Convention of the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes

1. Convention of the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes First meeting - Task Force on Water and Climate Cooperation with the Task Force “extreme events and health” established under the Protocol on Water and Health Luciana Sinisi, APAT, Italy Task force “extreme events and health” Leadership Ministry of Environment,Italy Protocol on Water and Health luciana.sinisi@apat. Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety,Bonn, Germany, 22–23 November 2007

2. THIS PRESENTATION • Task Force “extreme events and health” established • under the Protocol on Water and Health: • The institutional background • The scientific background : current evidence on extreme events and health • The governance of prevention of “Water-related disease” • First suggestions of common activities

3. The institutional background

4. Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, The Protocol : Article 1 OBJECTIVE The objective of this Protocol is to promote at all appropriate levels,nationally as well as in transboundary and international contexts, the protection of human health and well-being, both individual and collective,within a framework of sustainable development, through improving water management, including the protection of water ecosystems, and through preventing, controlling and reducing water-related disease. Definition:“Water-related disease” means any significant adverse effects on human health, such as death, disability, illness or disorders, caused directly or indirectly by the condition, or changes in the quantity or quality, of any waters;

5. Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, With the latest ratication in May 2005, the Protocol enters into force on 4 August 2005 as the first legally binding instrument for the prevention and control of water-related diseases through improved and harmonized water supply and management. Parties and Signatories The 21 ratifying Countries (Parties) Albania, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,Luxemburg, Moldova, Norway, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Switzerland and Ukraine. Other signatory Countries Armenia, Cyprus, Denmark, Georgia,Greece, Iceland, Italy, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom. The Protocol implementation is jointly supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe

6. Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, • First meeting of the Parties: Geneva, 17–19 January 2007 • Approval of work plan 2007-2009 * prepared by Protocol WG including • specific bodies to carry out the different programme elements: • (a) A Task Force on Surveillance; • (b) A Task Force on Indicators and Reporting; • (c) A Task Force on Extreme Weather Events. • * PROGRAMME AREA III: SHARING OF EXPERIENCE • Rationale: Activities in this programme area will support exchange • between Parties and non-Parties on progress achieved in the • implementation of the Protocol. • The goal is to promote common approaches and sharing of problems • and identify solutions at the regional and subregional levels, including the • preparation and implementation of guidelines and documents on good • practices.

7. EXTREME EVENTS & HEALTH • Task force: leadership Italy,Ministry of Environment. • Final goals: • Guidelines based on shared experience for prevention of healths risks from water scarcity, unsafe water supply and sanitation (WORKSHOP) • Supporting a strategy paper on adaptation focus on health concern to mitigate health risks and potential health impacts in extreme events (Cooperation with other Protocol/Water Convention task force)

8. EVIDENCE AND KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATED ACTIONS IN ADAPTATION PROGRAMME

9. The scientific background : current evidence on extreme events and health

10. Extreme events: The global occurrence in the past ten years Source : CRED “Annual disaster statistics review: numbers and trends”, Maggio 2007 * Hydrometeorological disasters: floods, slides, drought, avalanches, wind storm, heat waves

11. FLOODS in UN EUROPEAN REGION 1973-2002 Source: HOYOIS Ph. GUHA-SAPIR D. (2003). Three decades of floods in Europe : a preliminary analysis of EMDAT data. Working paper (draft). Brussels, CRED, 2003. [ID n197]

12. DROUGHT occurrence: the global data • Criteria to be included in CRED data base for all events: • at least 10 victims • at least 100 people affected requiring assistance • declared state of emergency • request of international assistance

13. EXTREME EVENTS: MORTALITY Average 2000-2005 compared to 2006 Source : APAT adapted from EM-DAT, 2007 Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), Université catholique de Louvain

14. EXTREME EVENTS: AFFECTED POPULATION Average 2000-2005 compared to 2006 Source : APAT adapted from EM-DAT, 2007 Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), Université catholique de Louvain

15. 2005 2005 2006 2006 2000-04 average 2000-04 average floods Floods 119.000 44 33 179.000 28.6 495.000 drought drought 1.139 24 24 66.267 18 265.000 Wind storms etc Wind storms 406.000 23 1.828 566.000 13.2 UN European Region: signals of effectiveness of response system Increase N° of events decrease N° of victims *Source: CRED/ ISDR/UCL “Annual disaster statistics review: numbers and trends”, May 2007

16. Prevention: major environment and health concerns • DIRECT EXPOSURE • Death, psycho-phisical trauma • INDIRECT EXPOSURE • short term • Microbiological contamination • of food and drinking water; • Increase of emerging toxic risks: • synergy sea warming & • contaminated discharge in • coastal areas; • Increase of vector borne diseases • long term • Chemicals mobilization • Chemical contamination • of drinking water • (stronger clorination) • Increased chemical • concentration in environmental • media & biota • (synergy with increased • use of pesticides) • Food safety and security • (synergy with warming) • Assessment of Land use FLOODS DROUGHT

17. The governance of prevention of “Water-related disease” In extreme weather events

18. Indicators & reporting Social impacts of extreme events: Data base development Land use & Territory vulnerability: Hazard and risk maps Health risks governance in extreme events Safe (reliable) water supply in emergencies: contingency plan and recovery measures Diseases surveillance Health ass of Adaptation measures Public health infrastructure Emergency and recovery Environmental early warning Technological improvement Public health early warning Waters contamination: Post event monitoring and recovery Assessment for land use – GUIDE LINES? Information to affected population

19. (first) CONCLUSIONS Increased occurrence of extreme events urge adaptation measures and a “new way” of planning monitoring, surveillance, land use and water management , preparedness including adaptation of preventive systems. The governance of water related diseases in extreme events is complex and can be achieved only by integrated actions The cooperation between the two task forces is a key issue and facilitating mechanism should be promoted ( joint meetings, exchange/integrated documents, workshop etc)