The meeting was opened by the co—chairs, Deputy Head of Rosvodresursov Tatiana Bokova and Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus Viktor Galanov. The basins of the Dnieper and Western Dvina rivers became the key focus of the meeting. The participants presented the results of bilateral comparative analyses of surface water quality in transboundary areas and groundwater monitoring data. These materials help to objectively assess the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems and make coordinated management decisions.
Special attention was paid to the ecosystem approach to water resources management and biodiversity conservation: Using the example of Russian‑Belarusian cooperation, we discussed how important it is to take into account not only hydrochemical indicators, but also the state of coastal territories, floodplains and aquatic biological resources.
As a result of the meeting, the "Roadmap for Transboundary Water cooperation until 2030" was updated and for the first time a correlation of transboundary aquifers in the basins of the Dnieper and Western Dvina was carried out — this will bring joint monitoring of groundwater to a new level. The recommendations developed will form the basis for planning environmental protection measures.
Representatives of both sides emphasized that the joint work of Russia and Belarus is a vivid example of how unity of approaches and joining efforts help to effectively respond to global environmental challenges.
VNIRO Press Service
Photo source: https://voda.gov.ru/press-tsenter/news/federalnye/561593 /.
