«TumenNET» Project

UNDP/Global Environment Facility - Tumen River Strategic Action Program.
A Northeast Asian Strategic Action Program to protect Transboundary Biodiversity and International Water Resources and to attract Green Investment.

TumenNET Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis Policy Workshop

Vladivostok, 29-30 August 2001

Results of the Working Group on “Tumen River Basin”

1. Preparation of Guidelines

Guidelines have been prepared to structure the work of the working groups and to harmonize the results taking into account the following steps:

o Presentation by provincial governments (developmental priorities and environmental management in transboundary context)

o Summary presentation of Cluster Analysis by Facilitators

o Discussion of problems and issues as derived from the Cluster Analysis taking into account environmental problems related to:

Loss and modification of ecosystems with particular attention to wetlands, forest areas, coastal and marine areas, etc.

Pollution of water bodies with particular attention to rivers, lakes and coastal zones

Changes to water regimes with particular attention to excessive water withdrawal, hydrological structures, inappropriate land use

Degradation of landscape and soil erosion taking into account mining, urbanization, overgrazing, climate change, …

o Identification of missing issues and amendment of cluster analysis

In developing the above problem identification gaps have been identified and missing issues have been taken into account in reformulating the cluster analysis;

In this frame also opportunities (development potentials) have been identified to further reinforce sustainable management of ecosystems and water resources

o Prioritization (scooping); listing of the problems cluster by cluster and voting for the major concerns

o Identification of major constraints for each cluster (e.g., national & provincial policies; laws & regulations; skills & awareness; public sector participation; funding & investment; inter-sectoral coordination; regional cooperation; etc).

o Identification of specific activities to be undertaken in the next 18 months in order to facilitate SAP ownership by the countries, as well as during the next few years as TumenNET moves into SAP implementation.

o Identification of stakeholder groups that need to be involved in the TDA process should be for the specific clusters

o Document the conclusions for presentation to plenary session and for TDA writing team.

2. Approach and Process

Two Rapporteurs have been selected to assist the Facilitator in the logistics of running the Working Group, the presentation of results and in writing the report.

The Working Group had been run in a participatory approach. Input from all participants has been solicited in an open forum. Ideas have been written on flipcharts for summarization and documentation.

33 participants have been originally assigned to work in this group. 20 to 25 participants were effectively present; in some occasions the number reduced to 10 to 15 people. Due to language constraints only 5 to 7 participants could actively follow the workshop and contribute to the discussions. Major obstacle was that participants from China, Russia and ROK could only interact with difficulties.

For similar occasions, translation (“whispering”) should be made available.

3. Cluster Analysis - Issues and Threats

a) General problems identified in the Cluster Analysis:

o High population growth (constraint)

o Unsustainable use of natural resources

o Pollution from economic activities (industries, mining, agriculture, human settlements, etc)

b) Short description of environmental assets (resources/development potential)

o Forest and fresh water reserves in upstream and midstream part of rivers;

o Great variety of biotopes and landscape diversity;

o Wetlands of the Tumen delta and marine-coastal ecosystems with rich biodiversity;

o Large predators (leopard and tiger) under threat of extinction - but still an asset.

c) Cluster analysis of issues and threats

o Degradation of wetlands (effect)

o Impact from urbanization (cause for pollution and inappropriate land use)

o Impact from tourism (cause for destruction of landscape and pollution)

o Mining industry (cause for destruction of landscape and pollution)

o Impact from paper industry (cause for pollution)

o Transportation networks (cause for destruction of landscape and pollution)

o Exploitation of forests (cause if unsustainable)

o Erosion and land degradation (effects from transportation, urbanization, agricultural activies, etc.)

o Impact from agriculture (cause for soil degradation, diffuse pollution of ground and surface waters)

o Forest fires (cause for destruction of resources and biodiversity)

o Poaching and illegal trading (cause for destruction of resources and biodiversity)

The cluster analysis is not well structured, cause and effects are mixed and important issues are missing; in the workshop the following issues have been added, receptively modified:

o Inappropriate management of waters and land use (leading to degradation of wetlands)

o Inappropriate management of protected areas and resources (facilitating poaching, illegal fishing and plant collection)

4. Matrix of “clusters” and major environmental threads (prioritized)

CLUSTERS according to priority	Loss and modification of ecosystem (inland, costal and marine)	Pollution of water bodies (surface and ground water)	Air pollution	Changes to water regimes	Degradation of landscape and soil (erosion)
Priority 1a) Impact from Mining industry	Toxic substances reduces water quality and affects ecosystems and fish population	Untreated release of heavy metals, toxic substances… Impact on ground water from tailings, Accidental pollution from tailings ponds	Release of toxic gas and fumes	Dams and water substation,	Changing of landscape (open pits and mine tailings)
Priority 1b) Impact from Industry (including shipyards and coastal industries)	Decreased level of water quality affects ecosystems and reduces fish population	Missing or insufficient waste water treatment; inappropriate toxic waste disposal (groundwater)	Release of toxic gas and fumes	Water substation
Priority 2 Impact from Urbanization	Decreased level of water quality affects ecosystems and reduces fish population	Insufficient waste water treatment; inappropriate solid waste disposal (groundwater)	Household heating, industrial emissions and traffic	Demand and supply of water subtraction need to be balanced	Decrease of cultivated land
Priority 3 Impact from Agriculture	Extension of agricultural land	Use of chemicals (fertilizer and pesticides);			Change of land use (animal husbandry and cultivation)
Priority 4 Inappropriate Management of water and land use	Loss of biodiversity and useful resources in inland and coastal and marine ecosystems and degradation of wetlands	Loss of biotope		Decrease of water level through subtraction, changes of runoff and dams
Priority 5a) Unsustainable forest exploitation	Change/destroy ecosystem and resources			Accelerated runoff, erosion, change in water regime	Change of land use and landscape
Priority 5b) Forest fires	Affecting ecosystems temporarily but leading to important loss of resources	Temporary effects (accelerated runoff, reduced infiltration in ground water)	Smoke, CO2 release	Temporary effects (accelerated runoff and erosion, loss of soil)	Temporary effects
Priority 6 Transport networks	Limits movements of wildlife (needs environmental friendly infrastruc- ture)	Risk of accidental pollution (also in ports, rivers and the sea)	Road traffic	Road-dams	Changes landscape
Priority 7 Unsustainable management of protected areas and species	Poaching, illegal fishing and plant collecting; threatening biodiversity	No effect	No effect	No effect	Agricultural activities progressing in protected areas
Priority 8 Impact from Tourism	Illegal hunting and fishing, collection of plants; Littering	Littering			Transport, camping, invasion of natural parks

5. Major sources of water and air pollution from Industry and Mining

To substantiate Cluster 1a) and 1b), mayor sources of water pollution (“hot spots”) have been identified:

o Kaishantun Chemical Fiber Pulp Factory

o Shixian Paper Factory

o Longjing Paper Factory

o Hunchun Power Station

o Hunchun Mining Area Building Headquarters

o Wangquing Forest Office

o Musan Iron Ore Mine

o Undok (Awudi) Chemical Plant

o Rajin-Sonbong

o Vladivostok (major industries in Vladivostok are not working which actually reduces pollution in this region)

In comparison with the situation in 1997, the following four industries have been closed:

o Hunchun Paper Factory

o Winery of Helong City

o Yanbian Chemical General factory

o Yushuchun Power Station

Mayor sources of air pollution have been identified as follows:

o Kaishantun chemical fiber pulp factory

o Shixian paper factory

o Longjing paper factory

o Hunchun power station

o Hunchun mining area building headquarters

o Wangquing forest office

6. Assets to be considered for environmental protection:

o Forest and fresh water reserves in upstream and midstream part of rivers;

o Great variety of biotopes and landscape diversity;

o Wetlands of the Tumen delta and marine-coastal ecosystems with rich biodiversity;

o Large predators (leopard and tiger) under threat of extinction - but still an asset.

7. Matrix of constraints, measures, stakeholders and priority actions

In the following table constraints, enabling measures and priority actions have been identified for each revised “cluster”, ranked according to established priorities.

Constrains relate to situations which cannot be influenced directly by the projects or the executing bodies. Government actions and political decisions may influence constraints. Other constraints are even independent from Government actions and depend on global conditions (global economy, international trade, application of international conventions for protection of species etc.)

Enabling measures have been identified in common for all “clusters” and shall facilitate the preparation and more the implementation: establishment of bodies, regulations, standards and systems to facilitate transboundary cooperation.

Stakeholder analysis has been carried out for each “cluster” indicating stakeholders causing pollution and/or environmental threats, stakeholders affected by pollution and/or environmental degradation and the Government as stakeholder responsible for law and compliance.

Priority actions have been identified to demonstrate expressed concerns on environmental threats where immediate actions would be required

CLUSTER	Identification of major constraints	Identification of enabling measures for SAP ownership and implementation	Stakeholder Analysis	Priority actions
1^{st Priority Impact from Industry and Mining}	^{ Government policies not sufficient in line with environmental requirements  Non compliance with governmental regulations  Outdated technology  Administrative bottlenecks for investors  Financial constraints}	^{ Regional monitoring bodies  Inter-ministerial and inter-provincial committees in all participating countries  Establishing regional standards  Regional information system  Governments provide financial means (budget)  Aware raising for process and implementation}	^{ Ministry or the government bodies responsible  Chamber of industry  Labor unions  Environmental Organizations  Industry and mining companies}	^{ Resource mobilization (in- cluding subsidies) for upgrading of industrial & mining process to meet environmental standards (green investment)  Rehabilitation of old mining sites}
2nd Priority Impact from Urbanization	^{ Inadequate physical and economic development planning  No compliance with regulations  Financial constraints  Fast growing urban population}	^{ Same as above}	^{ Municipalities  Planning commission}	^{ Define priority program for establishment of municipal wastewater treatment plants  Define standards for solid waste disposal & recycling}
3rd Priority Impact from Agriculture	^{ Growing demand for land  Land ownership regulation  Inappropriate technologies & farming system}	^{ Same as above}	^{ Government bodies in Agriculture  Agricultural cooperatives  Farmers’ association  Agricultural marketing organization (farm inputs)}	^{ Strict regulations and compliance for agricultural input (chemicals e.g. pesticides, fertilizers)  Appropriate land use for agricultural activities preserving wetlands and protected areas}
4th Priority Inappropriate Management of water and land use	^{ Lack of legal framework and standards (harmonized)  Lack of joint monitoring systems}	^{ Same as above}	^{ Government/ administration responsible for water & land management at natural resources  Rural and urban population  Industrial and mining enterprises  Environmental organizations (NGO)}	^{ Organize regional committee to define standards & monitoring procedures for water quality & water balance (water use)}
5a) Priority Unsustainable forest exploitation	^{ Lack of supervision and compliance with forest laws  Inadequate forest laws (need revision)}	^{ Same as above}	^{ Ministry of Forest, Forest Management Organizations  Forest exploitation firms  Population affected}	^{ Improve control of forest exploitation & introduce rehabilitation measures}
5b) Priority Forest fires	^{ Missing transboundary fire alert system  Inadequate observation systems  Lack of financial support}	^{ Same as above}	^{ Ministry of Forest, Forest Management Organization  Forest exploitation firms  Population affected}	^{ Ecological education  Establish transboundary warning system and mechanisms for cooperation  Define preventive measures}
6th Priority Transport networks	^{ Need for EIA }	^{ Same as above}	^{ Ministries of Transport & Land use  Construction firms  Population affected}	^{ Create legislation to conduct EIA and comply with set standards}
7th Priority Sustainable management of protected areas and species	^{ Missing agreements and mechanisms for management of transboundary protected areas  Missing agreements and mechanism for transboundary control of poaching}	^{ Same as above}	^{ Ministry and organizations concerned with protected areas and wildlife  Poachers  Game wardens  Population affected  NGOs}	^{ Regional agreement fort managing transboundary protected areas  Regional agreement to discourage marketing of protected animals & plants  Harmonize anti-poaching legislation and assure compliance at international level  Create a regional body to revise the list of protected species  Awareness raising campaign}
8th Priority Impact from Tourism	^{ Missing of adequate infrastructure  Misbehavior by tourists  Inadequate policy and action for development of tourist sites}	^{    Same as above}	^{ Ministry of Tourism  Tourist organizations,  Tourist agencies  Tourists  Nat’l park administration}	^{ Develop Tumen master plan for tourist infrastructure and tourist circuits  Ecological education}

^{8. Conclusions
In spite of difficulties in communication, the workshop has contributed to dialogue and the development of common understanding between the participants on key issues and environmental priorities in the Tumen River Basin.
The workshop provided further valuable information on priorities and key issues of environmental concern in the Tumen Area and its related coastal regions. These elements of analysis are valuable contributions to the development of the TDA, leading the attention on specific environmental issues in the Tumen River Basin, as identified by the group:

o Pollution reduction from mining and industry with special action to resource mobilization for upgrading of industrial and mining process to meet environmental standards Rehabilitation of old mining sites and rehabilitation of old mines,

o Pollution reduction from urban sector with special actions to set a priority program for construction of municipal waste water treatment plants

o The third and forth priority relates to appropriate use of water resources and land with particular attention to agricultural activities including as priority actions regulations for agricultural inputs and appropriate land use (preservation of wetlands) and the development of monitoring systems for water quality control,

o Further priority actions were designed for forest management and control of forest fires, transport networks respecting environmental conditions (EIA), sustainable management of protected areas and development of environmental friendly conditions for tourism.

The experience of this workshop has shown that group work and participatory approach are extremely important to develop common understanding and agreement on environmental key issues for each of the different regions of the project area. This approach should also be taken into account in developing the SAP, which should represent a policy document for the TumenNET countries to be developed jointly and implemented nationally.

Joachim Bendow
Vladivostok, August 30, 2001}

News

31.10.2001
Findings for discussion with stakeholders on the Tumen River Basin Zone

08.08.2001
International working meeting resolution on “Biodiversity Conservation in Northeast Asia”, June 2-3, 27-28; July 28-31, 2001.

2001-2007 - Vladivostok