Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures
Specification and generalizations of theoretical-methodological bases of 
 development of payment for ecosystems services mechanisms on their 
 introduction in economics of Danube region are presented. Узагальнено теоретико-методологічні основи впровадження механізмів плати за екосис...
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| Date: | 2012 |
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Інститут проблем ринку та економіко-екологічних досліджень НАН України
2012
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| Cite this: | Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures / O. Rubel // Економічні інновації: Зб. наук. пр. — Одеса: ІПРЕЕД НАН України, 2012. — Вип. 48. — С. 204-219. — Бібліогр.: 8 назв. — англ. |
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| citation_txt | Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures / O. Rubel // Економічні інновації: Зб. наук. пр. — Одеса: ІПРЕЕД НАН України, 2012. — Вип. 48. — С. 204-219. — Бібліогр.: 8 назв. — англ. |
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| container_title | Економічні інновації |
| description | Specification and generalizations of theoretical-methodological bases of 
development of payment for ecosystems services mechanisms on their 
introduction in economics of Danube region are presented.
Узагальнено теоретико-методологічні основи впровадження механізмів плати за екосистемні послуги та представлено конкретні шляхи по їхньому просуванню в економічну практику Дунайського регіону.
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УДК 502:338
PROMOTING PAYMENTS FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
IN THE DANUBE REGION: THEORETICAL-
METHODOLOGICAL BASES AND PRACTICAL MEASURES
ПРОДВИЖЕНИЕ ПЛАТЫ ЗА ЭКОСИСТЕМНЫЕ УСЛУГИ В
ДУНАЙСКОМ РЕГИОНЕ: ТЕОРЕТИКО-МЕТОДОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ
ОСНОВЫ И ПРАКТИЧЕСКИЕ ШАГИ
Oleg Rubel
Рубель О.Е.
Узагальнено теоретико-методологічні основи впровадження механізмів
плати за екосистемні послуги та представлено конкретні шляхи по
їхньому просуванню в економічну практику Дунайського регіону.
Formulation of the problem. The second meeting of the Working
Group on Integrated Water Resources Management, held in Geneva in June
2006, examined the concept of payment for ecosystem services in terms of
integrated water resources management, and proposed to the UNECE a Draft
Code of Conduct on Payments for Ecosystem Services in Integrated Water
Resources Management.
The term “investments into ecosystem services” is used in the current
analysis to describe the financial and technical investments into restoration,
preservation, protection of ecosystems, which are important for the provision of
ecosystem services [1].
Recently, innovative financing mechanisms have been recognized as
essentials for addressing some of the identified failures in environmental
management, in particular, Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES). In a
situation of high environmental concerns and limited financial resources, PES
can generate additional alternative resources, allocate funds to environmentally
friendly management practices and sustainable production patterns, create
incentives for investments, and increase the involvement of the private sector in
environmental protection.
“Ecosystem services” literary mean the benefits that people get from
nature. According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2000) [2], all
benefits from nature are classified into 4 groups of ecosystem services. a project
of the European Community, "The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity»,
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, 2008 [3], the development of
the Environmental Department, World Bank, the International Union for
Conservation of Nature, IUCN, in the 2000s. [4]. In the classic work "The
nature of the service: public dependence on natural ecosystems" (edited by the
famous American economist andecologist G. Daly) (Daily, 1997) [5] as
examples of ecosystem services provided Provisioning services, being the
2012 Економічні інновації
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capacity of ecosystems to provide food, water supply, wood; Regulating
services, being the capacity of ecosystems to regulate the climate, floods,
diseases, wastes and quality of water; Cultural services - recreational, aesthetic
and spiritual needs; Supporting services, such as soil formation, photosynthesis
and nutrients cycle.
The aim of of this work is development of financial mechanisms
related to water protection and consumption and measures necessary for the
introduction and improvement of economic mechanisms and implementation of
PES, including examples of potential PES schemes.
Ukraine belongs to European countries with poor local water resources,
which are distributed very unevenly. The water use efficiency is extremely low,
and the water intensity of GDP (water consumed per unit of gross domestic
product) is high enough.
The reform of the water management system in Ukraine remains a major
subject to discussion by authorities and scientists. The practical implementation
of river basin management based on integrity, interrelationship and consistency
with economic development, has been under discussion for a long time.
The issues of basin management autonomy related to the priorities of
carrying out water management and protection business; attracting investments
for the implementation of promising innovative projects; commercialization of
public areas of water management remain pending. Principles of interaction
between basin management administration and relevant subsections of the
Ministry of Environment of Ukraine and other agencies also remain vague,
which again creates the same regulatory vacuum for development of
appropriate water management projects, which can dramatically alter the
functional orientation of the water use in general and in its different sectors.
The norms of the environmental law, adopted by the Law of Ukraine
“On Environmental Protection” are the basis of the legal relations in the field of
water resources management and protection. The Water Code of Ukraine,
approved by the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on June 6, 1995,
№ 214/95-VR is the basic document regulating the legal relations in the field of
water use. According to its provisions, the tasks of water legislation of Ukraine
are to regulate legal relationships in order to ensure the conservation, science-
based and rational water use for the needs of the society and the economy,
water resources recharge, protection of water from pollution, contamination and
depletion, prevention of harmful effects of water and mitigation of their
consequences, improving the status of water bodies and protection of the water
use rights of enterprises, institutions, organizations and individuals. Ukraine has
ratified several international conventions, in particular, the Convention on
Transboundary Watercourses, and declared intention to follow the
implementation of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC of the European
Union under the Action Plan "Ukraine - EU" approved by the Cabinet of
Ministers of Ukraine № 117 – p of 4/22/05 and number 36 - p of 2/12/05.
Depending on the type of economic agents participating in the water use
process, the volume of operation and the environmental impacts on water
resources, two major groups of water use can be identified: general water use
2012 Економічні інновації
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by the general public on common base which is not related to generating any
profit and special water use by businesses and individuals.
The management of the general water use on common base is limited to
the establishment of sanitary inspection rules, which aim at consumers’ safety,
and rules that prevent environment deterioration as a result of negligent
treatment, pollution or contamination of water bodies. It is implemented by the
local authorities which agree their management decisions with the
governmental agencies for environmental protection, water resources
monitoring, sanitary and epidemiologic security.
Water legislation ensures the implementation of a wide range of
measures for water protection from pollution, depletion, prevention of the
harmful effects of water and elimination of the consequences of disasters.
Economy of water consumption price. The development of market
relations in Ukraine requires the establishment of economic relations in the
field of water use, which will take into account the interests of the state, the
owners/ managers of water resources, and the individual water users.
In order to development of fee-paying water using the following tasks
have to be solved: providing economic conditions for the development of
market relations in the field of natural resources use; development of payment
mechanism for the use of water resources; raising a trust fund; development of
market mechanisms for rational water use, taking into consideration
environmental requirements.
The payment for water use as natural resource occupies a special place
in the economic mechanism of water management.
In Ukraine, chargeable water use was introduced in the 1980s.
On the basis of new methodological approaches to economic valuation
of water, the so-called "rental concept" was developed in 1992, on the basis of
which temporary tariffs on water use for all water users were identified,
approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (1994) upon presentation by
the Ministry for Ecological Safety of Ukraine.
Special use by primary water users. The concept of payment for water
use is based on the principles of ownership of water resources of Ukraine, the
Law "On Environmental Protection", and the Water Code of Ukraine.
According to this concept the special water use is any of the following types of
water use: withdrawal of water with the use of facilities or technical devices,
discharge of sewage waters and pollutants, use of water obtained from water
bodies or from other water users, and use of water without its removal from
water bodies for hydropower engineering, fishery and water transport on the
basis of a permit issued in the prescribed manner (Fig. 8).
Special use is based on the licensing system and fees. The order, rules,
regulations and payments for each kind of special water use are established by
normative and legislative acts on the state level and depend on financial,
environmental and social policy of the country. Compliance with the break-
even policy and environmental security of water use provides for the
organization of management process in accordance with the principles of
2012 Економічні інновації
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http://www.multitran.ru/c/m.exe?t=666013_1_2
sustainable development to balance the interests of all stakeholders: business,
consumers and environment agents.
The "special water use", defined by article 48 of the Water Code of
Ukraine, shall be subject to mandatory environmental taxation in addition to
payment for the direct volume of water used. According to the Tax Code of
Ukraine, charges for special use of water consist of: 1) Fees for special water
use from water bodies, 2) environmental tax for the direct discharge of
pollutants into water bodies.
The charge rates on water resources special use are set by the Cabinet of
Ministers of Ukraine Resolution № 836 of 18.05.99 "On the charge rates for
special use of water resources and the payments for water use for hydropower
engineering and water transport" (Table 1). Despite the correction process,
these rates remain relevant.
In total, in Ukraine there are 45 regions, according to the charge rates
for water intake. The ratio of the lowest and the highest fee for 1 m3 of water
intake from surface sources is 1 to 32.
According to Section XVI of the Water Code of Ukraine "Charges for
special use of water" the list of water uses subject to environmental charges,
includes:
The use of water taking into account its losses from the water supply
system by water withdrawal (primary water users) and/or from water
withdrawal equipment of the primary water users on the basis of the charge
rates, the actual volume of used water, and the prescribed limits;
The charge rate is set according to "the prevalence of water resources,
their quality, reproduction capacity, accessibility, comprehensiveness,
efficiency, location, possibility of processing and neutralization of waste and
other factors" and is subject to differentiation based on: whether the water body
is a surface or groundwater source; type of water basin to which the surface
water body belongs; location of the underground water body; type of economic
activity.
A coefficient of 0.3 is applied to the charges of housing and communal
companies and a coefficient of 0.005 is applied to the charges of the thermo-
electric power stations.
For special use of mine, quarry and drainage water the charge is set
according to the actual volumes of water and the charge rate (5.93 UAH/100m3
of water). For water included in drinks ingredients the charge is set according to
the volume of water and the charge rates: 25.60 UAH/1 m3 of surface water and
29.86 UAH/100 m3 of underground water.
For the use of water without withdrawal from water bodies for
hydropower engineering the charge is set according to the standard charge rate
(5.24 UAH/10 000 m3 of water for all rivers in 2011), the actual volume of
water passed through the turbine, and limits on water use.
For water transport the charge is set in accordance with time of use of
surface water during the reporting period and the charge rates: 0.09 UAH/ton-
km for cargo self-propelled and non-propelled fleet, and 0.01 UAH/per person
per night of operation for passenger ships.
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For fish-breeding the charge is set according to actual volumes of water
needed for replenishing of the ponds while breeding fish or other aquaculture in
the fish farms (including the volume of water needed for filtration and
evaporation), and charge rates: 27.52 UAH/10 000 m3 of water in case of
operation of surface water bodies, and 33.09 UAH/10 000 m3 in case of
operation of groundwater bodies.
These types of charges, except losses in water supply systems, are
considered general operating costs, and are included in the cost of production,
and in the economically grounded tariff for the provision of piped water supply
and sanitation service. The owners of water supply networks are charged for the
water loss.
Environmental taxes on the discharge of pollutants directly into water
bodies are considered general operating costs and are included in the cost of
production. It is determined based on the charge rates, the actual volume of
discharged pollutants, the fixed discharge limits, and the correction coefficient,
determined on the location of the source of contamination.
The charges for special water use by secondary water users is calculated
according to an aggregate costs, including salaries, administrative costs,
monitoring, etc. Thus in each area in the Ukrainian Danube region the irrigation
tax depends on the number of pumping stations. The most expensive water in
the area is in Tatarbunary and Kilia – up to 12 kopecks.
However, the actual payment is not for water, but for the electricity
spent on water pumping. Agricultural producers (farmers) in Ukraine do not
actually pay for water (as a kind of special water use in accordance with the
Law of Ukraine “On Environmental Protection”, № 1268-XII of 26.06.1991,
Article 384). Moreover, the cost of water supply to the field is beard by the state
in the form of subsidies for the activities of the regional water management
administrations.
In case of non-fulfillment of technical, sanitary and environmental
conditions of use of water resources of Ukraine disciplinary, administrative,
civil, and criminal penalties are stipulated, through economic penalties
including full compensation of the economic losses, caused by the offender.
Financial mechanism of water use and water resources protection.
Financial and economic state of water management, conservation and
reproduction of water resources is determined by the tariff, fiscal and
investment policies of the state. The main sources of generation of funds, to be
used for the provision of water supply and sewage outfall services and funding
of water protection programs and activities are:
• Payments made by economic agents for using centralized water
supply and sewage outfall services (UAH 77 688 mln. in 2009);
4 Art. 38. General and special use of natural resources: The use of natural resources in Ukraine
is realized according to the rules of general and special use of natural resources. ...According to
the rules of the special use of natural resources the citizens, enterprises, administration and
organizations can assume possession, use or rent of nature resources on the basis of special
permits registered according to the fixed rules for payment for the operation of manufacturing or
other activities and on preferential terms in the cases foreseen by the Ukrainian law.
2012 Економічні інновації
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• Rents for use in industrial quantities of water from surface water
bodies (UAH 1.2 million.)
• Charges for special water use (UAH 708.97 mln.);
• Current costs of the business on nature protection, related to the
operation and maintenance of nature conservation instruments (UAH 4 272.97
mln.);
• Investments in fixed assets, with the aim of building and
reconstruction of environmental facilities, purchase of equipment for
environmental activities: sewage water purification, protection and remediation
of soil, groundwater and surface water (UAH 1 712.71 mln);
• Taxes for pollution of environment through sewage discharge (69.7
mln.);
• Penalties for administrative offences in the field of water resources
protection (0.981 mln.);
• Payments for damages and losses incurred as a result of violations of
environmental laws in the field of water resources (UAH 4.14 million).
The main sources of financing the environmental protection costs, as in
previous years, are the enterprises’ own funds covering respectively 76.5% of
capital investment and 95.8% of operating costs. The state and local budgets
covered 20.5% and 4.1%, respectively. In 2009 UAH 54.06 mln from the
development costs of the State Budget of Ukraine was planned to be spent on
protection and reproduction of water resources, UAH 3 mln of which to be
spent directly on sewage waters purification.
Financial mechanisms in other nature management sectors. In 2007,
the taxes for special use of forests amounted to UAH 173 million.
Forests reproduction in 2007 was executed on an area of 73.6 hectares,
including 60 thousand hectares of planting and seeding and 13.6 hectares of
natural reproduction (to the total amount of UAH 60 million according to
estimations).
In 2007, the forestry enterprises of the State Forestry Committee
undertook forest protection measures on an area of 150.1 thousand hectares.
Biological methods of forest protection from pests were applied on an area of
132.3 thousand ha (88%). Over UAH 2.3 mln was spent on forest protection
measures.
In 2007, payments for land into Ukraine's budget were UAH 3.8 billion.
In 2007, the State budget of Ukraine provided funding of UAH 9.5
million for land protection, in fact the State Committee for Land Conservation
financed activities for the total amount of UAH 9.4 million.
The funds were used as follows: UAH 4 466.3 thousand on construction
of erosion–preventive facilities and UAH 1 855.7 thousand on land reclamation.
The Land Code of Ukraine and the Law on the Protection of land hold
the farmers responsible for soil fertility restoration. Land restoration is carried
out in other sectors of the economy as well. Every year, the companies of
Gosugleprom (Coil-administration) plan the works on land resources
protection, which are grouped in 15 directions. In 2007, a total of 98 types of
work were carried out to the amount of UAH 39.4 million.
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Fiscal management of water use today makes a start from the need to
strengthen the budget role of bringing water resources in the economic
turnover. The low percentage of revenues for special use and use of water for
hydropower engineering and transport in the budgets on different levels
requires reviewing the charge rates for special water use.
The practice of direct government subsidies and subsidies for water
management has shown its helplessness. Commercialization of water
component of the economy is required, and the solution of this problem
depends on the efficient operation of financial institutions in the water
resources market. Taking this into account, national water policy elements
should be introduced, which get financial and credit institutions interested in
investing resources into rational economic use of water resources [6].
Current tax system requires improvements, which consist of consistent
enhancement of the role of payments for water use, introduction of taxes like
excise taxes on products, the use of which is associated with damage caused to
the water resource potential. At the same time it is necessary to extend tax
facilities to companies and organizations that master high efficient technology,
such as closed and non-waste systems of water use.
It is necessary to encourage the businesses not only to reimburse the
hazardous substances emissions, wastewater discharges and excessive use of
natural resources, but to provide a permanent limitation of the negative impact
on the environment through the development of environmental infrastructure
and the use of the mechanisms of payment for ecosystem services [7].
The analysis of the present structure of the bodies associated with the
use and protection of water resources, their inherent functions and the scope of
their activities leads to the conclusion that the modern organizational structure
of water management hinders the introduction of economic instruments. Today,
there is no water body administration which is capable of working on self-
financing basis. Its absence deprives the price of water of its most important
function: to be a source of income for the companies from which they can
reimburse expenditures and generate profit [8].
Transfer of water charges into the budget made it impossible to
accumulate financial resources for the reproduction processes, since it is not
associated to the investments in water management, the payment has not
become a lever for its development, nor it has become a steady source of budget
funds.
Also principles of interaction between basin management bodies and the
relevant subsections of the Ministry of Environment of Ukraine and other
agencies remain vague, and this again creates the same regulatory vacuum for
targeted development of appropriate water management projects that will
dramatically alter the functional orientation of water use in general and in its
different sectors.
A great mass of water users (agriculture, population), not covered by the
payment for water use, remained outside the scope of this economic
inducement.
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The effective price has to reduce the pressure on water resources. This is
especially true for agriculture. There is no system of sound water tariffs based
on consumption volumes, the reason for this partly consisting in the lack of
control of water intake and poor management information system and data
collection system.
The elaboration of tariffs should be a reasonable compromise between
different political goals, namely taking into account actual price for the
services, a cost-effective prices criterion and social equity. This requires
intelligent information about the real cost of water, the number of services
actually received by different sectors, including communal, the condition of the
infrastructure and necessary investments (Management plan of the Ukrainian
part of the Lower Danube basin. Information and analytical report, Program of
neighborhood Romania-Ukraine, project 2007/141-164 Development of cross-
border cooperation in integrated management of water resources in Euroregion
“Lower Danube”, 2009).
An important factor is also the lack of water quality record in the
formation of tariffs for end consumers. The introduction of such a mechanism
would encourage measures to improve water quality of the primary consumers
and water enterprises.
Besides, state water management departments are monopolists in the
market for water supply. This situation can be remedied if independent bodies -
special commissions - have the authority to approve tariffs for housing and
communal services for the city or region, as the Law of Ukraine "On natural
monopolies" has envisaged. Natural water monopolists will become public
companies, which, in turn, will have to be legalized.
The introduction of mechanisms of payments for ecosystem services
requires:
- Introducing into Ukrainian legislation the categories of
ecosystem services, payments for ecosystem services (PES) and investment in
ecosystem services;
- Developing a mechanism for economic and environmental
transfer associated with the implementation of the principle of payment for
ecosystem services;
- Endorsing amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On
Environmental Protection" and the Budget and Tax Code of Ukraine on the
reallocation of the environmental charges/taxes in favor of enterprises under
programmes (projects) implementing PES;
- Initiating the establishment of agencies for ecosystem services as
part of the system of public-private partnership.
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine registered a draft Law of Ukraine, which
envisages changing the allocation structure of the charges on the use of natural
resources. Beginning with January 1, 2013, in Ukraine, 70% of this charge will
remain at the company. With this aim in view, companies and organizations
have to develop plans for environmental policy and environmental activities.
On the other hand, these 70% may be a reserve for the implementation of PES
in Ukraine.
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The issues of the basin management autonomy should be solved with
priorities to water management and protection business in the context of
attracting investment resources for the implementation of promising innovative
projects and the commercialization of public water management sector.
Potential PES schemes. Reedbed management. In the past, the reed
was used by paper production factory of Izmail but after the collapse of the
Soviet Union the production was ceased and the resource remained unused.
Today, the reed is harvested and sold on international markets to be used in
construction and production of light furniture (it is known that reed from
Ukraine was used for making sun-protecting umbrellas in Greece, for example).
There is a lot of reed in the Danube delta which should be reasonably managed
in order to conserve the sustainable environmental status of the wetlands. The
implementation of PES-scheme of reedbed management is proposed on the
basis of the Danube Biosphere Reserve (Ukraine).
The Danube delta has unique geographical position and rich natural
resources. However much further intensification of traditional nature using
(including fishing) leads to the decline of its economic and ecological potential.
Real alternatives are needed. A good opportunity for Ukrainian part of the delta
is the use of the reed resources. Its greatest supplies in Europe are coming from
the delta of the Danube. Already today from the Ukrainian Danube delta about
800 thousand sheaves of reed are exported in a year. And that makes about 6–
8% of the European market. More than thousand persons are employed in this
economic sector. Volumes of the harvested reed can be trebled under condition
of having minimum negative influence on the natural Danube ecosystems.
The primary production of reed biomass on the territory of the Danube
Biosphere Reserve accounts for about 900 thousand tons. That is, it is possible
to consider this resource almost unlimited. In reality, necessity of the landscape
mosaic maintenance, reed restoring and regulation of the balance of biogenesis
substances demands working out and implementing of effective system of reed
management. In particular, it concerns Stnensovsko-Zhebrijansky floodplains.
Now on the territory of the Danube Biosphere Reserve (DBR, Ukrainian
part of the Danube Delta) the reed is harvested on an area of 3.8 thousand
hectares located in island territory of Belgorod and in Stensovsko-Zhebrijansky
floodplains. DBR together with Open Company "Ecoforpost" carries out the
melioration actions in Stensovsko-Zhebrijansky floodplains, the channel
restoration, management of the hydrological mode and the biogenic component
of ecosystem.
Cooperation of the Danube Biosphere Reserve with Open Company
"Ecoforpost" on management of Stensovsko-Zhebrijansky floodplains can form
a basis for introduction of the PES mechanism. Involvement of an external
investor can provide stability to the ecosystem services (quality, quantity of
reed) and also to improve the environmental conditions of the floodplains.
Erosion control measures. Large part of the lands in the Danube area is
plowed (on the place of formerly naturally existing steppes). Mainly cereals are
cultivated and practices are entirely intensive. The quantities of fertilizers or
pesticides loads to the soil are not monitored and there are no good agricultural
2012 Економічні інновації
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practices to ensure the balance. Farmers use mainly fertilizers because the
livestock breeding in the region is in decline. This resulted in high pollution of
underground water. For this reason, according to the experts the quality of
surface water is better than the underground water.
Taking all this into account a possible PES scheme is to harvest the reed
and use it both as manure and for prevention of wind erosion by the use of reed
mats.
The second identified possibility of the decision of this problem are
restoration of old gardens with the row-spacings sowed by a grass and decrease
in level of use of pesticides and fertilizers. In this case farmers could pay to
owners of a garden. Use of involved with grasses pollinators involved with
grasses can be additional benefit (service) for farmers and can potentially
reduce the expense of fertilizers.
The third potential possibility is the bookmark of vineyards - under
condition of their organic use.
Fourth option is the restoration of steppe habitats but this would have
very low economic value.
Fifth option is the restoration and creation of forest protection belts – the
issue is that borders between plots are not private property and then the
payment scheme would work very hard.
Creation of wood strips and other plantations in agricultural landscapes
is a long time known method of fight against soil erosion which is widely used
in Ukraine and in the Danube Region. Thanks to the creation of an extensive
network of wood strips on farmlands in Ukraine it was possible to reduce the
impact of the phenomenon known as "black" storms when strong wind worn
out the dry top layer of the soil. Forest belts are also a place of dwelling for
many species. Unfortunately, the cases of cutting down of strips of woods have
recently expanded. Further destruction of forest plantations especially in a
steppe zone leads to simplification of the structure of the agro landscape, soil
erosion and reduction of biodiversity.
In territory of the Odessa oblast there are 47.3 thousand hectares of
forests, 70 % of which require reconstruction estimated to UAH 14.2 mil.
Barrier to the forest restoration represents the fact that the land does not belong
to farmers but to local village councils. In turn, the conversion of the land from
agricultural to forest category is inaccessible to farmers.
The Izmail Forestry is ready to carry out restoration/planting of forest
belts. The plantation costs (including the seedling) account for UAH 1.6
thousand per 50 Square meters. Simultaneously, on separate sites, vineyards
can be planted with anti erosion purposes (this has its advantages regardless of
the high costs - up to UAH 80 thousand per hectare). The use of reed mats for
soil protection in the winter (in the conditions of snowless winter) also is
recommended.
Involving of farmers in the process of forest belts planting can be
connected to the realization of Kyoto Protocol mechanisms and other green
investments schemes.
Benefits and expected results: using of alternative measures against
2012 Економічні інновації
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erosion will allow keeping the soil fertility and will promote carbon deposition.
Water quality and water resources management. The free-of-charge
use of water basins by aquaculture producers in the area is an ordinary practice
in the Danube river basin. The river basin has mainly lakes which are used for
irrigation, drinking and some of them for fishery activities.
The aquaculture producers as a rule pay neither for the special water use
nor for the maintaining of infrastructure which regulates the water regime.
Their only input is planting the basin with fish.
The fish catch consists not only of the bred fish but also of Danube
native species. The are two more issues: (1) nobody regulates how much fish is
caught – usually the catch declared is much lower than the real one; also,
species that are not bred are caught and sold but not declared (2) water is
polluted with the fertilizer used by the fish farms but because of corruption it is
not possible to impose penalties.
In addition, after being used in the lakes the polluted water is discharged
in the Danube River, which is used water supply by the cities of Kilia, Izmail
and Vilkovo.
In fact, the fish farms use the infrastructure and the resources (such as
water, the natural function of the basin to produce fish feed) and infrastructure
(gates) for free.
Solving these issues can be achieved by using the experience of
international institutions such as the International Commission for the
Protection of the Danube (ICPDR). It is necessary to connect the managers with
other similar businesses in Europe to share their experience. Measures are
necessary to convince the fish farms managers to pay for the ecosystem
services; to convince the state representatives that measures should be taken in
accordance with the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive.
As a measure to compensate the damage caused to the Danube
Biosphere Reserve it is necessary to propose the building of sturgeon factory
near Kiliya.
Wetlands restoration and ecotourism. In order to restore wetlands in
the Danube-adjacent region of Ukraine it is necessary to take the following
actions: to make detailed inventory of flood-lands with further exclusion of
certain zones from economic usage; to develop strategy for implementation of a
complex plan for gradual exclusion from use of degraded agricultural lands and
restoration of wetlands; to develop and implement mechanisms for excluding
parts of wetlands from the agricultural rotation in view of future restoration of
the natural habitats of these areas; to develop and implement a plan for
restoring Danube flood-lands located between Danube-adjacent lakes and the
river according to the Program of environmental network of Ukraine; to create
the Green Corridor of the Lower Danube taking into consideration anti-floods
protection of territories; to include the Danube-adjacent lakes and flood-lands to
the Danube Biosphere Reserve of the National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine; to create trilateral biosphere reserve of the Lower Danube including
the respective territories in Moldova and Romania; to restore and increase the
area of riverine forests, flood-meadows and polders along the Danube.
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Rehabilitation of the Sasyk estuary can be realized by converting it into
its natural state of marine estuary through removing the dam. The aim of the
project is to overcome the adverse impact of converting the Sasyk estuary into a
fresh water reservoir and to create environmental conditions for sustainable
social and economic development of the adjacent areas. Activities within the
project are to develop and realize the plan of rehabilitation of the Sasyk estuary
through dam removal; to guarantee the future environmental use of the Sasyk
estuary by including the entire estuary in the Danube Biosphere Reserve, to
combine environment protecting and recreational use of the Sasyk estuary
through construction of a yacht port, to reconstruct the Danube–Sasyk canal to
be used for rowing; to develop infrastructure for environmental, rural,
recreational, historical, ethnical and sport tourism; to increase the attractiveness
of the Sasyk coastal areas for recreation construction which must take into
consideration the environmental status of the estuary.
The transformation of Sasyk Estuary environmental status is related to
the implementation of the project for construction of the Danube-Dniester
(Dnieper) irrigation system in the 1980s. The project implied desalination of
marine water in Sasyk Estuary by separating it from the Black Sea with a 14 km
long dam; pumping and discharging the salt water into the sea and filling the
dam with fresh water from the Danube via the Danube – Sasyk canal. This
reservoir was supposed to irrigate the lands of Tatarbunari and Saratsky areas of
the Odessa oblast on area of 29.2 thousand hectares (first phase) and then on
further 28 thousand hectares (second phase).
The environmentally and economically groundless creation of the
Danube-Dniester irrigation system on the base of conversion of marine Sasyk
Estuary to fresh water reservoir caused negative environmental transformation
and caused severe economic, environmental and social problems and conflicts.
The negative changes in the environmental state of Sasyk Estuary are
the following: simplification of the biological structure of the water body –
decrease of the number of species, especially of valuable fish species;
development of eutrophication (development of blue-green algae that are quite
dangerous to humans), deterioration of fishery resources. Furthermore the
medicinal mud of Sasyk Estuaty (as reservoir) was damaged by the introduction
of significant amounts of hazardous substances and compounds with waters
from the Canal Danube - Sasyk. The negative economic consequences of
reorganization of Sasyk Estuary are deterioration of recreation and sanitary
potential of the region, water pollution, intensified abrasive process during high
water levels of the reservoir, negative impact on Stentsovsko Zhebriyanskie
floodplains of the Danube River (territory of the Danube Delta Biosphere
Reserve).
Renaturalization of the Sasyk Estuary involves its restoration to its
natural state as marine estuary. In order to rehabilitate the Sasyk Estuary cost-
effective options for its "marine" use are offered: conservation, recreation and
tourism, including sailing, fishing and transport (river - sea port).
On August 10, 2009 the Odessa Regional State Administration and the
Odessa Regional Council adopted the order number 615/A-2009 - 420/2009-
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PR, according to which a working group is created to develop and implement
the project "Improvement of marine ecosystem of the Sasyk Estuary by the
construction of connecting canal and rehabilitation of adjacent territories”.
Finances were allocated to develop feasibility study of destroying the dam. The
Cabinet of Ministers by Decree № 757 from August 18, 2010, created an
Interdepartmental Commission on expediency and consequences of the
elimination of the dam on the Sasyk Estuary.
The project "Aladin” identified potential sources of investment to build
a tourist complex on Sasyk Estuary.
The investors of the Sasyk yacht club and the building of Sasyk Marine
Trade Port (Russian State Property Fund) can be the financing source for the
operations on the rehabilitation of the estuary.
The costs for planning and technical measures for the rehabilitation of
the Sasyk Estuary by building a connecting canal are approximately € 4-6
million.
The flooding areas will decrease; the ecological state of the estuary will
improve which will answer the needs of the local population (swimming,
fishing of quality fish). As a result of the project implementation the health and
environmental condition of the villages and resorts will improve, water security
and quality of fishery products will increase. The number of tourists will
increase. Conditions for reforming the irrigation system will be created; the
functions of natural spawning in the North-Western part of the Black Sea will
be resumed. The example of renaturalization of such a large natural object is
unique and it will help attracting additional investments in future.
Conclusions.
1. Ukraine has a well developed system of charges for water resources
use, including, direct charges for the water resources withdrawal and a system
of tariffs for secondary water users. Since 2011 an environmental tax on
discharges of pollutants into water resources operates. There is also a system of
fines.
2. Institutional inactivity, which manifests itself in the "conservation" of
the Soviet administrative system of water management, is characterized by high
monopolization, unprofitability, and therefore, unattractiveness for foreign
investors to develop the water economy sector of Ukraine.
3. Nowadays the payment for ecosystem services remains out of a legal
Ukrainian field and official mechanisms of ecological economy, but has
interesting prospects of implementing in the Ukrainian conditions.
4. A serious barrier to the introduction of payments for ecosystem
services is the fiscal and budgetary legislation of Ukraine. Legal mechanisms of
"horizontal" payments for the use of ecosystem services are missing. However,
the main barrier to the formation of a system of payments for ecosystem
services is the weak willingness of the consumers to pay irrespective of their
financial situation and organizational status.
Литература
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1. Директива Европейского парламента и Совета Европейского
Союза № 2000/60/ЕС от 23 октября 2000 года, устанавливающая основы
для деятельности Сообщества в области водной политики [Електронний
ресурс]. – Режим доступа: http://www.uarivers.net/law/28_wfd.pdf.
2. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Ecosystems and Human
Well-being [Synthesis Peport]. — Island Press, Washington DC, — 2005, —
160 pp.
3. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB). [An
Interium Report]. — European Communities, — 2008, — 64 pp.
4. Developing International Payment for Ecosystem Services:
Towards a Greener World Economy. UNEP/IUCN, 2007/ . – Режим доступу:
http:// www.unep.ch/etb/areas/pdf/IPES_IUCNbrochure.pdf.
5. Daily G., (ed.) Nature’s Services: Societal Dependence on
Natural Ecosystems / Daily G. — Washington: Island Press, — 1997, — 392
pp.
6. Khvesyk M. GolYan V, Khvesyk J.M. Institutional environment
of sustained water use in market relations conditions: national and regional
dimensions: Monograph. – NAS Publishers, 2005. – 280pp
7. Doroguntsov S.I., Khvesyk M.A., Golovynskiy I.L. Water
resources of Ukraine (problems of theory and methodology): Monograph.-K.:
Publishing centre “Kyivsky Universytet”, 2002. – 227pp
8. Сташук В.А. Еколого-економічні основи басейнового
управління водними ресурсами / В.А.Сташук. — Дніпропетровськ: ВАТ
«Видавництво "Зоря"», 2006. – 480 с.
Abstract
Rubel O.
Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the Danube region:
theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures
Specification and generalizations of theoretical-methodological bases of
development of payment for ecosystems services mechanisms on their
introduction in economics of Danube region are presented.
Резюме
Рубель О.
Продвижение платы за экосистемные услуги в Дунайском регионе:
теоретико-методологические основы и практические шаги
В последние годы получили признание новаторские финансовые
механизмы, системы платы за экосистемные услуги (ПЭУ), которые
рассматриваются в качестве одного из ключевых способов устранения
нарушений природоохранной деятельности. В случае существенных
экологических проблем в условиях ограниченных финансовых ресурсов
ПЭУ могут стать источником дополнительных альтернативных ресурсов,
дать возможность переключить использование средств на экологически
2012 Економічні інновації
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безопасные методы управления и обеспечения устойчивой структуры
производства, создать стимулы для инвестиций и привлечь частный
сектор к работе по охране окружающей среды.
«Экосистемные услуги» означают выгоды, которые получают люди
от экосистем. Они включают обеспечивающие услуги, такие как
продовольствие, обеспечение водой, лесоматериалами. Выделяют
регулирующие услуги, влияющие на климат, наводнения, болезни, отходы
и качество воды; культурные услуги, обеспечивающие удовлетворение
рекреационных, эстетических и духовных потребностей; и
поддерживающие услуги, такие как почвообразование, фотосинтез и
круговорот питательных веществ.
В настоящей работе предлагается понимание термина «инвестиции в
экологические услуги», обозначающий вложение финансовых,
материальных, технических средств в реставрацию, сохранение, охрану
экосистем, важных для формирования экосистемных услуг.
Фискальное регулирование водопользования сегодня отталкивается
от необходимости усилить бюджетную роль привлечения водных
ресурсов в хозяйственный оборот. Низкий процент поступлений платы за
специальное водопользование и за использование воды для нужд
гидроэнергетики и водного транспорта в бюджеты разного уровня требует
пересмотра нормативов платы за специальное водопользование.
В усовершенствовании нуждается существующая система
налогообложения, которая заключается в необходимости
последовательного повышения роли платы за использование воды,
ведение налогов акцизного типа на продукцию, использование которой
связано с нанесением ущерба водно-ресурсному потенциалу.
Одновременно целесообразно расширить налоговые льготы предприятий
и организаций, которые осваивают высокоэффективные технологии,
замкнутые и безотходные системы водопользования.
Следует стимулировать предпринимательские структуры не просто
возмещать объемы выбросов вредных веществ, сбросов сточных вод и
сверхлимитного использования природных ресурсов, а обеспечивать
перманентное ограничение отрицательного влияния на окружающую
среду через развитие природоохранной инфраструктуры и использования
механизмов платы за экосистемные услуги.
Анализ существующей структуры органов, связанных с
использованием и охраной водных ресурсов, присущий им функций,
сферы их деятельности позволяет сделать вывод, о том, что современная
организационная структура управления использованием вод сдерживает
внедрение экономических инструментов. Службы, способной уже сегодня
работать на хозрасчетных началах на любом водном объекте, нет.
Отсутствие ее лишает цену на воду важнейшей функции быть средством
получения предприятиями доходов из которых возмещаются собственные
затраты и создается прибыль.
Разработка тарифов должна представлять собой разумный
компромисс между различными политическими целями, а именно: учетом
2012 Економічні інновації
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реальной цены за предоставляемую услугу, достижением критерия
экономически выгодной цены и социальной справедливостью. Для этого
необходима разумная информация о реальной стоимости водоснабжения,
количестве услуг реально полученных разными секторами, включая
коммунальный, о состоянии инфраструктуры и необходимых
капиталовложениях.
Важным фактором является также отсутствие учета качества воды в
формировании тарифов для конечного потребителя. Внедрение такого
механизма стимулировало бы меры по повышению качества водных
ресурсов первичных потребителей и водохозяйственные предприятия.
Внедрение механизмов Платы за экосистемные услуги требует:
- ввести в украинское законодательное поле категорию
экосистемные услуги, плата за экосистемные услуги, инвестиции в
экосистемные услуги (ПЭУ);
- разработать механизм экономико-экологического трансферта,
связанного с реализацией принципа платы за экоситемыне услуги;
- внести поправки в Закон Украины «Об охране окружающей
среды», Бюджетный и Налоговый кодекс Украины положения о
перераспределении части экологических платежей / налогов в пользу
предприятий под программы (проекты) реализации ПЭУ;
- инициировать создание агентств экосистемных услуг как часть
системы государственно-частного партнерства.
2012 Економічні інновації
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219
|
| id | nasplib_isofts_kiev_ua-123456789-67164 |
| institution | Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
| issn | XXXX-0066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-12-07T17:36:01Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | Інститут проблем ринку та економіко-екологічних досліджень НАН України |
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| spelling | Rubel, O. 2014-08-20T17:13:09Z 2014-08-20T17:13:09Z 2012 Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures / O. Rubel // Економічні інновації: Зб. наук. пр. — Одеса: ІПРЕЕД НАН України, 2012. — Вип. 48. — С. 204-219. — Бібліогр.: 8 назв. — англ. XXXX-0066 https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/67164 502:338 Specification and generalizations of theoretical-methodological bases of 
 development of payment for ecosystems services mechanisms on their 
 introduction in economics of Danube region are presented. Узагальнено теоретико-методологічні основи впровадження механізмів плати за екосистемні послуги та представлено конкретні шляхи по їхньому просуванню в економічну практику Дунайського регіону. en Інститут проблем ринку та економіко-екологічних досліджень НАН України Економічні інновації Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures Продвижение платы за экосистемные услуги в дунайском регионе: теоретико-методологические основы и практические шаги Article published earlier |
| spellingShingle | Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures Rubel, O. |
| title | Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures |
| title_alt | Продвижение платы за экосистемные услуги в дунайском регионе: теоретико-методологические основы и практические шаги |
| title_full | Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures |
| title_fullStr | Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures |
| title_short | Promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures |
| title_sort | promoting payments for ecosystem services in the danube region: theoretical-methodological bases and practical measures |
| url | https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/67164 |
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