Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis
The Black Sea TDA is a technical document which, in a highly analytical manner, examines the root causes of Black Sea degradation and options for actions which may be taken to address them. It examines each major environmental problem, the “stakeholders” involved in the problem (who is responsible? who has to act?) and the uncertainties in the information describing the problem (do we need more information and if so what kind?). It then proposes solutions, often giving various options and attempts to set a time frame and cost for the solutions. Some of the solutions require policy changes, some require capital investments. They are all part of a holistic management approach that does not limit itself to end-of-pipe solutions but encourages the development of more environmentally sustainable economic activities.

More infromation on the TDA can be learned from the web site developed within previous GEF interventions http://www.grid.unep.ch/bsein/index.html:

This Internet Node contains information on: organisations and scientists studying the Black Sea; (inter)national research projects/programs (since 1990); cruise summary reports (since 1979); Black Sea bibliography (since 1974); acronyms and abbreviations; meta level information on environmental data for the Black Sea region; selected satellite images; Black Sea Red Data Book.    It also contains recent data sets obtained in frameworks of different international programs and copies of some historical data sets opened for public use. Black Sea inter-disciplinary multivariable historical database was created in framework of the NATO TU-Black Sea project in 1994-1997 and is maintained in framework of the NATO SfP ODBMS Black Sea Projects. It includes all main physical, chemical and biological variables for the entire Black Sea basin and serves as a base line for contemporary and future research activities and management purposes in the region.  http://sfp1.ims.metu.edu.tr/

Black Sea Strategic Action Plan (BSSAP)
The Black Sea Strategic Action Plan (BS-SAP) provides a very modern approach to environmental policy making and agrees on the following key matters:

• That the principle cause for the decline of the Black Sea ecosystem is eutrophication;
• That without full co-operation with riparian countries of the main tributary rivers ( Danube and Dnipro) this problem cannot be addressed;
• That the institutional structure of the BSEP should be incorporated into that of the Istanbul Commission for the Bucharest Convention;
• That an adaptive management approach should be adopted for the control of pollution in the Black Sea ;
• That biological diversity and fisheries concerns should be part of the future agenda of the Commission;
• That greater stakeholder participation and transparency should be ensured (in line with the provisions of the Aarhus Convention).

Implementation of the BS-SAP is currently somewhat behind schedule. This does not imply that there is no implementation at all, but recent reports clearly indicate that the governments are not meeting the deadlines they set for themselves. There are many reasons for this, including the delays in completing the institutional arrangements described earlier and the continuing economic difficulties confronted by many of the countries.

In its April 2000 meeting, the Black Sea Commission reiterated its commitment to oversee implementation of the BS-SAP. They also agreed to approach the GEF and the European Commission for renewed support to help them achieve this objective.

The BS-SAP can be found on the site of the Black Sea Commission: www.blacksea-commission.org