1. Introduction

2. Perceives Major Problems

3. Main Root Causes

4. Area where actions is proposed (from Black Sea Action Plan)

5. Solutions for increasing of public involvment

6. The levels of work

7. Possible parteners

 

During the past decades, the Black Sea suffered severe environmental damage, due mainly to coastal erosion, eutrophication, insufficiently treated sewage, introduction of exotic species, inadequate resource management and loss of habitat, which led to a decline of its biological diversity and long-term ecological changes. Tanker accidents and operational discharges have often caused oil pollution, which will likely escalate with increased transportation of Caspian Sea oil from Central Asia to Europe. According to a 1992 GEF survey, the Black Sea is considered to be "the most seriously degraded sea on our planet".

Concerted international action, such as the Black Sea Environmental Program funded by the GEF has resulted in modest, localized improvements and more importantly in the establishment of national, regional and international strategies and coordination mechanisms. Principal among them is the Black Sea Strategic Action Plan (BSSAP) for the Protection and Rehabilitation of the Black Sea adopted by the Ministers of Environment of the six littoral countries in Istanbul, on 31 October 1996.

• The BSSAP recognizes the importance of the participation of all sectors of society for the implementation of its principles and for achieving the sustainable development of the region.

   

  

  1. Decline in Black Sea Commercial Fish Stocks
  2. Loss of habitats, notably wetlands and shelf areas supporting important biotic resources
  3. Loss or imminent loss of endangered species and their genomes
  4. Replacement of indigenous Black Sea Species with exotic ones
  • Mnemiopsis Leidy (an exotic species accidentally introduced to the Black Sea in the early 1980s; nowadays its biomasss is about 1,000,000,000 tons; it feeds on zooplankton, eggs, and fish larvae)
  • Mya arrenaria, Scafarca inequivalvis, Rapana thomasiana – molluscs which replacement some indigenous Black Sea species
  1. Degradation of the Black Sea landscape and reduction of the regional value of tourism
  2. Inadequate protection of marine and coastal resources from maritime accidents
  3. Unsanitary conditions in many beaches, bathing and shellfish growing waters
   

  

  1. Poor legal framework at the regional and national level
  • Poorly defined environmental laws and regulations, in some countries; in some countries the legislation is appropriate, but there are not defined the regulations which indicate how to implement the existent legislation;
  • Regionally incompatible laws and regulations
  • Ineffective EIA/EA

2. Inadequate implementation of available regulatory instruments

• Inadequate compliance and trend monitoring
• Lack of international co-ordination for activities which has transboundary effects
• Ineffective inspectorates and/or Environmental Protection Agencies
• Lack of enforcement of the International agreements/documents re. Black Sea: Bucharest Convention, Odessa Declaration and Black Sea Strategic Action Plan

3. Inadequate planning at all levels

• Poorly planned urban/industrial/recreational/agricultural development
• Poor intersectoral co-ordination
• Inappropriate erosion control
• Inefficient contingency plans

4. Insufficient public involvement

• Lack of general awareness of environmental issues;
• Lack of general awareness concerning public rights of access to information and others
• Deficient public education and participation
• Apparent lack of transparency
• Poor identification of stakeholders and inefficient work with them
• Insufficient public participation in the process of elaboration of the National Black Sea Strategic Action Plans (NBSSAPs)

5. Inadequate financial mechanisms and support

• Ineffective economic instruments
• Unsustainable subsidies/incentives
• Low priority/value assigned to environment within national economic policies in the six Black Sea countries
• Poor perception of opportunities for development
• Lack of Black Sea Fund

1. Reduction of pollution

• Assessment of the discharge of chemical and microbiological contaminants to coastal and marine areas
• Monitoring of the levels and effects of pollutants for compliance and for long-term trends
• Location/Identification of hot spots and options for remedial action
• Reduction and regulation of operational discharges from point sources, vessels and by dumping
• Prevention of emergency and contingency planning

B.Living Resources Management

• Development of commercially exploited resources; development of aquaculture
• Biodiversity protection
• Protection of habitats and landscape

C. Sustainable Human Development

• Integrated coastal zone management in urban and industrial areas
• Development of sustainable tourism
• Involving the public in environmental decision-making process

1. To create an exchange information network among NGO, teachers and government institutions in Black Sea area and to assure the co-operation of this network with other GEF water project networks (by using Information Technology)

2. To develop and test a school linking programme focused on curriculum development and involvement of schoolchildren in research and data-gathering activities; to attract scientists and different personalities from Black Sea countries (Yuvenaly Zaytev, the famous biologist from Ukraine and other people from Black Sea area)

3. To rise public awareness concerning the agreements/documents which has to be enforced by the Black Sea governments: Bucharest Convention, Odessa Declaration and Black Sea Strategic Action Plan, especially the national ones)

4. To implement at list one public education pilot project; In this way to prove that collaboration among NGO, schools, government agencies (research institution, universities, GEF activity centres) is possible and is the key element in the process of public involvement in the Black Sea rehabilitation and protection process; Involvement of mass media in the process of dissemination of information concerning the pilot project;

a) local (Romanian coastal zone: Dobrogea region);
b) regional (Black Sea area)
c) international (GEF waters projects)

- NGO from Romania and others Black Sea countries
- Black Sea Centre for Environmental Education, Information and Resources, Constanta, Romania
-Black Sea Centre for Environmental Information and Education, Varna, Bulgaria
- Teachers and schoolchildren
- Governmental institutions as: the six BSEP Activity Centres (especially the Centre for Fishery which is located in Constanta), research institutions (Romanian Marine Research Institute, Romanian Waters Authorities), environmental protection agencies, universities, and the Danube Delta Government
- Ovidius University (located in Constanta) and Black Sea University (located in Mangalia, Romania) which are involved in implementation of the TRAIN-SEA-COAST component in Black Sea area