How are nutrients cycled through the system?**
**What are the factors limiting eutrophication in the system? **
**Are Black Sea ecosystems really recovering?**

## Research Activities

- Danube Impact Study
- 4 cruises in NW shelf of Black Sea (2003-2006)
- Atmospheric Deposition Study
- Kamchiya River Nutrient Export Model
- Vessel Traffic Oil Pollution Information System
- Livestock assessment
- ...

## Danube Input vs. BS State

**Danube Input vs. BS State**

| Suspended solids |
| --- |
| NH4-N |
| NO3-N |
| NO2-N |
| Inorganic N |
| PO4-P |
| Total P |
| BOD5 |

- ?????

| Nutrients in water  |
| --- |
| Secchi depth |
| Turbidity |
| Chl-a concentrations |
| Macroalgae  |
| Dissolved oxygen  |
| Phytoplankton  |
| Zooplankton  |
| Macrozoobenthos  |
| Pollutants – organic and inorganic  |

**Loads  from the Danube **

**State of the Black Sea **

**Notes:**
Schematic composition of the reporting of the 2 Commissions.

Danube: Physical parameters, Nutrients, and Organic pollution

Black Sea: Physical parameters, Nutrients, and a set of supplementary biological and ecosystem indicators, as well as organic and inorganic pollution. 

## Slide 16

## Nutrient and BOD5 content of livestock manure in the Black Sea sub-basins of Romania (top) and Bulgaria (below)

**Nutrient and BOD5 content of livestock manure in the Black Sea sub-basins of Romania (top) and Bulgaria (below)**

## Assessment of BS State

| Nutrients in water  | No Clear Improvement |
| --- | --- |
| Secchi depth | No Data |
| Turbidity | No Data |
| Chlorophyll-a concentrations | No Clear Improvement |
| Macroalgae  | No Clear Improvement |
| Dissolved oxygen  | Improvement |
| Phytoplankton  | Improvement |
| Zooplankton  | Incomparable data |
| Macrozoobenthos  | Clear Signs of Recovery |
| Pollutants – organic and inorganic  | Screening |

**Assessment of BS State**

## Annual average nutrient concentrations in surface waters (1975-2005) near Constanta, Romania 

- Annual average nutrient concentrations in surface waters (1975-2005) near Constanta, Romania

## August Concentrations of Chlorophyll-like Substances 

**1998**

**1999**

**2000**

**2001**

**2002**

**2003**

**2004**

**August Concentrations of Chlorophyll-like Substances **

**Source: Joint Research Center of the European Commission, Ispra, Italy**

**2005**

## Phytoplankton cell density and biomass (average annual data) near Constanta, Romania 

**Phytoplankton cell density and biomass (average annual data) near Constanta, Romania**** **

## Phytoplankton community composition (1986-2005) near Constanta, Romania 

**Phytoplankton community composition (1986-2005) near Constanta, Romania**** **

## Slow recovery of biodiversity in the North

**Slow recovery of biodiversity in the North**

## Slide 24

## Macrozoobenthic species distribution in the NW Shelf 

## The Black Sea Ecosystem shows clear signs of recovery!!!

## Drifter Exercise (2004-2005)

- Drifters suddenly separated near Cape Kaliakra :
- 2 drifters went to Bulgarian and Romanian waters
- the other 2 drifters moved to the Turkish waters

## Slide 28

## Concluding Remarks

- BSERP is finalising a 15-year GEF IW intervention
- The period of drastic changes
- Regional GEF Strategic partnership(s)
- Experience of BSERP is useful for other projects - lessons learned
- The project has played a buffer and catalytic role
- Sustainability with GEF IW fading away

## Materials used in this  presentation

- Y. Volovik – Presentation at the GEF Black Sea – Danube Stocktaking meeting (Bucharest, 2004)
- Y. Volovik – Presentation at a regional Pilot Monitoring Workshop and BSC meeting (Istanbul, 2004, 2006)
- V. Todorova - Presentation at the 1st BSC International Scientific Conference  (Istanbul, May  2006)
- L. Mee – Presentation at the 4th BSERP Steering Committee Meeting (Istanbul, Apr 2004)
- W. Parr – Presentation at the 6th BSERP Steering Committee Meeting (Istanbul, May 2006)
- W. Parr – ‘Trends In Nutrient Loads From The Danube River And Trophic Status Of The Black Sea’, BSERP, 2006

## “The great tragedy of Science - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact”

**Thanks you for your attention**** **

***“******The great tragedy of Science - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact”***

**Thomas H. Huxley (1825 - 1895)**