Author(s): Elpida Kolokytha; Anastasia Tsavdaridou; Yannis Mylopoulos
Linked Author(s): Elpida Kolokytha
Keywords: Transboundary water management; DPSIR; Axios/Vardar river basin; Water cooperation
Abstract: The complexity and significance of transboundary water management is more than evident, comprising almost the 40% of global river basins which are divided by two or more nations. The socio-economic disparity as well as power asymmetries between the riparian countries is some of the obstacles for cooperation of TWM institutions. The primary objectives of transboundary water management cooperation should revolve around beneficial utilization of the common good, conflict prevention and maintaining ecological sustainability. Vardar/Axios is a transboundary river in Northern Greece, which is shared between Greece, FYROM, Bulgaria and Serbia. The total length of the river is 389, 6km from which 302 km belong to FYROM, and the rest 87km belong to Greece which is located in the unfavorable downstream part. This river has a special and manifold meaning for the development of the whole area, since it is a driving force for the economy of both countries ending up to a Ramsar protected Delta. This paper presents priority issues for the management of the transboundary Axios/Vardar basin. The DPSIR framework is used to analyze and evaluate the socio-economic drivers, the environmental pressures, and the state of the watershed by giving policy response options with emphasis to the absence of a bilateral agreement between the two countries for the management of the river basin.
Year: 2014