On October 20th, the WILDisland Project Coordinator, Mr. Georg Frank presented the Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative idea at the 58th meeting of the River Basement Management Expert Group (RBM EG) of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), held in München, Germany.
Following the call for new Ramsar Regional Initiatives published by the Convention on Wetlands in March 2023, the team of the WILDisland project and DANUBEPARKS developed the application documents also obtaining National Support Letters from all 8 Danube countries. Following intense communication with the Ramsar Secretariat and the ICPDR Secretariat, DANUBEPARKS decided to invite the ICPDR to take over the patronage and officially submit the documents for the establishment of the 22nd world Ramsar Regional Initiative as a first river-based RRI in Europe. We strongly believe that this is a political act which will once again confirm the synergies and potential closer cooperation between the Wetlands Convention and ICPDR for ensuring the protection and sustainable management of the Danube and its unique biodiversity.
The idea and draft documents were presented at the meeting of the RBM EG. The RBM EG prepares and manages all activities and tasks needed to achieve a coordinated development and implementation of the Danube River Basin Management Plan and its updates. The RBM EG is responsible for the coordination of and cooperation with different water-related sectors (hydropower, navigation) as well as the coordination of activities among sub-basins.
Our invitation was quite positively seen and will be further discussed and formally adopted at the up-coming 28th Ordinary Meeting of the Commission, which will take place mid-December in Vienna.
For more information:
Georg Frank - DANUBEPARKS: g.frank@danubeparks.org
