engleski

The extension of Knet to southeast Europe, risks and chances for new developments in water management

Network of Competence WATERPOOL is one of very important support to the development of the water resources research activities in southeastern Europe. Regardless that the first attempt included just a small part of this area (Austria, North Italy, Slovenia and Croatia), it has been activated the important research capacities and economic partners, who with their own financial resources and the direct participations in the research processes have established their own research institutions and human capacities, and what is the most important they have understood very well the value of the research results for their future development processes. The special value for the southeastern Europe countries have the research projects through which have been formed the joint research teams, which have enabled the transfer of knowledge and high research technology in the areas of lower financial detachment for the development of science and research, especially water resources. In joint research teams were included many young researchers and students, who have converged in the preparation of PhD theses and diploma works very important knowledge and experiences for their own further development and further development of water management in their countries. The exchange of the knowledge and experiences inside the projects, except its direct values in water resources management, had a direct influence on the preparation of the new universities’ programmes congruently to the Bologna processes, and indirectly on the organization of Joint PhD study of the Universities in Graz, Maribor, Budapest and Zagreb. Expanding of the Knet toward the huge area of southeastern Europe is for sure the chance for lower developed countries in this area, and the chance and risk for the organization of such intervention, which in that case surpass of the existing forms. All countries in southeastern Europe are generally connected through the Associations of European Union or Western Balkan, and for the majority of the states are opened the European Union projects, about what is necessary to consider in further expanding of Knet idea toward those area. EU Framework program is for sure the most attractive program solution for all countries in southeastern Europe because of the possibility of getting relatively high financial support, but entering in FP is very complex for this region, and there are very few research teams involved in water resources management which succeeded to activate their capacities through this program direction. This is for sure the chance for some more simple organization form, which can establish the network of quality research teams from this area and than with their knowledge and experience on EU level to entere in interesting EU program directions. The first job would be the establishment of the potential network of relevant research teams and potential ideas for the projects, which could in the area of southeastern Europe could give the positive shift in the field of water management. It’ s necessary to point out that some of the countries are the full or associated member of EU, and in the field of water management are using the EU Water Directives, which is the mitigation circumstances in the expanding process of Knet organization. From hydrogeological point of view the countries of southeastern Europe cover large part of Danube river catchment and numerous relatively small catchments of rivers which directly inflow in Mediterranean sea or marginal seas linked with it. In this area live few hundreds of milions inhabitants, it has the developed industrial production, and huge areas are covered with agricultural production. The protection of water resources in this region is of the extremely importance for the sustainable development of entire European space, because the water from this area inflow in Mediterranean sea, which from day to day becoming more and more overloaded by pollutions, which partly coming from southeastern Europe. The developed EU countries have done a great efforts in waste water treatments for the urban areas and management of solid wastes, but the situation in southeastern Europe is much more delicate, and in this area there are the enormous reserves for the keeping of sustainability of all Mediterranean area in future development plans of entire European area. The water in such consideration has extraordinary importance, because this the medium with fastest expanding in the space of the positive and unfortenatelly the negative influences toward end recipient. In the southeastern Europe presently exist many states with different development plans and degree of development, what concern the water management too. The transfer of knowledge and technologies could for sure bring the new necessary values in the protection of one of the most important natural resource, especially in time of future development programmes in those countries. The chances of Knet idea are the research of groundwater (aquifers), because the surface waters are generally covered with numerous EU programmes active for Danube river and the protection of Medterranean sea. Aquifers in the most cases cover the areas of two or more states, and joint research programmes of transboundary aquifers coordinated and partly financed through organized network of Knet connected by EU programme orientations could be the great step in the protection and utilization of water resources in southeastern Europe. It’ s necessary to point out that in southeastern Europe exist important research capacities, which have to be firstly recognized and involved in the network, and secondly through joint research projects and relevant specializations assured the results level, which will make possible the sustainability of this area and which will positively influence on the sustainability of entire Medterranean space.

Extension of Knet to SEE; water management

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