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Celebrating 25 Years of Cooperation on the Blue Danube

ICPDR

By IW:LEARN

October 28^th, 2019

Around the world, the ICPDR – the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River – is seen as a leader in river basin management, providing valuable lessons for the managers of other transboundary water systems, from the Orange River to the Amazon.

Signed in 1994, the Danube River Protection Convention (DRPC) saw agreement in the River Basin to cooperate on crucial water management issues, including the conservation of surface and groundwater, controlling hazards from accidents and floods, and reducing pollution entering the Black Sea from sources in the Danube River Basin. In essence, the ICPDR was created to act as an organisation that works to ensure the sustainable and fair use of freshwater resources in the Danube River Basin for the benefit of the over 80 million people who call the area home.

Celebrating 25 Years of the ICPDR at the Budapest Water Summit. Credit: ICDPR

In 25 years, the ICPDR has provided the means for countries to assess the health of the river and develop basin-wide plans to address priority issues such as pollution, hydropower, navigation and adaptation to climate change. By bringing together all manner of representatives from across government, civil society, and the scientific community, the ICPDR has helped secure freshwater improvements in Danube River Basin. This can be seen in the EU Water Framework Directive and Flood Directive. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) established a framework for community action in the field of water policy in 2000. Conceived of in 2004 and implemented in 2007, the EU Flood Directive aims to reduce and manage the risks to human health, the environment, cultural heritage and economic activity posed by floods.

“The ICPDR is providing global leadership as one of the first river basin commissions to have developed a climate change adaptation strategy.”

– Heide Jekel, Germany's Head of Delegation to the ICPDR.

Our brand new zigzag folder to commemorate 25 Years of the ICPDR. Credit: ICPDR

The ICPDR has achieved much in the 25 year of its existence toward tackling its key goals while growing, expanding and cooperating with an increased number of actors in the region. Below is only a small sampling of such achievements:

Addressing Pollution

Having cooperated in numerous joint efforts (not just the ICPDR) the Danube countries and EU can take credit for recent measurable improvements in the Black Sea’s northwest shelf. Nowhere on Earth have such demonstrable water quality and ecosystem improvements been observed in a large river and adjacent sea as in the Danube and Black Sea ecosystems over the last decade. The Black Sea is showing initial evidence of recovery after starting the millennium in a poor state. This is only one of many examples of cooperative success in the region.

Flood Risk Prevention

The 2004 Action Programme for Sustainable Flood Protection for the Danube, and the 2015 Danube Flood Risk Management Plan, focus on the strategic management of flood risks. The main goal of both of these actions has been increased communication, cooperation and solidarity among the individual countries of the Danube region, which may be affected by flooding.

Sustainable Hydropower

In 2010, Ministers from the Danube countries mandated the ICPDR to trigger a broad discussion process with the hydropower sector and all relevant stakeholders with the aim of integrating environmental considerations into the management of new and existing hydropower plants. This led to the creation of Guiding Principles on Sustainable Hydropower Development, which in turn has put in place a common vision and practical recommendations for countries to improve the efficiency and environmental management of hydropower plants.

Climate Change

In 2012, the ICPDR was the first river basin commission in the world to develop a climate change adaptation strategy. At the 2010 Danube Ministerial Conference, Ministers asked the ICPDR to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for the Danube River Basin and Germany was nominated to be the lead country for the activity, thus setting things in motion. The ICPDR's basin-wide approach to climate change is now helping to provide water management information at the catchment scale so that countries can determine the most likely impacts and cooperate on suitable adaptation measures. An update of the strategy was published in 2019: Climate Change Adaptation Strategy – Update 2018.

Joint Danube Survey

The first Joint Danube Survey (JDS) was carried out by the ICPDR in 2001 and was the most homogeneous analysis of the water quality and the ecological status of the Danube River ever conducted. Every six years since, a JDS has provided a wealth of valuable data for high-level decision-making. These have shown water quality progressively becoming healthier and safer. 2019's JDS4 was kicked-off in June with ambitious goals and new methods. Click here for the video of the JDS4.

Outreach

From the beginning, the ICPDR recognised the importance of reaching out to and informing the public about its important work. Danube Watch magazine was first published in 1994 and has acted as the voice of the organisation ever since. In addition, reports and information appear on its website regularly, while social media outlets reach the public directly.

The support provided by the GEF and the UNDP has turned the Danube into a model of integrated river basin management, enabling the ICPDR to implement the Water Framework Directive (WFD), which has now become the benchmark for European transboundary water bodies. The GEF has also supported the Commission in its philosophy of adopting a holistic approach to the pressures facing the river, including eutrophication problems caused by agricultural inputs, the importance of flood buffering attributes of riverine wetlands, and the critical need to improve tariff and charge schemes for water and sanitation systems.