EUSDR PA4 organizes a water side event at the Annual Forum of the Danube Strategy.
Entering the decade of future – current and forthcoming water challenges
25 October 2023, 11.30-13.00 CET, Splendens Hall, Brdo Congress Centre
Background:
The Danube Basin covers an area of over 800,000 km,2 stretches over 19 countries, 14 of which are contracting parties to the Danube River Protection Convention signed in Sofia in 1994. The drainage area of the Danube is also influenced by two major mountain chains: the Alps and the Carpathians. Water management is therefore a central issue to the Danube Region, as water does not recognise borders and its management requires strong coordination and cooperation. Hungary, together with Slovakia has been assigned to coordinate the water quality issues (Priority Area 4) within the Strategy and to ensure integrated water management towards reaching the good quality of waters in the Danube River Basin. The EUSDR ‘water quality’ Priority Area works in close cooperation with the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) for the implementation of joint efforts in the Danube River Basin wide scale.
What are the current and forthcoming water challenges?
The side event would try to find answers to this question. Indeed, the challenges are significant: from extreme weather events witnessed this year from floods and drought in places never previously experienced; climate related challenges from runoff, heatwaves, and water scarcity. Furthermore, access to healthy drinking water, water pollution, emerging substances, and issues of water balance: just some of the challenges affecting our lives and of our habitats. Solutions differ from Strategies of Adaptation to Climate Change, to nature-based solutions, drought observatory and resilience, raising public awareness about the importance of water under changing climate conditions, reaching the Danube Water Balance, fighting micropollutants and assisting migratory fishes.
Concept of the panel/session:
A panel will provide an opportunity to explore the key issues and offer possible recommendations for policymakers. The Keynote speaker will set the scene on the water challenges the Region faces. The main guiding question is to be addressed by all speakers of the panel, followed by more topical questions which are answered by each of the panellists according to their expertise. After the presentations the Moderator drives the discussion and delivers key conclusions at the end of the panel.
Guiding questions:
- What are current and forthcoming water challenges in Europe and in the Region?
- What solutions are envisaged to cope with these challenges?
- What experiences are there to provide suitable replies?
- How can the Danube Strategy contribute to the water challenges?
Speakers:
Keynote: Birgit Vogel, Executive Secretary, International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, Austria
Other speakers:
- Prof Dr Chari Tjaša Giessler Bulc Regional Chair, Global Water Partnership CEE – Nature Based Solutions, Slovenia
- Dario Masante, Joint Research Centre of European Commission, Disaster Risk Management Unit E.1 – European Drought Observatory for Resilience and Adaptation
- Márton Pesel, Priority Area Coordinator Hungary, EU Strategy for the Danube Region PA4 “Water Quality” – Danube Water balance, Hungary
- Thalmeinerová Danka Priority Area Coordinator Slovakia, EU Strategy for the Danube Region PA4 “Water Quality” – Climate and migratory fish, Slovakia
Further possible topics:
- microplastic pollution
- challenges of drinking water supply and wastewater treatment in Zakarpattya
- Deepwater project- climate change (Andrea Vranovska, Water Research Institute Slovakia)
Moderator: Zsuzsanna Kocsis-Kupper (EUSDR PA4, Hungary)
The presentations are attached:
1. Keynote Danube River Basin_BVogel
2. Tjasa Griessler Bulc UL GWP CEE NBS EUSDR 25okt2023
5. AF_PA4 event_Danka Thalmeinerova
6. Kálmán_Szanyi_PAPILIO_12_EUSDR_FIN
Please visit the website of the Annual Forum: https://danube-region.eu/danube-events/12th-eusdr-annual-forum/
