Budapest, Hungary
This workshop will be focused on environmental issues in catchment area of the Danube River. As environmental protection is mentioned in second pillar of European Danube Strategy, we will also stress the importance of this subject at the YCDN Conference. Namely in the future the member countries will have to find a compromise between progress in economy and sustainable development as natural resources are limited everywhere.
Creating a cross-border Danube corridor with substantial naval traffic will strengthen international ties but without considering the fragile natural environment this will not bring durable regional development. The conservation of protected or “not yet protected” floodplains and wetlands along Danube River and its tributaries should become one of the priority subjects in EU policy. The solutions for equitable hydropower exploitation in the region for rivers that cross many countries and ways to mitigate its negative effects on the natural stretch of the river should also find its ways to political strategies.
The Danube region countries differ one from another in their specificities and their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol and the climate-energy package of the EU.
Cooperation in managing the climate change and specially adapting to its consequences will be a huge challenge for the region in the future. The surplus energy in the atmosphere will most likely contribute to increased number of storms, floods, droughts etc, and only a clear common strategy will reduce its consequences.
Biodiversity preservation should nowadays be one of the most important subjects of regional policies. It has a major influence on balance in different habitats. Namely the reduction of biodiversity could consequently threaten the biosphere where also humans live. The Danube Catchment Area has one of the most important habitats with high level of biodiversity in the world so they should be subject to more critical attention.
The local strategies of the Danube region should also focus on establishing the air and water quality control network. In order to preserve valuable local food supplies and national self-sufficiency, countries will have to work together to stop the soil and water pollution and to protect the Panonian Plain, Transylvania and other fertile regions in Danube Basin from different contamination including chemical.
To write your paper please answer one or two of the questions below:
1. Define (by your opinion) the 2 largest environmental problems in candidate’s country of residence or elsewhere in the Danube catchment area. Write down your ideas for minimizing these threats to the nature (adequate national or regional policy, appropriate response of local inhabitants, etc.)
2. How could human activity result in a loss of biodiversity (give any known example from the Danube region)?
3. How could common regional policy contribute to sustainable development in the Danube catchment area?
If you want to participate send your paper to: kumer[at]ycdn.eu
