Abstract
The Black Sea is a semi-enclosed sea ecologically linked to the Mediterranean Sea through the narrow Turkish Straits system. The regional Black Sea institutional framework for the protection of the marine environment involves two regional organizations: the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution (Black Sea Commission, BSC), established through the United Nations Environmental Programme in 1992, and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), also established in 1992. The BSC is the body responsible for the implementation of the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution (Bucharest Convention) and its protocols, and the Black Sea-Strategic Action Plan (BS-SAP). The legal framework for the protection and preservation of the Black Sea against pollution is based on the Bucharest Convention and its implementing protocols. These legal instruments were subsequently supplemented with four Ministerial Declarations: the Odessa Declaration (1993), the Sofia Declaration (2002), the Bucharest Declaration (2007) and the last Sofia Declaration (2009). Most of the environmental problems in the Black Sea are of transboundary character and as such cannot be efficiently regulated by individual states. Moreover, many Black Sea resources are shared and need common regional policies. A new Black Sea Strategic Action Plan was adopted by the Black Sea States in 2009 (BS-SAP).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
Coastal length on the Black Sea: Bulgaria 300 km; Georgia 310 km; Romania 227 km; Russia 475 km; Turkey 1,400 km and Ukraine 1,628 km.
- 2.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, adopted in Montego Bay on 10.12 1982, entered into force on 16.11 1994; 1833 UNTS 3.
- 3.
Shalva Jaoshvili, “Rivers of the Black Sea”, Technical Report no. 71 (EEA, 2002). Available online at http://reports.eea.europa.eu/technical_report_2002_71/en/tech71_en.pdf
- 4.
State of the Environment of the Black Sea Pressures and Trends 1996–2000 (Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution, Istanbul, 2002). Available online at http://www.blacksea-commission.org/Publications/SOE_Eng.htm
- 5.
The new BS-SAP2009 is often named “the revised BS-SAP”, as this document is based on the revision of the previous BS-SAP, which was adopted in 1996.
- 6.
- 7.
The UNEP Regional Programme includes UNEP administered regional seas and non-UNEP administered. The Black Sea falls into the latter category. See also http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/programmes/nonunep/blacksea/default.asp
- 8.
- 9.
E.g. Danube Black Sea Task Force (DABLAS): set up in 2001 with the aim to provide a platform for cooperation to ensure the protection of water and water-related ecosystems in the Danube and the Black Sea.
- 10.
- 11.
- 12.
- 13.
- 14.
- 15.
- 16.
- 17.
- 18.
- 19.
See http://www.bsec-organization.org/Pages/homepage.aspx. See also, V. Chchelashvali, “BSEC: The Way from the Regional Economic Initiative to the Full-Fledged Regional Economic Organization,” Turkish Review of Eurasian Studies, Turkish Review of Middle East Studies, Vol. 1 p. 5 (OBIV, 2001).
- 20.
The area includes the following states: the Republic of Albania, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Bulgaria, Georgia, the Hellenic Republic, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, the Republic of Turkey and Ukraine.
- 21.
Istanbul, 25 June 1992, http://www.bsec-organization.org/documents/declaration/summit/Reports/Istanbul1992.pdf
- 22.
See the Ministerial Declaration, Bucharest, 3 March 2006, http://www.bsec-organization.org/documents/declaration/ministerial/Reports/AnnexVIBucharestStatement%20final.pdf and the Action Plan it endorses.
- 23.
- 24.
- 25.
- 26.
The Strategic Action Plan for the Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation of the Black Sea 2009, adopted in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 17 April 2009, available at http://www.blackseacommission.org/_bssap2009.asp
- 27.
Done at Bucharest 21 April 1992. In force 15 January 1994. 32 International Legal Materials 1101 (1993).
- 28.
Article V (2).
- 29.
Article VII and in accordance with the Protocol on the Protection of the Black Sea Marine Environment against Pollution from Land-Based Sources. For a recent analysis of UNEP land-based activities in the Black Sea, see The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities, 1999 UNEP – United Nations Environmental Programme. Available at http://www.gpa.unep.org
- 30.
Article VIII.
- 31.
Article X and in accordance with the Protocol on the Protection of the Black Sea Marine Environment by Dumping. The dumping of matter classified as “noxious” in Annex II requires a special permit for each case from the national authorities whereas matter classified as “hazardous” requires only a general permit.
- 32.
Article IX and in accordance with the Protocol on Cooperation in Combating Pollution of the Black Sea by Oil and Other Harmful Substances in Emergency Situations.
- 33.
Article XI.
- 34.
Article XII.
- 35.
Article XIV.
- 36.
Article XVI.
- 37.
Adopted in Bucharest 21 April 1992. Entry into force 15 January 1994, 32 International Legal Materials 1122 (1993).
- 38.
Adopted in Bucharest on 21 April 1992. Entry into force on 15 January 1994. 32 International Legal Materials 1127 (1993).
- 39.
Adopted in Bucharest on 21 April 1992. Entry into force on 15 January 1994. 32 International Legal Materials 1129 (1993).
- 40.
Signed by Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine in 2003, by Georgia in 2009. Ratified by Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine so far. It will enter into force when Ukraine sends a Notification to the depository in Romania about ratification.
- 41.
- 42.
Best Available Techniques.
- 43.
Best Environmental Practice.
- 44.
The 2009 BS-SAP has been formulated through careful consideration of inter alia the BS-SAP1996, the 2008 Black Sea Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (http://www.blacksea-commission.org/_tda2008.asp) and the 2007 Report on the BS-SAP1996 Implementation Gap Analysis. The latter report was later developed to include the achievements also and it was electronically published at: http://www.blacksea-commission.org/_publ-BSSAPIMPL2009.asp, as mentioned already in the text.
- 45.
- 46.
European Union.
- 47.
LBSA – land-based sources and activities.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Velikova, V., Oral, N. (2012). Governance of the Protection of the Black Sea: A Model for Regional Cooperation. In: Lagutov, V. (eds) Environmental Security in Watersheds: The Sea of Azov. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2460-0_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2460-0_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-2459-4
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-2460-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)