Flagships

Process; ongoing

 

Climate change is a global challenge and it is a crosscutting issue. PA 4 supports a number of related actions in which water availability and water quality are key issues to climate change adaptation as stated in PA 4 Action 6 of the EUSDR Action Plan. Moreover, climate change issues are also part of PA 5 activities.

Among others, PA 4 organised a conference on adaptation to climate change in Budapest, HU, (2023) to showcase good practices and innovative, new approaches. The Priority Area supports a number of international projects on small water and nutrient retention measures (OPTAIN), local water retention measures (LIFE LOGOS 4 WATERS). PA 4 is assisting in the Danube Water Balance project, creating a water balance mode for the whole Danube River Basin. It actively supports the innovative water management initiatives of the DALIA project, DanubeSediment_Q2 in improving the management of sediment quantity and quality, RESTORIVER in the restoration of river banks and riparian areas and facilities other projects related to climate change.

Process; ongoing

 

PA 4 in cooperation with PA 6 is very active in increasing the knowledge base on migratory fish species, including the sturgeon – the Danube endemic fish species – and is looking for possibilities of re-establishing their migration routes. PA 4 supports international projects like the Monstur project to establish, test, and launch a transboundary system to monitor sturgeon species for the management and protection of migratory fish in the Danube basin or We Pass I and II and Living Rivers projects to enable fish migration at the Iron Gates and Gabčíkovo Water Structure. PA 4 presented a brochure “Promoting Measures to Enable Fish Migration in the Danube River Basin” summarising the current knowledge, carried out a study on the effects of noise and waves on fish species and a fish migration restoration document, prepared an animated film about sterlets, and organised a working meeting regarding fish migration “From Iron Gates to Gabčíkovo Water Structure”. PA 4 is also continuously promoting hydro-morphological measures to achieve a good ecological status of the waters needed for fish migration.

Process; ongoing

 

PA 4 has been very active in the field of emerging substances as they represent a significant risk to the water environment. Although by Watch List of Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive – WFD; Annex X – the substances are specified in detail in Directive 2013/39/EU), there is an obligation to monitor hazardous and emerging substances in surface water and for groundwater it is not compulsory. Since this list is continually enlarging, currently there is not enough relevant data available on their occurrence as well as on their impacts on ecosystems and humans.

PA 4 organised data collection on microplastic at WWTPs and is supporting international projects and project proposals on plastic and microplastic like Aquatic Plastic and MicroDrink.

Moreover, PA 4 in 2019 prepared a study on the pharmaceutics occurrence in surface water and groundwater, which had a positive impact on policymaking and development. As A continuation to this topic, in the future PA 4 plans to organise a conference on pharmaceutics occurrence in water when the respective legislation will be in place. The established cooperation with the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region in hazardous substance issues is promising to solve the challenges jointly.

PA 4 also strongly supports the implementation of the Thetys project, a coordinated Danube action to tackle water pollution by hazardous substances.