News & Media

Vienna, 20 March 2017 - Wastewater from homes, cities, industry and agriculture flowing back to nature without being treated or reused pollutes the environment in many regions. Without proper wastewater treatment we are losing valuable nutrients and releasing dangerous substances. Beside significant threats to human health, the impact on water resources and ecosystems is tremendous.

In 2015 significant parts of the Danube River Basin were affected by droughts which negatively impacted different water-dependent economic sectors, vegetation and the aquatic environment. This is the latest of a series of drought events which occurred in Europe during the last decade.

Danube Basin, 24 May 2014. The first "World Fish Migration Day" calls attention to the need to safeguard free flowing rivers and to restore the connections in rivers for migratory fish. A cause of high concern for the Danube River Basin, too.

Danube Basin, 22 March 2014. Water and energy are closely interlinked and interdependent - this is the key-message of “World Water Day 2014”. Like anywhere in the world, energy generation is often dependent on water resources in the Danube River Basin. World Water Day is an occasion to look at the ICPDR’s efforts to align economic and environmental needs in the field of hydropower.

Vienna, 7 March 2014. A group of environmental scientists from Austria recently published the study „The Danube so colourful: A potpourri of plastic litter outnumbers fish larvae in Europe's second largest river”. Here, you find some comments on plastic waste in rivers and on ICPDR activities to tackle the issue.