What is Transrivers.org?
This website is established by the Rivers without Boundaries Coalition to inform you about the great rivers of northeast Eurasia and our work to protect them. Little information in English is available on Amur, Yenisey, Ob and other transboundary rivers of that vast region. We live and work in those river basins and invite you to join us in enjoying their wonders and protecting their natural riches.
What is Rivers without Boundaries Coalition (RwB)?
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Rivers without Boundaries Coalition is a collaborative international network of organizations and experts dedicated to preserving the health of transboundary river basins in northeast Eurasia through joint advocacy and promoting best practices in river management.
How RwB works?
To fulfill this mission we provide mutual assistance and share information among local grassroots initiatives, national and international conservation organizations, and decision-making bodies. Members lend their experience and insights to coalition-wide efforts, for example by participating in campaigns and engaging international conservation mechanisms to prevent the construction and mitigate the impacts of harmful water infrastructure projects on transboundary rivers.
Our goals:
In its efforts to protect northeast Eurasia’s transboundary river basins, the Rivers without Boundaries Coalition :
-Develops expertise, training and shared information resources that provide support to coalition members and affected communities.
-Provides international community with up to date information on transboundary water issues in northeastern Eurasia through regional and international media channels, as well as this web-site;
-Cooperates with international conservation mechanisms like the Ramsar Convention and the UN Water Convention, etc.
-Evaluates and recommends amendments to regional, national and international water infrastructure development plans to reduce their future negative impacts;
-Conducts projects and campaigns to protect river and lake watersheds and prevent negative impacts of specific water infrastructure facilities;
History:
RwB was founded as a cooperation agreement between NGOs and experts from Mongolia, China, Russia and USA to work jointly to protect transboundary rivers and solve transboundary problems related to river ecosystems in North Asia. (see Participants)
RwB Coalition was created in 2009 after individual NGO efforts couldn’t stop dangerous water diversion from Hailaer (Argun) River in Amur headwaters into Dalai Lake- Ramsar wetland. This became our first campaign and www.dauriarivers.org became RwB’s first web-resource and contains full information on Argun river problems for 2007-2011.
Since it was initiated RwB:
-Established links between NGOs, experts and water management institutions in several countries;
– Made strong case for limiting Hailaer River water transfer which was partly accepted by Chinese water authority, assisted Sino-Russian dialogue on this issue;
-Registered a branch of RwB in Mongolia as an NGO;
-Co-organized Siberian Rivers conference, trip of Chinese NGO representatives to Baikal Pulp mill, several expeditions to damming and mining sites in Russia and Mongolia;
-Developed database on dams and diversions as well as conservation values of transboundary Amur River Basin;
– Coalition participants acquired membership in local watershed councils and/or other local decision-making structures related to river management;
– Designed and tested basin-wide environmental impact assessment methodology for hydropower projects.
– Started campaign to inform domestic and international investors on risks of specific hydropower schemes in Russia, which also resulted in direct dialogue with hydropower companies.
– Co-organized several other projects and campaigns (see Projects);
Please contact us by e-mail coalition@riverswithoutboundaries.org or leave your comments on the website.