News

130 high school students from ten countries have contributed to the fifth Joint Danube Survey (JDS5), the world's largest surface water monitoring effort, collecting water samples along the Danube and its tributaries that were then screened for 447 pesticides in a European Commission laboratory. For the first time, citizen science forms an integral part of the Joint Danube Survey.

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.

The ICPDR is pleased to share a first glimpse into the microbiological findings emerging from the Joint Danube Survey 5 (JDS5) — the world’s largest river basin monitoring programme carried out on a single river system. While full results will only be available once all samples from the 108 sampling sites have been analysed, early data from the microbiology component show encouraging trends across the entire Danube Basin.

The 5th Joint Danube Survey (JDS5) has reached a significant milestone by incorporating citizen science into its outreach activities for the first time. Under the Motto "Let's Go Sampling Together", this activity Coordinated by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission and supported by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), engaged schools across the Danube Basin in a collaborative effort to monitor and protect the river's ecological health.

On 7 July 2025, the Vienna International Centre’s Rotunda came to life with creativity, collaboration, and a shared appreciation for one of Europe’s most iconic rivers. Under the title “Surface & Substance: Exploring the Danube Through Science and Art,” the ICPDR launched a special week-long exhibition celebrating the power of both scientific investigation and artistic expression in protecting the Danube.

The Danube Strategy Priority Area on Water Quality (EUSDR PA4), together with the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) as co-conveners, are pleased to announce an upcoming online workshop on sewage sludge management, taking place on 20 June 2025, from 10:00 to 13:00 CEST.

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.

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.

On October 3, 2024, Budapest hosted an important conference, “From Source to Tap,” focused on microplastics in drinking water, one of the most pressing environmental concerns faced today. This event brought together leading experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss the rising concern of microplastics and the challenges of ensuring safe and clean drinking water for the Danube region. With more than 110 registrations, the conference indicated a significant public and professional interest on the matter.

Discover how an extraordinary boat race using discarded plastic has become a symbol of hope and action in the fight against pollution. Supported by the ICPDR, this remarkable initiative has removed hundreds of tons of waste from tributaries of the Danube River and inspired thousands to join the mission for cleaner waters. From its humble beginnings to becoming an EU flagship project, learn how one man's vision has transformed river cleanups into a powerful community movement.