Several bilateral agreements on water management (Slovenia)

In March 2009, Slovenia took over the Presidency of the Alpine Convention for a period of two years. During its Presidency program, Slovenia placed particular emphasis on the importance of the Alpine Convention as a means to preserve the natural and cultural heritage and develop the potential of this unique area. The initiative for the celebration of the Alpine Convention Day was thus launched with the aim of acquainting those living in and visiting the Alps with the message of the Convention and promoting the implementation of its principles at a local level.

The priority issues and activities during the Slovenian Presidency of the Alpine Convention were to focus on adaptations to climate change and to the promotion of the implementation of the Alpine Convention at regional and local levels. Further to stressing the exchange of good practices in the implementation of the Alpine Convention, sustainable development, adaptation to climate change and its alleviation, and the participation at the regional and local levels. Slovenia contributes to the implementation of the Action Plan on Climate Change in the Alps adopted in March 2009 to make the Alpine region a model region for tackling the problem of climate change.

The Alpine Convention serves also as a model for protection and assuring sustainable development in other regions of the world. Extensive activities to establish similar multilateral environmental agreement among countries of the Dinaric Arc have been started during the Slovenian presidency over the Alpine Convention.

Joint Slovenian – Hungarian Commission for Water Management, Joint Slovenian – Croatian Commission for Water Management, Joint Slovenian – Italian Commission for Water Management).

E-mail:andrej.cokert@gov.si