BSERP concluding after 15 years of joint efforts for the Black Sea

February 21, 2008, Istanbul - After 15 successful years of contribution to the reinforcement of cooperation and capacities of the Black Sea countries directed at the reduction of nutrients and other hazardous substances to acceptable levels, the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project (BSERP) is finally coming to a conclusion. BSERP has worked to reform agricultural policies; improve industrial and municipal wastewater treatment (including private sector incentives to invest in wastewater facilities); rehabilitate key basin ecosystems such as wetlands to act as nutrient sinks (including the creation of artificial wetlands); and to strengthen both the region’s legislative framework and its enforcement. The project has been a pilot and a model in partnership building and bringing about a concerted action around an urgent human development problem.

The completion of the project was celebrated with a two-day symposium held in Swissotel, Istanbul, with participation of representatives from the key beneficiary and partner organisations and projects, as well as UN Agencies, such as the Black Sea Commission (BSC), BSC/PS and AG Chairs, International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), World Bank, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), European Commission (EC), International Waters Learning Exchange and Resource Network, UNDP-GEF Dniepro Project, EuropeAid BS Project, selected representatives of scientific community, NGO representatives, Regional Environment Centre (REC) Turkey, final evaluators, BSERP staff, Country Team Leaders and selected consultants. The symposium was organized not only to officially conclude the implementation phase of the BSERP, but also to take stock and assess the impact of the whole 15-year GEF intervention in the Black Sea region.

The two-day symposium aimed at creating greater awareness and better understanding of BSERP results and achievements, and a way forward of handing over the BSERP results to the main partners, the Black Sea Commission and Black Sea countries. The symposium was also used as a platform to provide a feedback to the BSERP/BSC from countries and individuals, and to discuss the lessons learned along the way.

Besides plenary sessions the agenda of the symposium also included an exhibition, poster presentations, project management sheets of the technical components, a film festival, and an official dinner with an entertainment programme.

Thanks to the BSERP and support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the countries of the Black Sea basin have made tremendous progress over the last fifteen years in establishing demonstrably effective and sustainable policy, legal, institutional and financial mechanisms to restore and protect the invaluable environmental, economic and cultural resources of the basin for current and future generations.

Source: BSERP Press Release YV

Related content: International Course on Fisheries Governance; Black Sea Final Seminar; The International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics 2010 (River Flow 2010)

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BSERP concluding after 15 years of joint efforts for the Black Sea

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