ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN IN THE PERIOD JANUARY 199%AUGUST 1996 (“accounting period”)

1.1 Meetings of the JHP/OHP National Committee

I. 1. I Decisions regarding the composition of the IHP/OHP National Committee (NC)

Both the NC and its two Subcommittees, established in 1993, have acted according the Statutes (described in para. 0.3) also during the accounting period. Regular meetings were held in January 1995, in April 1995, and in November 1995, their agenda including, among others

the evaluation of the XVIIth Conference of the Danube Countries (Budapest, September 1994)

the Hungarian contributions to the XVIIIth Conference of the Danube Countries (Graz, August 1996)

Hungary’s growing involvement in the FRLEND/AMHY activities

a number of reports on international scientific conferences and other meetings, attended by NC members and other Hungarian experts

the planned involvement of Hungary in IHP-V

a detailed critical analysis of the NC’s activity during the first two years of its existence, including a revision of the list of NC members. (The analysis was based on a questionnaire issued by the Chairman of the NC, while both the answers received and the resolutions taken were reported in the Newsletters.)

promotion of bilateral contacts with fellow NCs; particularly with those of the Danube countries.

I. 1.2 Status of the IHP-IV activities

Hungary’s involvement in MP-IV was rather limited, mostly due to the difficulties connected with the recent politicaVeconomica1 changes in the country.

All the same, a number of research achievements, obtained in various fields of hydrology during the period of IHP-IV could be registered, which might be considered as good contributions to the results of this period. A review of these Hungarian accomplishments has been offered in the volume “Hungary and II-W’, already referred to before.

The Hungarian NC considers a major achievement the involvement of Hungarian hydrologists in the co-operation of the (by now 13) Danube Countries. As a result of Hungarian efforts, the first follow- up volume of the Danube Monograph, on Sediment Transport has been issued during the IHP-IV period and two more volumes (on Geomorphology and Fords) will be finished soon.

The Hungarian NC regrets very much that the fruitful hydrological co-operation of the Danube Countries could not have been included and designated individually in the Programme of IHP-V, like the similar co-operation of FRIEND-Countries.

The Hungarian NC was invited by the German NC to co-operate in developing the theme of M- 3-3a. A Hungarian expert working group, lead by Prof. Dr G ijlliis prepared a case study entitled Integrated Water Management of Budapest and its Agglomeration. The international working group used this case study in the preparation of its closing document.

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/ I. 3 Decisions regarding contribution to/participation in IHP- Y

During the phase of preparation of IHP-V, the Scientific Subcommittee (SSC) has compiled a list of possible Hungarian contributions to selected IHP-V projects. In September 1995, this list has been submitted by the Hungarian NC to IHP Headquarters. No comments have reached the Hungarian NC as yet.

Prompted by a letter of IHP Headquarters, in February 1996 a list of 10 Hungarian espens has been recommended for involvement in working groups and steering committees of 8 selected IHP-V projects. Out of the 10 experts recommended, by August 1996 two persons have been invited by IHP Headquarters (G. Joi6nkai to the Working Group of projects 2.3 and 2.4, and L. Somlyody to that of project 7.2).

A major problem with Hungary’s future contribution to the implementation of IHP-V is that the NC. as of today, has practically no means for influencing the structure of annual or longer-range hydrological research programmes financed by the Hungarian Government. Steps have been taken for improving this situation. On the other hand, wishes to be expressed - on the basis of former recommendations of the NC - by IHP Headquarters would presumably help the NC to gain more in tl uence on research planning.

1.2.3 ResearcMapplied projects supported or sponsored

The Hungarian NC, as mentioned above, has no means for supporting directly research projects.

Its members, on the other hand, are regularly involved in the implementation and/or co-ordination of national and international hydrological projects.

From the main results, obtained in Hungary during the accounting period, the publication of the follovving synthesising works should be mentioned:

S’tarosolxkv, 8. et al.: The impact of climate change on hydrological and warer quatin parameters. VITUKI Publications, No. 59.

Domokos, n/f: Information about a possible climate change and its impacts on hydroloe and water management. VITUKI Publications, No. 62.

Liebe, P. et al.: Assessment of the state of water resources in Hungary. VITUIU, Budapest.

Boanrjr, Gv. et al.: The water management of Hungary on the turn of millennia.

VITUKI, Budapest.

Pdlfai. I. et al.: Water management problems of the table-land between Danube and Tisza. Foundation “Lowland”, BCkCscsaba.

PLiZfai, I. : Ox-box lakes of the Tisza Valley. Ministry for Transport, Budapest.

I. 2.4 Collaboration with other national and international organisations/programmes

Since the beginning in 1972 of the hydrological co-operation of the Danube Countries (implemented since 1987 in the framework of [HP), Hungary - whose national area is completely included in the Danube Basin - has been playing a very active role therein. During the Third Phase of this co-operation (1993-98, co-ordinated by Austria) the tradition of annual expert meetings is continued and, according to the Working Plan, about a dozen follow-up volumes of the Danube Monograph of 1986 should be compiled. Hungary is responsible for two of them. During the accounting period, one of this volumes (on the fords of the Danube) has been finished and of the other (on geomorphological history of the Danube) the first version has been submitted.

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Since the end of 1994, Hungary is also involved in the activities of the AMHY group. Hungarian experts regularly attend annual meetings. Recently a list of Hungarian experts to be involved in selected AMHY projects has been submitted.

Among the national organisations regularly contacted by the IHP/OHP NC, the fruitful exchanges with the Hungarian MAB National Committee should be mentioned.

1.2.5 Other initiatives

1.3 Educational and training courses

Hungary has been among the first countries to respond to the UNESCO/II-ID call in 1965 for the promotion of hydrological training on an international scale. VITUKI, the Hungarian Water management’s Institution responsible for hydrological research, has announced her first UNESCO- sponsored International Post-Graduate Course on Hydrology as early as 1966.

Up till 1974 these courses have been held bi-annually, from that date on annually. Till 1996 - when the 27th such course has been organised - altogether 429 participants coming from 73 countries have attended the courses.

In 1966 the course has started with a subject matter characterised only by scientific hydrology, then in subsequent years it continued with a more practical, water management oriented subject matter.

UNESCO - having realised the necessity of linking the teaching of hydroloa in all its relevant aspects with the protection of the environment - has chosen this course as one of those courses requested to add environmental dimensions to their curricula.

In compliance with this request, as from the eighteenth course in 1987 the subject matter has been modified so as to reflect also an appropriate environmental emphasis. Decisive in that respect were the recommendations (based upon the evaluation by a working group) of mESCO-sponsored post- graduate courses in Hydrology (IHP-III Project 13.1).

In these recommendations a model curriculum was given which has served as a basis at the reform of this course’s curriculum. Besides minor changes related to annual corrections the subject matter taught in 1995 and 1996 is by and large the same which has been elaborated during that reform.

However, the character of the course has to be changed. Partly, because environmental management (and the water-related aspects thereof) have become of growing concern also in developed countries, and partly because the new Independent States (the former Soviet Union) and the states of Central and Eastern Europe have appeared in the world with their inherited immense (often water- related) environmental problems, applications for participation have in recent years been received in increasing numbers from all countries.

1.4 Publications

The most important publications, issued during the accounting period, have been listed in para.

1.2.3.

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1.5 Participation in international scientific meetings 1.5. I Meeting hosted by Hungary

During the accounting period, V1TUK.I organised a NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on Controversies behveen Water Resources Development and Protection of the Environment, co-sponsored by UNESCO IHP in Visegrid, Hungary between 2 l-25 May, 1996. The Visegrid Workshop underlined the integrated water management concerns both minimising controversies between different water uses and users, and optimising the economic, health and environmental aspects and benefits from water resources on a sustainable basis. It was recognised, that the visions on river development have changed over the last two hundred years, since the major advance in development had, at a later date, be described as a major sources of controversies.

Both positive and negative aspects of certain development projects have been identified, like the Rhine and the Danube River Basins, the Aral Sea, the utilisation of Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, the Nile River, the three gorge projects on Yangtse River. Three general conclusions from the Visegrid ARW have been derived: (a) need for preventive measures, (b) use of international experiences, (c) both positive and negative impacts should be included in the planning process and environmental impact assessment and risks should be merged with planning into an integrated activity.

Five general recommendations have been formulated: (a) world-wide surveys of past and ongoing controversies, (b) environmental impact is a part of the project, (c) data on resolution on controversies should be collected, (d) long-range impacts of large water projects should be considered, (e) assessment of risk should be analysed.

Another important meeting hosted by Hungary during the accounting period was the Meeting of the Directors of European Water Research Institutions, held in Budapest, between 18-19 April, 1996. Its agenda included the realisation of PHARE and GEF programmes as well as research financing problems, new generations of scholars and EU standardisation.

I, 5.2 Participation in meetings abroad

Besides the regular attendance by Hungarian delegates at annual meetings of the experts of the Danube Countries and the AMHY Group (referred to in the foregoing paragraphs). the Hungarian NC has been represented, also during the accounting period, by its members, at a number of international meetings of various levels, including the following ones:

XIth Session of the UNESCO/IHP Intergovernmental Council XIIth Congress of WMO

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IHP/lHS “George Kovics” Colloquium Bemier Colloquium

XIth Session of the Commission for Agrometeorology of WMO WMO Conference on “Meteorological and Hydrological Technology”

Advisory Group of CHy/WMO

ICID Workshop on “Drought in the Carpathian Basin”

ICID Workshop on Drainage

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1.6 Other activities at a regional level

Hungary’s active participation in the hydrological co-operation of the Danube Countries is described in para 1.2.4.

Another important activity at a regional level has been the Austrian-Hungarian co-operation, commenced in 1993, aiming at the compilation of a Hydrological Monograph of the Upper Raab Basin (6000 km’). The publication of the Monograph is scheduled for the end of 1996.

2. FUTURE ACTIVITIES (1996-200 1)