News

Barely a month after hosting the 24th ICPDR Standing Working Group Meeting in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, brought the Danube community together again. On July 24th, Ukraine hosted its 6th National Participation Day in Odesa as part of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR). The event highlighted the alignment between the priorities of Ukraine’s ICPDR Presidency and the country’s path towards EU membership.

On Friday, 26th June, the Marble Hall of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK) was filled with familiar faces and new energy as the International Association for Danube Research (IAD) and its Austrian Committee marked a double anniversary: 70 years of the IAD and 50 years of its Austrian Committee.

Ukraine, one of the 15 ICPDR contracting parties, has officially adopted all its nine River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs), marking a significant step towards sustainable water management in line with European Union (EU) and international standards.

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.

In the wake of what has been declared the nation's 'worst-ever natural disaster,’ more than 70% of Slovenia's territory, predominantly situated in the Danube River Basin, has been severely affected by extreme flooding. The scale of this catastrophe has led to billions of Euros in damages and a tragic loss of lives.

The UN 2023 Water Conference took place at UN Headquarters in New Yor City this past 22-24 March 2023, the midterm of the International Decade for Action on "Water for Sustainable Development" (2018-2028). It was the first conference dedicated to freshwater since 1977.

To ensure that water and sanitation are available and sustainably managed for everyone, the European Union (EU) has collaborated with the international community to present a Water Action Agenda at the UN Water Conference on World Water Day. The EU has announced 33 commitments that reflect its vision for a world that can withstand water stress and offer water security to all.

On March 15, 2023, the Neptune Water Prize winners, including the Neptune State Prize, were announced by Federal Minister Norbert Totschnig, along with the partners of the Neptune State Prize for Water and other Austrian water representatives. Participants competed in five categories: WasserGEMEINDE, WasserWIEN, WasserFORSCHT, WasserBILDUNG, and WasserKREATIV, with prizes awarded every two years to outstanding water-related projects.

(Press Release) VIENNA, 22 March 2023 – The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) is proud to join the world in celebrating World Water Day on March 22, 2023. The theme for this year's celebration is "Be the Change," which highlights the vital importance of water and how we can protect and manage this precious resource for future generations.

On March 4th, 2023, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) drafted a new agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.