Search Results

Vienna, 18 January 2012. In the framework of a ceremony held in Vienna today, Austria took over the presidency of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR). The former President, Mykola Melenevskyi of Ukraine, passes his office on to Wolfgang Stalzer of Austria.

The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) works to ensure the sustainable and equitable use of waters in the Danube River Basin. The work of the ICPDR is based on the Danube River Protection Convention (DRPC), the major legal instrument for cooperation and transboundary water management in the Danube River Basin.

The Danube is a major economic, geographical and cultural force in Austria. Draining over 96% of the country’s territory, the basin is home to 7.7 million people. In a country dominated by the Alps, the flat lands provided by the rivers are vital for the agricultural sector, human settlements and infrastructure. The Austrian territory accounts for 10% of the total area of the Danube Basin.