News

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.

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.

Sediment Management is an essential element of River Basin Management Plans. Sediment is an essential, integral and dynamic part of our river basins. Where human activities interfere with sediment quantity or quality, sediment management becomes necessary. the European Sediment Network (SedNet), aims at providing scientific and user oriented input into the WFD implementation phase and organised its third Round Table in cooperation with the ICPDR and the International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe River.

On 27 October 2016, the Donauauen National Park celebrated 20 years of existence. ICPDR Executive Secretary Ivan Zavadksy addressed in his keynote speech the parallels that can be drawn between the creation of the ICPDR and that of Danube Parks - both results of environmental awareness-raising following the fall of the iron curtain and both institutions to be considered as “agents of change”.

On 23 September 2016, the opening ceremony of the hatchery station of the EU project LIFE Sterlet was held on the Danube Island in Vienna.
The ICPDR has been one of the first organisations to advocate the protection of this flagship species, raise awareness for the threat to see Danube sturgeons become totally extinct and support projects and initiatives such as LIFE Sterlet.

Danube Basin, 29 June 2016. Creative events for children, behind-the-scenes tours in water management institutes, field visits in nature reserves: Danube Day reflects the diversity of the Danube River Basin. Join tens of thousands of people in 14 countries to celebrate the biggest river festival in the world.

Danube Basin, 21 May 2016. World Fish Migration Day (WFMD) is held on May 21 and will bring together more than 1,500 organizations, featuring more than 350 events worldwide.

Vienna, 7 April 2016. In the frame of the MARS project, a group of 60 river basin managers, Water Framework Directive officials, European Environment Agency representatives, external experts and MARS aquatic scientists met to discuss the key challenges for freshwater management and policy across Europe.

Vienna, 3 March 2016. The Segura River of Spain has been named the winner of the International RiverFoundation's 2016 European Riverprize. The award ceremony took place in Vienna's city hall for the third time.

Vienna, 9 February 2016. The new online game DanubeAdventure.org provides children with an exciting opportunity to engage with the Danube. A clever mix between a quiz and skills games, Danube Adventure is a new chapter in the success story of ICPDR education activities. It is launched today in the frame of the 3rd ICPDR Ministerial Meeting.