20 countries commit to improving their water management in the framework of the Astana Water Action
TANA. September 23. KAZINFORM For the first time, in the framework of the "Environment for Europe" process, 20 countries and 4 organizations have committed to 75 specific actions for improving their waters.
The actions cover water and ecosystems, water and health, access to water and sanitation, adaptation to climate change and extreme events, transboundary water cooperation, water efficiency and water investments. They were announced at the Seventh "Environment for Europe" Ministerial Conference, held from 21 to 23 September 2011 in Astana.
These actions correspond to the major challenges and pressures identified in the Second Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters that was developed under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Water Convention and launched at the Conference.
The following countries have committed to improving their water management through concrete actions: Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Switzerland, United States of America and Uzbekistan.
In addition, Eco-Tiras (International Environmental Association of River Keepers), the International Network of Basin Organizations, the secretariat of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Task Force for the Implementation of the Environmental Action Programme (EAP Task Force) and UNECE also submitted actions.
All actions which countries and organizations committed to can be found on the following website: http://www.unece.org/env/efe/Astana/documents.html .
And in document: http://www.unece.org/env/documents/2011/ece/ece.astana.conf.2011.inf.40.e.pdf