Country Report Slovakia

Preface

Executive Summary

Introduction

Introduction
Natural and socio-economic conditions
Networking
Mapping
Recognised needs for sustainable development

Country Report - Hungary

Country Report - Yugoslavia

Recognised need for sustainable development

This chapter concentrates the information from Preparatory Project for the TRB SDP. The information was gathered from many literature sources, personal contacts with relevant persons in Slovakia, as well as the outputs from local, regional and national workshops that were attended by many relevant stakeholder representatives.

Preliminary conclusions from Economic Characteristics of Slovakia

It is obvious that landscape structure interventions, agricultural land draining and urbanisation have the most significant influence on river basin draining. Agricultural activities influence 50% of the total draining. The impact of urbanisation, reaching 25%, is also very negative. Clear-cutting represents 13% of the total draining.

Man's economic activities influenced the widespread decrease of water supply sources in natural ecosystems in Slovakia.

To solve these serious problems, it is necessary to examine the influences of economic activities on the hydrologic system and to determine what impact these activities have on this system.
The following important areas were defined, which have to be more substantial for all stakeholders in the Tisa river basin (Slovakian part of it). What is needed is public awareness to meet integrated water management goals into real life.

ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE

In implementing basic democratic rules to build up civil society, the power should be delegated to all stakeholders to maintain their environment (part of the river basin). This will allow them to build capacities and take on responsibilities that will eventually increase their motivation and interest to participate in processes concerning the river basin (participatory approach).

Building human capacities and sharing knowledge

Enhancing human capacities in the river basin at all levels is an important step in developing integrated water management, because stakeholders need to have appropriate knowledge and skills. Education should promote an holistic, interdisciplinary approach to water management. After acquiring the needed capacity and insight, stakeholders will be able to build up partnerships and pursue concrete actions, for example, to implement pilot projects.

Partnerships

In order to improve governance, space should be created for increased cooperation within river basins by organising of citizens into formal or informal partnerships (coalitions). This requires the participation of all stakeholders.

Legislation

Effective and transparent legal and regulatory frameworks (laws, standards) will ensure that legislation can be enforced. The Government should ensure that legislation and standards are complied with and should establish the opportunity for broader public participation in water management.
Implementation of strategies and plans
There is often a gap between central strategies approved on state level and local, regional practice. For this reason, the "top-down" approach should be replaced by a "bottom-up" approach (including national strategies into local and regional strategies and vice versa, using local and regional concrete examples as the outputs from "pilot projects" for upgrading hierarchically higher strategies).

Institutional development

The complex institutional reform of traditional (government) water management institutions is needed in order to reflect a wider environmental governance approach to water.

Local and regional governments should more play a more active role in water governance. Besides water management institutions, institutions at community level should be supported and strengthened in order to enable them to act.
Water management should be clearly linked to policies for economic growth and should take account of the impact of business interests on water availability for ecosystems (improving the water balance in nature). This should also be linked to flood prevention management through the implementation of river basin restoration projects (as pilot projects).

There should be a clear distinction between the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders.

River basin management

River basin management requires an integrated approach because water's social, cultural, economic and environmental dimensions have to be taken into account for sustainable development. From different aspects of river basin management, indicators can be developed that will be easily monitored and controlled.

A space should be created for involving local stakeholders in river basin management. After they have been empowered through education, they will be able to come up with innovative ideas that would best fit their people and the environment.

Some concrete proposals for solving water management problems in Slovakia

(These proposals can be developed further in detail.)

The blanket protection of water resources is based on:

increasing the underground infiltration of surface runoff
lowering flood discharges in rivers and creeks
improving minimal discharges
supporting biodiversity and ecological stability
increasing the soil's natural production potential
strengthening the small hydrological cycle.

These widespread management changes could improve the collection of rainfall, whether in the forest, in agrarian, or urbanised landscapes. These should mostly be simple measures that are able to slow down rainfall runoff and lower the risk of flood occurrence.