Developing the Danube River Basin Pollution Reduction Programme

The project "Developing the Danube River Basin Pollution Reduction Program" represents the GEF's (Global Environment Facility) contribution to the phase two of an Environmental Programme for the Danube River Basin (EPDRB), created in 1992. The project followed previous GEF support in the frame of the EPDRB which supported at first the ratification of the Danube River Protection Convention and then the establishment and development of the ICPDR. The Programme has been carried out in period 1997-99 in the Danube River Basin, and its results will support the activities of the ICPDR through a program of action for the implementation of the DRPC. The Programme is a major international response to degradation of surface and ground water quality in the Danube River Basin (DRB) and eutrophication of the Black Sea and it has provided following outputs: The Transboundary Analysis (TA) has been carried out to obtain a complete knowledge base for priority pollution loads and environmental issues in the Danube River Basin. A new planning approach has been used in order to collect a comprehensive information, which could facilitate further analysis. Basic data have been gathered from the National Reviews (prepared in 1998) and from the National Planning Workshops (1998-99). Furthermore, in the frame of the TA the main pollution sources have been identified and a List of Hot Spots have been prepared. The Danube Water Quality Model (DWQM) has been designed to estimate and evaluate the flow of pollution in particular Nitrogen and Phosphorus - through the Danube into the Black Sea. The Wetland Study has been prepared to support the TA. Thematic Maps have been prepared in which, with respect to the river basin management, 15 Sub-river Basins have been defined as well as 51 Significant Impact Areas. The revised Strategic Action Plan (SAP) has been prepared as a review of the policy for the protection of the Danube River Basin, on basis of existing analytical documents National Review Reports and National Planning Workshop Reports. The revised SAP, being a product developed outside the framework of the ICPDR, was extensively discussed within the ICPDR and, finally, after amendments had been incorporated forming the basis of an ICPDR document Common Platform for Development of National Policies and Actions for Pollution Reduction under the DRPC. The Memorandum of Understanding between Danube and Black Sea Countries has been drafted based on the results of the Danube-Black Sea Joint Ad Hoc Technical Working Group. The project has given a support to the NGOs, in particular in developing the regional body, the Danube Environmental Forum (DEF). The Small Grant Programme has been financed to reinforce NGO participation in pollution reduction measures and awareness - raising projects. The development of the ICPDR Information System has been supported. Feasibility study on possible new regional financing mechanisms resulted in a proposal for the creation of a Danube Environmental Financing Facility (DEFF). The Project Database includes the PRP Investment Portfolio available for financing institutions and donor organizations in the future. Recently the Database contains 421 projects, covering 246 hot spots in the Danube River Basin, comprising 192 municipal, 113 industrial, 67 agricultural, 29 wetland restoration projects and 20 projects classified as general measures. The results and products of the Pollution Reduction Programme are being transferred to the ICPDR and all information gathered during the project are available at the ICPDR Information System.

Documents & Resources

newsletter TNMN – Yearbook 1996 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 1996 ) TNMN – Yearbook 1997 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 1997) TNMN – Yearbook 1998 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 1998) TNMN – Yearbook 1999 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 1999) Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2000) TNMN – Yearbook 2001 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2001) TNMN – Yearbook 2002 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2002) TNMN – Yearbook 2006 Annex TNMN – Yearbook 2005 Annex TNMN – Yearbook 2004 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2004) Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2005) Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2006) Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2007) TNMN – Yearbook 2008 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2008) TNMN – Yearbook 2009 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2009) TNMN – Yearbook 2010 Annex Water Quality in the Danube River Basin (TNMN – Yearbook 2010) report Wastewater utility management through better financial planning/modeling River Basin Management Tools: Intercalibration Regional Organization Study: International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) Danube River Basin Strategy for Public Participation in River Basin Management Planning 2003-2009 Issue Paper on Hydromorphological Alterations in the Danube River Basin Issue Paper on Organic Pollution in the Danube River Basin Issue Paper on Hazardous Substances Pollution in the DRB Issue Paper on Nutrient Pollution in the Danube River Basin The Danube River Basin Management Plan 2009-2015 The Danube River Basin District UNDP/GEF Danube Pollution Reduction Programme - Participartory Approach in Project Implementation Strategic Action Plan for the Danube River Basin 1995-2005 (Revision 1999) workshop Danube River Basin Stakeholders Conference Report ICPDR response to the stakeholder consultations process 2005 presentation Information Access and NGO Participation: North America and Europe project-document Developing the Danube River Basin Pollution Reduction Programme fact-sheet Danube River Basin Pollution Reduction Programme :Project Factsheet terminal-evaluation Developing the Danube River Basin Pollution Reduction Programme RER/96/G31 :Terminal Evaluation (1999) maps_graphic Danube River Basin