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News & Media

The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) celebrates World Water Day 2025: “Save Our Glaciers”

VIENNA, March 22, 2025 (Vienna International Centre) – The retreat of glaciers in the Upper Danube River Basin is one of the most alarming consequences of climate change, says the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) as it joins the global community in commemorating World Water Day 2025. This year's theme, "Save Our Glaciers," highlights the critical importance of glaciers and the urgent need to address their rapid decline due to climate change. As the climate continues to warm, glaciers worldwide, including those that feed into the Danube River, are melting at unprecedented rates.

two men in a boat sampling water
News & Media

Joint Danube Survey 5 Scheduled to Launch 1st July

The Joint Danube Survey 5 (JDS5), the world’s most comprehensive investigative surface-water monitoring effort, will officially kick off on 1 July 2025 in Vienna. This large-scale scientific survey will bring together experts from 14 countries to assess the health of the Danube River and its major tributaries.

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News & Media

ICPDR Executive Secretary Calls for Stronger Coordination in Drought Management Across the Danube Basin

At the recent High-Level and Technical Conference in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia, ICPDR Executive Secretary Ms. Vogel underscored the important need for stronger coordination in drought management across the Danube region. The conference brought together regional and international organizations to address climate change adaptation challenges in South-Eastern Europe.

a man (left) and a woman (right) standing next to each other, the woman holds a bottle in her hands
News & Media

Slovenia succeeds Slovakia in ICPDR Presidency for 2025

VIENNA, 23 January (Permanent Mission of Slovakia to the OSCE and other International Organizations in Vienna) -
Slovenia is taking over the Presidency of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) for 2025. Lidija Globevnik, Director General of the Slovenian Water and Marine Directorate under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning of Slovenia will serve as its new President. The annual transition in leadership reflects the ICPDR’s ongoing dedication to successful transboundary water management.

A close up of a sturgeon
News & Media

We Pass 2 Project Concludes: Restoring Migration Routes for the Danube’s Iconic Fish

The We Pass 2 project, an ambitious initiative to restore fish migration routes at the Iron Gate Dams on the Danube River, has reached a successful conclusion. Building on the achievements of the original We Pass project, We Pass 2 focused on creating preliminary designs and cost estimates for solutions to enable fish passage at Iron Gate 1 and 2, which sit on the border between Romania and Serbia.

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News & Media

The 2024 Interim Report on the Implementation of the Joint Programme of Measures in the Danube River Basin is Published

The 2024 Interim report on the Implementation of the Joint Program of Measures in the Danube River Basin has been published This Interim Report on the Implementation of the Joint Programme of Measures in the Danube River Basin, published three years after the adoption of the DRBMP Update 2021, reflects accomplishments and progress made together by Danube countries over the past three years, but also looking back at the adoption of the EU WFD more than 20 years ago.

Danube Art Master Awards 2024
News & Media

Danube Art Master Competition 2024: International Winners Announced

VIENNA, 16 December 2024 (Press Release) – The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) proudly announced the winners of this year's Danube Art Master competition during its 27th Ordinary Meeting at the Vienna International Centre.

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News & Media

27th ICPDR Ordinary Meeting Highlights Regional Collaboration

On Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 December 2024, the ICPDR held its 27th Ordinary Meeting at the Vienna International Centre. The event brought together Heads of Delegation and Heads of Delegation representatives from all Contracting Parties, expert group chairs, observers, and invited guests, along with online participants. Chaired by 2024 ICPDR President Vladimír Novák of Slovakia, this meeting served as a critical forum for advancing regional cooperation and sustainable water management within the Danube River Basin.

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News & Media

ICPDR President Reaffirms Commitment to Danube River Basin Sustainability at UNECE's MOP10

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia – In a powerful address at the 10th Meeting of Parties (MOP10), ICPDR President Vladimír Novák of Slovakia reaffirmed the ICPDR’s commitment to safeguarding the Danube River Basin for future generations, particularly as climate change accelerates. This past June marked the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Danube River Protection Convention (DRPC). Signed in Sofia, Bulgaria, the DRPC laid the foundation for the ICPDR’s mission of transboundary cooperation in water management for the Danube River Basin.

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News & Media

European Youth Gather in Hungary to Address Water and Biodiversity Challenges

From October 20-26, 2024, more than 100 young people from across Europe are meeting in Budapest and Szolnok, Hungary to take part in the 16th European Youth Parliament for Water (EYPW). Since 1998, these parliaments have provided a platform for young people to discuss and act on critical water-related issues. This year’s event focuses on the connection between water and biodiversity, a growing concern due to pollution, over-extraction, and climate change.

The Danube River Basin

Welcome to ICPDR.org!

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We invite you to browse through our website and sincerely hope we can inspire you to learn more about how the ICPDR works tirelessly towards cleaner, healthier and safer waters in the Danube River Basin, for everyone to enjoy.

Ms. Lidija Globevnik
ICPDR President 2025

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