The European Water Framework Directive commits the member states to achieve the good ecological status for all waterbodies. For this purpose on the level of the national states monitoring programs are established with the aim to verify the actual status by means of regular surveys. Already in the past remote sensing data in conjunction with methods of geospatial data analysis revealed the added value in terms of monitoring strategies regarding the European Water Framework Directive. Depending on the type of data they can be used for example for the determination of several parameters of rivers and streams. The present analyses show how it is possible to determine the parameter of width variation of small and medium rivers based on digital orthophotos. Because this parameter strongly depends on the geometric quality of the riverbank line, its determination is given particular attention. It turns out that mainly riparian vegetation has a large impact on the visibility of the riverbank line. In a multi-stage process different methods for the identification of affected areas are developed with the aim to reconstruct the true riverbank line in a second step. Finally these data form the basis for the determination of river width variations.

This thesis deals with implementation of Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) in the Czech Republic. The study area was the Rolava River basin in the Ore Mountains (northwest of Bohemia). The ecological status assessment was applied to both - the main stream and relevant tributaries. Available hydrobiological and hydrochemical data enhanced with the field hydromorphological survey using the Hydroecological monitoring (HEM, Langhammer, 2007) were applied in this thesis. Results of the field survey were compared with two ecomorphological methods: LAWA-FS (LAWA, 2000) and EcoRivHab (Matoušková, 2003, 2007). As a final result, it was found out the water body on upper course of the Rolava River achieved good ecological status. Water body on lower course of the Rolava River and of the tributary the Nejdecký Brook were classified as not achieving good ecological status. The Rolava catchment has very specific conditions and huge potential to achieve the good status in the future.

Rivers are the lifelines of our environment. For this reason they are always in the focus of environmental studies. For the assessment of the ecological status of rivers the member states of the European Union have developed different monitoring programs and approaches. The shadowing of a river affects the temperature of the water and also the energy balance of the water body. Therefore changes in temperature also in uence the biological and chemical status of rivers and lakes. The main objective of this study is the simulation of the shadowing of a section of the river Freiberger Mulde for a full year. This ensures that effects of different sun positions over the year (azimuth, elevation) and also local topography conditions in the close environment of the river section are taken into account. For all analyses a digital surface model and a digital elevation model with a geometric resolution of 2 m is available. The result of this simulation is a raster layer which represents the theoretical annual hours of shadowing of the river section. The results indicate a decrease of illumination of partly more than 80 %. In future this information can be expanded by means of further affecting factors such as the consideration of the phenological status of deciduous trees in the riparian zone.

Im 6. Informationsblatt zur »Umsetzung der Wasserrahmenrichtlinie in Sachsen« liegt der Schwerpunkt auf der Umsetzung von Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung des Gewässerzustands. Zum einen wird eine Zwischenbilanz zum Stand der Arbeiten gezogen. Zum anderen wird beleuchtet, ob die bisherigen Anstrengungen ausreichend sind, um die hoch gesteckten Ziele in Sachsen erreichen zu können. Außerdem werden Projekte des LfULG und seiner Partner vorgestellt, die beispielhaft für Sachsen sein können.

This report was made as a part of ongoing work to improve the water management of the research area since the Water framework directive (2000/60/EG) states that all water bodies within the EU has to reach good-quality or better by 2027 at the latest. This report investigated the overall changes in classification of coastal waters in the Skagerrak and Kattegat water district in Sweden over management cycles. The aim was to identify quality elements of interest for further investigation and their trends of development. The study also assessed the impact of changes in the assessment criteria and if this has influenced the comparability between management cycles. The changes in overall Ecological status from cycle 1 to cycle 2 were small with only 6% of the water bodies improving their status with one class while 84% remained unchanged. However, from cycle 2 to cycle 3 the changes showed a more positive trend with 31% of the water bodies having an improvement by one class or more and 63% remaining unchanged. The changes in individual quality elements were not as clear and multiple suggestions for further studies to identify more reliable trends are made. This study indicates that the changes in assessment criteria has influenced the classifications investigated and further studies are needed. Development of a method to overcome these changes in assessment criteria are of great importance to be able to successfully compare the status of waterbodies between management cycles.

The limited amount of natural resources on our planet has been actively discussed during the past decade. Recycling materials is becoming increasingly important in order to benefit the economy and the environment. The purpose of this study is to conduct a material flow analysis of the construction and demolition waste in the Helsinki metropolitan area to find out whether or not the goals set by the EU Waste Framework Directive can be reached by 2020. The study aims to map out the flows and suggest improvements wherever needed. The study is conducted by using a case study, HSY Ekomo, the first fully operational circular economy hub in Finland. The results show that both the municipality and private sector are well over the required goal of 70% recyclability rate of construction and demolition waste with a steady positive improvement from the first year of operations. The improvements were over 10% between the year 2016 and 2017. The private sector experiences some turbulence regarding legislation issues such as noise- and environmental permits which limits the economic benefit of recycling construction and demolition waste. Continued monitoring and faster adaption to international standards (such as the EU Waste Framework Directive) is required in order to be able to benefit the most economically and environmentally out of circular economic initiatives. / Den begränsade mängden naturresurser som existerar på vår planet har diskuterats under det senaste decenniet aktivt. Återvinning av material blir allt viktigare i dagens samhälle och vi kan se en trend var utvecklingen strävar efter beslut som har rötterna i cirkulär ekonomiskaprinciper. Resultatet av diskussionerna har blivit höga måtsättningar för medlemsländerna i Europeiska Unionen gällande återvinning var målet är att uppnå en återvinningsgrad på 70% innan 2020 för bygg- och rivavfall. Studien använder materialflödes analys (MFA) som metod för att kartlägga och kvantifiera flödnena av bygg- och rivavfall. Materialflödes analysen använder data från årsrapporter och statistik som blivit tillgängligt av HSY (statligt ägt bolag) samt av intervjuerna som utfördes på fältet. För att kvantifiera flödena på basis av den konceptuella modellen avnändes mjukvaran STAN. Avhandlingen strävar efter att ta första steget för att kartlägga materialflöden av bygg- och rivavfall i huvudstadsregionen (Helsingfors). Målet är att skapa en modell som kan användas som botten i framtida undersökningar och att kvantifiera modellen med existerande data för att se ifall målsättningarna stadgade av Europeiska Unionen kommer att uppnås innan 2020. Studien utfördes på cirkulär ekonomi stationen Ekomo för att kunna göra upp modeller för den privata sektorn och den kommunalla sektorn eftersom båda är verksamma på Ekomo. Resultaten av anvhandlingen var följande: Den privata sektorn och staten uppnår en återvinningsgrad på över 90% vilket är väl över stadgan satt av den Europeiska Unionen under året 2017 med en stadig utveckling från året innan med en väldigt liten andel som placeras på soptipp. Resultaten visar en stark utveckling av intresse från hushåll och företag för återvinning eftersom antalet kunder och lastbilar som besökt stationen ökat starkt under de senaste fem åren. Även om målsättningarna inom återvinning är uppnådda finns det ärenden som måste behandlas för att försäkra en fortsatt positiv utveckling. Den privata sektorn upplever att begränsade möjligheter för återanvänd krossbetong minskar efterfrågan på produkten, vilket gör den finansiellt svår att integrera i deras försälning. Buller- och miljötillstånd tvingar för tillfället bolagen att transportera bygg- och rivmaterialet utanför rivmålet, t.ex till Ekomo, för att krossas vilket ytterligare skapar finansiella problem för den privata sektorn. Lösningar för att göra återvinning av riv- och byggnadsmaterial för den privata sektorn lukrativare behövs för att inspirera flera organisationer att ansluta sig till arbete mot ett mera cirkulärt samhälle. Monitorering och snabbare anpassningsförmåga för internationella standarder krävs för att kunna utnyttja cirkulär ekonomiska initiativ på bästa möjliga sättet. För att komplettera avhandlingen skulle det vara intressant att se resultaten av en livcykelanalys (LCA) gällande samma flöden för att identifiera miljörelaterade problem och för att optimera flöden.

<p align="justify"><i>Typologie des cours d’eau en Wallonie et caractérisation par la faune invertébrée</i><br>Vingt-cinq types de cours d’eau ont été définis en Wallonie d’après les termes de la Directive Cadre pour l’Eau en tenant compte des facteurs obligatoires et optionnels rassemblés sous trois critères : la taille (du « ruisseau » à la « très grande rivière »), la pente (faible, moyenne et forte), et cinq régions naturelles (la région limoneuse, le Condroz, la Famenne, l’Ardenne et la Lorraine belge, résumant les facteurs obligatoires altitude, latitude, longitude et géologie). Une approche par analyses multivariées appliquées à un grand nombre d’échantillons (listes taxonomiques) a permis de définir de façon plus précise certains types de rivières et de distinguer sept groupes typologiques montrant des assemblages faunistiques similaires.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Conditions de référence types et définition de l’état écologique des rivières en Wallonie à l’aide de métriques biocénotiques basées sur les invertébrés</i><br> Les listes faunistiques et les valeurs métriques de l’IBGN (Indice biologique global normalisé) issues du réseau d’évaluation de la qualité biologique en Wallonie ont été utilisées pour discriminer les types de rivières et pour définir les sites de référence, les conditions de référence et les limites des classes des états écologiques. Au sud du sillon Sambre et Meuse, impliquant quatre groupes typologiques de rivières, les valeurs de référence et la définition des états écologiques ont été basées et calculées sur un réseau de référence de sites de très bon état. Les « valeurs de conditions de référence » ont été définies par les médianes des métriques des sites de « très bon état ». Lorsque aucun site de très bon état n’était disponible, c’est-à-dire pour les groupes typologiques au nord du sillon Sambre et Meuse et pour la Meuse et la Sambre, les conditions de référence (ou le « potentiel écologique maximal ») et les limites de classes ont été basées sur des coefficients appliqués aux sites de « bon état » et sur jugement d’expert.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Exercice pilote d’inter-étalonnage</i><br> Cinquante échantillons ont été sélectionnés parmi les rivières du type d’inter-étalonnage européen R-C3 (petite taille, altitude moyenne, substrat siliceux) en Wallonie (correspondant aux « ruisseaux ardennais ») dans toute la gamme de qualités écologiques, du « très bon » au « mauvais » état. Chaque métrique de l’indice « Intercalibration Common Metrics » (ICM) a été comparée (par régression linéaire et polynomiale) aux valeurs de l’IBGN. La plus forte corrélation a été établie avec l’indice synthétique de l’ICM dont le R² très élevé (0,95) permet un inter-étalonnage précis et fiable. A un EQR (Equivalent Quality Ratio) de l’IBGN = 1 correspond un indice ICM très proche (= 1,004). En conséquence, la métrique « cote de l’IBGN » est proposée comme métrique pour l’évaluation de l’état écologique de la faune invertébrée en Wallonie.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Espèces exotiques et invasives</i><br>L’ouverture récente du canal à grand gabarit Main – Danube en 1992 et la navigation qui en résulte a permis à plusieurs espèces de macroinvertébrés ponto-caspiennes d’envahir successivement les bassins du Rhin et de la Meuse. De 1998 à 2000, le réseau de mesure a enregistré quatre nouvelles espèces exotiques dans la Meuse en Belgique : une polychète (<i>Hypania invalida</i>) et trois crustacés (<i>Hemimysis anomala, Dikerogammarus villosus, D. haemobaphes</i>). Peu avant, en 1995, le bivalve asiatique <i>Corbicula fluminea</i> et l’amphipode nord-américain <i>Crangonyx pseudogracilis</i> ont également été enregistrés pour la première fois. La dynamique des invasions a été étudiée et discutée.</p> <p align="justify">L’<i>état biologique actuel</i> (2000-2002) des masses d’eaux de surface en Wallonie et l’évolution des états biologiques sur une décennie (1990-2002) figurent dans l’étude et sont discutés. Une amélioration globale de la qualité de 6 % est enregistrée pour cette période. L’amélioration de la qualité se manifeste principalement pour les états « mauvais » et « médiocre » s’élevant à l’état « moyen ».</p> <b>Abstract</b> <p align="justify"><i>River typology in Wallonia and invertebrate fauna characterization</i><br>Twenty-five river-types in Wallonia were defined according to the Water Framework Directive taking into account obligatory and optional factors gathered in three criteria: the size (from “brook” to “very large river”), the slope (gentle, medium and strong) and five natural regions (Loess, Condroz, Famenne, Arden and Jurassic summarising the obligatory altitude, latitude, longitude and geology factors). A multivariate approach applied to a large amount of samples (i.e. taxa lists) led to give a more accurate definition of some river-types and to discriminate seven river-type groups exhibiting similar faunal assemblages.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Type-specific reference conditions and ecological status definition of rivers in Wallonia using invertebrate biocenotic metrics</i><br> Faunal lists and IBGN (i.e. "Standardized Global Biological Index IBGN") metric values, evolving from the biological quality assessment network in Wallonia, were used to discriminate the river types and to define the reference sites, the reference conditions and the status class limits. South of the axis made by the Sambre & Meuse Rivers, involving four river-type groups, reference values and ecological status definition were based and calculated on a reference network of sites of high status. The "reference condition values” were defined as the median values of the metrics in all “high status” sites. Where no site of high status was available, i.e. in the others river-type groups north of the same axis and in the Rivers Sambre and Meuse themselves, reference conditions (or maximum ecological potential) and class limits were based on coefficients applied to “good status” sites and on expert judgement.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Intercalibration pilot exercise</i><br> Fifty samples were selected from R-C3 rivers (i.e. small, mid-altitude, siliceous) in Wallonia (corresponding to the “Arden’s brooks”) showing the widest range of ecological quality from high to bad status. Each Intercalibration Common Metric (ICM) was compared (linear and polynomial regression) to IBGN scores. The highest correlation was found with the synthetic ICM index, whose high R² (0.95) allows accurate and reliable intercalibration. To IBGN EQR (i.e. Equivalent Quality Ratio) = 1 corresponds a very close ICM index value (= 1.004). Consequently, the metric IBGN score is being proposed to act as the metric for the assessment of the invertebrate fauna ecological status in Wallonia, Belgium.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Exotic and invasive species</i><br> The recent opening of the canal Danube – Main in 1992 and the subsequent navigation allowed several Ponto-Caspian macroinvertebrate species to invade successively the Rhine and the River Meuse basins. From 1998 to 2000, the monitoring network recorded four new alien species in the River Meuse in Belgium: one Polychaeta (<i>Hypania invalida</i>) and three Crustacea (<i>Hemimysis anomala, Dikerogammarus villosus, D. haemobaphes</i>). Earlier, in 1995, the Asian Bivalvia <i>Corbicula fluminea</i> and the North American Amphipod <i>Crangonyx pseudogracilis</i> were also recorded for the first time. The invasions’ dynamics were studied and discussed.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Present biological status</i> (2000-2002) of surface water-bodies in Wallonia and biological status evolution over a one-decade period (1990-2002) is included and discussed in the study. A global quality improvement of 6 % is recorded for the period. Quality improvement concerns mainly the “bad” and “poor” status raising up to “moderate” status.</p>

<p>Management of water bodies according to their river basinsis becoming increasingly common, as the concept of IntegratedWater Resources Management (IWRM) is getting more and moreacknowl-edged. In Europe, a large portion of these“new”management units will probably be internationalor transboundary. Decisions and policies consideringtransboundary water issues need to be based on reliable andcomprehendible information. In this thesis, a review of variousexisting models that may be used for understanding the role anduse of information in (transboundary) water management ispresented. Further, the thesis reports on an assessment of theinformation management of three transboundary water regimes inEurope, namely the international water commissions for LakeNeusiedl, Lake Constance and Elbe River. Besides examining theinformation management of the regimes as such, the managementwas also related to information needs implied by the IWRMcon-cept and by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Thereviewed models and approaches were grouped into threecategories: information management models, information cyclemodels and communication between actors. The first categorycomprised models that may be used for managing and assessingdifferent types of information. The second group dealt withmodels explaining the production and communication ofinformation predominately from an information producer/senderperspective. The third group focused on ideas concerninginteractions and communication of information between differentkinds of actors. The studies on information management intransboundary water regimes showed that the information needsand strategies often were defined primarily with watercommissions’own needs in mind. The data collected by thecommissions were predominated by monitoring data, describingthe status of the environment and the impact caused by humanactivities. Furthermore, any communication of information toother groups of actors was mainly done through passivechannels. The information management in these transboundarywater regimes was not fully in accordance with informationneeds implied by the IWRM concept and the EU WFD.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM);transboundary water management; information; EU Water FrameworkDirective (WFD); regimes; policy and decision making; LakeNeusiedl; Lake Constance; Elbe River.</p>

. / This study is about the on-ground implementation of sustainable farm practices supported by policies and directives that form the core of the European Union’s sustainability policy. Its goal is to identify the blockers to effective policy implementation in order to improve the approach to sustainability in the agricultural sector. Exploring ways to engage local stakeholders in farm sustainability has been central to create a holistic understanding about the processes that drive practices in agriculture systems, and the extent to which these processes can be transformed. Sustainability in agriculture is a broad topic, hence this study focuses on one segment of sustainability namely the use and management of water resources in irrigated agriculture. The study’s final recommendations to improve policy design and interventions, however, are general and apply to the implementation of all sustainable farm practices. Practical effectiveness of EU policies and directives for sustainable agriculture is constrained by: a lack of evaluating criteria to measure policy impact and communicate progress; incentives for growers to commit to more than the minimum required, and continuous local renegotiation of proposed measures and programmes which have contributed to a weakening of initial policy proposals. This study demonstrates that policies serve different purposes for different people at different social and political levels. However, sustainability comes into practice on the farm, which is why farmers’ perspective about a sustainable agricultural sector and the proposed voluntary and mandatory policy measures is so important. Farmers’ perspectives are still missing elements in policy design for sustainable agriculture. Co-developing and testing technologies that are meant to deliver sustainability in practice, as well as farm decision support tools, are critical in engaging farmers and other local stakeholders in sustainability and to transform embedded practices and institutions. Collaboration across disciplines is also important to address environmental goals and farmers’ needs in order to extract substantial environmental benefits as well as a long term commitment from land managers in sustainability. This study shows that there are many insights to be gained and learnings to be extracted from scrutinizing policy interventions. It raises awareness about improving policy implementation by providing practical examples from case studies conducted in Spain and in Italy. These insights encourage the use of interdisciplinary approaches, including socio-technical approaches, for an integrated people and technology based perspective on natural resource management to better policy design and interventions and make sustainable agriculture real.

This thesis deals with the problem of water consumption in European Union and ways to overcome its excessive abstraction. The aim is to analyze whether the current abstraction in each area is sustainable in the future, and if there is any possible way how to ensure this sustainability. This work is based on the information about the development of abstraction in different sectors, changes in the amount of water that will be caused by global warming and the data on the current technical possibilities of obtaining water. The first section explains the concept of sustainable development and clarifies why the water consumption is excessive. The second chapter deals with the quantity of water and its resources, including alternative resources. The third chapter describes the water abstraction and the potential for savings. The last part focuses on policies and measures to ensure sustainable water abstraction.