Austria
AUSTRIA
Statement
to the
Commission on Sustainable Development
12t" Session
29 April 2004
by
Mr Josef Proll
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry,
Environment and Water Management
Austria
823 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA, 8TH FL ., NEW YORK, N .Y . 10017 ? TEL: (212) 949-1840 ? FAX: (212) 953-1302
PERMANENT MISSION OF AUSTRIA
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Check against delivery
Mr. Chairman,
It is a great honor for me to address this forum under your able chairmanship . Let me
congratulate you and the bureau to the excellent work you did in preparation of this
important CSD session . I am confident that under your able guidance and leadership
the first review session of the Commission will be an important and successful
benchmark for future CSD review sessions .
I fully support what my Irish colleague said on behalf of the EU and the acceding
countries. In addition I would like to stress the following points :
To the same extent as Austria is aware of the importance of implementing the
Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, we
are aware that the current efforts of the international community do not suffice for the
achievement of our commonly set targets . We all know what tremendous challenges
these goals present .
In view of the challenges one could ask the question if those targets are realistic . But
it is not so much a question of our targets being realistic but rather about making
them realistic through combined and synergized efforts . We all will have to fulfil our
share .
A well functioning and sound drinking water supply, as well as an appropriate waste
water treatment, is of vital importance and indispensable for life . A well developed
water infrastructure is also essential for the control of certain diseases . Therefore,
water management and sound water infrastructure is a crucial basis for human
health, but also very important for the protection of the environment .
Austria is lucky to be situated in an area where water is an abundance . Nevertheless,
we try to use water in a sustainable and responsible manner . In order to allow for its
sustainable use, it is important to follow a holistic approach, combining all aspects of
water supply and waste water management .
The Austrian Water policy is traditionally based on a general protection of all water
bodies, surface waters and groundwater, irrespectively of their use . This was already
laid down in the Austrian Water Act of 1959 . The last amendment of the water Act of
2003, takes into account the new European water policy of the Water Framework
Directive .
Austria has mainly small and medium sized cities and only a few bigger ones . Water
infrastructure is organised by water and waste water associations and the
communities . In addition we also have public-private partnerships relating to water
and waste water. We put special emphasis in maintaining smooth operation of well
functioning plants, since this allows for a more economical approach .
Austria focuses its efforts at home on integrated water resource management while
at the same time working with our developing country partners on access to safe
drinking water and basic sanitation .
Integrated water resource management incorporating an ecosystem approach is the
most effective and comprehensive way of solving the challenges. I strongly support
1
the view, Minister Brende recently expressed in Jeju, that there is the need to place
integrated water resource management strategies on the national agenda of all
countries and to regard it as a priority expenditure area . This will allow for a more
targeted approach towards the achievement of our goals .
Austria has considerable experience in integrated water resource management
gained for example in relation to the implementation of the EU Water Framework
directive but also in context of the International Commission for the Protection of the
River Danube .
Due to the fact that 97 % of the Austrian territory is situated within the Danube River
Basin integrated water resource management represents an issue of considerable
relevance in Austria .
Through our work in the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube
River we gained particular experience in integrated water resource management . We
would like to offer this expertise to other countries since we think that capacity
building is of particular importance to attain our goals .
As we all know integrated water resource management is not the only issue . To
implement the 2015 targets on access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation is
of key importance for the lives of millions of people . Austria's ODA to water supply
and sanitation accounted to 46 million USD between 1999 and 2001 . Among OECD
countries we devote the highest percentage of our ODA to water and sanitation
projects in developing countries . In Monterrey, the EU members have committed
themselves to increasing their official development aid to 0 .39% of Gross National
Income by 2006 with a longer term target of 0 .7% of Gross Domestic Product . Austria
as a member of the EU is heading towards achieving this goal .
The example of the Austrian activities in Uganda, which we presented yesterday at
our side event, is just one of many where financial assistance and capacity building
do have a direct impact on the lives of people .
At the end of my speech, let me express one personal concern and apologize if I may
be too blunt: Let us not lose focus! Let us not forget that water, especially, is an issue
interlinked with and depending on so many other issues . We all know that our
environment is not static . Let's face it : with climate change and global warming
progressing the way it is, every one of us will be exposed to major transformations :
increase of natural disasters, rising of the sea level, vanishing of glaciers, severe
security impacts through mass migrations . We will be exposed to more extremes :
days of extreme drought followed by days of extreme rainfalls . Each country in the
world without exception will be affected and this we can only face through combined
and reinforced efforts .
We are now in a situation where we can counteract negative developments through
our lessons learned over the decades . We have to show what the international
community is really worth for .
Thank you!
Statement
to the
Commission on Sustainable Development
12t" Session
29 April 2004
by
Mr Josef Proll
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry,
Environment and Water Management
Austria
823 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA, 8TH FL ., NEW YORK, N .Y . 10017 ? TEL: (212) 949-1840 ? FAX: (212) 953-1302
PERMANENT MISSION OF AUSTRIA
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Check against delivery
Mr. Chairman,
It is a great honor for me to address this forum under your able chairmanship . Let me
congratulate you and the bureau to the excellent work you did in preparation of this
important CSD session . I am confident that under your able guidance and leadership
the first review session of the Commission will be an important and successful
benchmark for future CSD review sessions .
I fully support what my Irish colleague said on behalf of the EU and the acceding
countries. In addition I would like to stress the following points :
To the same extent as Austria is aware of the importance of implementing the
Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, we
are aware that the current efforts of the international community do not suffice for the
achievement of our commonly set targets . We all know what tremendous challenges
these goals present .
In view of the challenges one could ask the question if those targets are realistic . But
it is not so much a question of our targets being realistic but rather about making
them realistic through combined and synergized efforts . We all will have to fulfil our
share .
A well functioning and sound drinking water supply, as well as an appropriate waste
water treatment, is of vital importance and indispensable for life . A well developed
water infrastructure is also essential for the control of certain diseases . Therefore,
water management and sound water infrastructure is a crucial basis for human
health, but also very important for the protection of the environment .
Austria is lucky to be situated in an area where water is an abundance . Nevertheless,
we try to use water in a sustainable and responsible manner . In order to allow for its
sustainable use, it is important to follow a holistic approach, combining all aspects of
water supply and waste water management .
The Austrian Water policy is traditionally based on a general protection of all water
bodies, surface waters and groundwater, irrespectively of their use . This was already
laid down in the Austrian Water Act of 1959 . The last amendment of the water Act of
2003, takes into account the new European water policy of the Water Framework
Directive .
Austria has mainly small and medium sized cities and only a few bigger ones . Water
infrastructure is organised by water and waste water associations and the
communities . In addition we also have public-private partnerships relating to water
and waste water. We put special emphasis in maintaining smooth operation of well
functioning plants, since this allows for a more economical approach .
Austria focuses its efforts at home on integrated water resource management while
at the same time working with our developing country partners on access to safe
drinking water and basic sanitation .
Integrated water resource management incorporating an ecosystem approach is the
most effective and comprehensive way of solving the challenges. I strongly support
1
the view, Minister Brende recently expressed in Jeju, that there is the need to place
integrated water resource management strategies on the national agenda of all
countries and to regard it as a priority expenditure area . This will allow for a more
targeted approach towards the achievement of our goals .
Austria has considerable experience in integrated water resource management
gained for example in relation to the implementation of the EU Water Framework
directive but also in context of the International Commission for the Protection of the
River Danube .
Due to the fact that 97 % of the Austrian territory is situated within the Danube River
Basin integrated water resource management represents an issue of considerable
relevance in Austria .
Through our work in the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube
River we gained particular experience in integrated water resource management . We
would like to offer this expertise to other countries since we think that capacity
building is of particular importance to attain our goals .
As we all know integrated water resource management is not the only issue . To
implement the 2015 targets on access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation is
of key importance for the lives of millions of people . Austria's ODA to water supply
and sanitation accounted to 46 million USD between 1999 and 2001 . Among OECD
countries we devote the highest percentage of our ODA to water and sanitation
projects in developing countries . In Monterrey, the EU members have committed
themselves to increasing their official development aid to 0 .39% of Gross National
Income by 2006 with a longer term target of 0 .7% of Gross Domestic Product . Austria
as a member of the EU is heading towards achieving this goal .
The example of the Austrian activities in Uganda, which we presented yesterday at
our side event, is just one of many where financial assistance and capacity building
do have a direct impact on the lives of people .
At the end of my speech, let me express one personal concern and apologize if I may
be too blunt: Let us not lose focus! Let us not forget that water, especially, is an issue
interlinked with and depending on so many other issues . We all know that our
environment is not static . Let's face it : with climate change and global warming
progressing the way it is, every one of us will be exposed to major transformations :
increase of natural disasters, rising of the sea level, vanishing of glaciers, severe
security impacts through mass migrations . We will be exposed to more extremes :
days of extreme drought followed by days of extreme rainfalls . Each country in the
world without exception will be affected and this we can only face through combined
and reinforced efforts .
We are now in a situation where we can counteract negative developments through
our lessons learned over the decades . We have to show what the international
community is really worth for .
Thank you!
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