News & Media
Statement by the ICPDR on the Situation Around Ukrainian Ports on the Lower Danube
VIENNA, 29 August (ICPDR) – The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) is committed to maintaining and preserving the cleanliness, health, and safety of the Danube River Basin.
From the Source to the Sea: The TID(Y)UP Project Aims to Eliminate Plastic Pollution in Rivers
Despite the EU's advanced waste management and ambitious recycling objectives, studies still indicate the presence of macro and microplastic pollution in EU rivers. The Tid(y)Up project focuses on improving water quality and reducing plastic pollution in the Tisza River, which is long considered one of Europe’s most heavily contaminated rivers.
New Study Shows Restored Floodplains Can Remove Significant Amounts of Nitrate Pollution in the Danube River Basin
A recent large-scale modelling study has shown that restoring floodplains and reconnecting cut-off water bodies with the Danube River, and its tributaries could play a significant role in improving water quality and removing nitrate pollution in the Danube River Basin.
ICPDR Releases Condensed Summary of Danube Declaration 2022
The Danube Declaration 2022, the result of the 4th ICPDR Ministerial Meeting, presents a comprehensive overview of crucial initiatives and goals for the region. To make the Declaration more accessible to the general public, the ICPDR's Public Participation Expert Group has condensed its content into a concise summary. The outcome is a 3-page brochure that summarizes the main messages and implications of the Declaration in an easy-to-understand format.
Shared waters – joint responsibilities: ICPDR presents Annual Report 2021
The 2021 Annual Report provides detailed insight into an eventful year for the ICPDR– from the updates of the two Management plans and the return of in-person Danube Day events to the completion of the fourth Joint Danube Survey (JDS4). The 2021 Annual Report depicts this broad spectrum of ICPDR activities. It illustrates the ICPDRʼs ever-broadening commitment as needed by the multi-faceted nature of the Danube River itself.
ICPDR Reaffirms Goals of Declaration on Achieving Functional Biodiversity in the Danube-Carpathian Region by Mainstreaming Ecological Connectivity
On 18 October 2022, the Central and Eastern Europe WWF participated in a side event on “Achieving Functional Biodiversity in the Danube-Carpathian Region by Mainstreaming Ecological Connectivity – how to make it happen” during the 11th EUSDR Annual Forum 2022. The annual forum, which took place in a hybrid format, was jointly organized by the Ukrainian EUSDR Presidency, the former Slovak EUSDR Presidency, the European Commission, and the Danube Strategy Point, with the financial support of the Danube Transnational Programme.
EU Proposes Nature Restoration Law
The European Commission proposes to cut the use of chemical pesticides in half by 2030, one of the flagship legislative proposals to follow the Biodiversity and Farm to Fork Strategies. The new rules on chemical pesticides will reduce the environmental footprint of the EU's food system, protect the health and well-being of citizens and agricultural workers, and help mitigate the pesticide use-related economic losses.
Severe Droughts in the Danube River Basin
As the climate crisis worsens, severe droughts devastate European landscapes. According to the data published by the European Drought Observatory, more than 60% of land in the European Union and United Kingdom – an area nearly the same size as India (!) – is now affected by drought conditions. The Danube River Basin and the Danube itself have been affected by serious droughts in the past, e.g., in 2003, 2015, and now again one of the most feared natural phenomenon has gripped much of the Danube River Basin.
Annual Bathing Water Report Published: Danube Countries at Top of Ranking
The new Bathing Water Report published at the beginning of June by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission (EC) reveals that the quality of Europe’s bathing waters has improved dramatically in recent decades. According to European Union standards that classify the waters as “excellent”, “good”, “sufficient” or “poor”, almost 85% of the European bathing sites now ranks as “excellent”.
(Press Release) World Water Day 2022: Celebrating the groundwater of our shared basin
VIENNA, 22 March – World Water Day 2022 is focusing on groundwater and making the invisible visible.