WWF - Conservation news from or about the Danube-Carpathian region

Sofia hosts a public showing of the online debate Thriving in the Clean Economy

2009-11-19

The online debate Thriving in the Clean Economy organized by The Economist and WWF’s Climate Savers was watched live by representatives of the business, media and the NGO sector, as well as by members of the public at an event hosted by WWF in Sofia.

Live from The Ronald Reagan Center in Washington D.C. with a number of the panelists joining from around the globe, the audience in Sofia heard the hour-long interactive session that was part of a two-day Carbon Economy Summit hosted by The Economist just two weeks before governments gather in Copenhagen.

The discussion focused on what world-leading companies are doing to address climate change and secure our energy future while increasing their bottom lines. The Climate Savers online panelists discussed specific innovations and demonstrated how economic growth, curbing carbon, and increasing shareholder value can go hand in hand.

Climate Savers partners include 22 world-leading companies including Coca-Cola, HP, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, Nokia, and Sony. By 2010, the group will have collectively reduced their CO2 emissions by 50 million tons.

Participating in the panel were Jay Dietrich, Corporate Environmental Affairs, Climate Stewardship, IBM, Jeff Seabright, VP, Environment and Water Resources, The Coca-Cola Company, Brian Boyd, VP, Environment, Health & Safety, Johnson & Johnson, Esko Aho, EVP, Corporate Relations and Responsibility, Nokia and John Matthews, SVP Corporate Affairs, JohnsonDiversey.

WWF’s Kim Carstensen, Leader of WWF Global Climate Initiative and Matthew Banks, Senior Program Officer, Climate Savers, WWF US also took part in the event that was being moderated by Emma Duncan, deputy editor of The Economist.

“We were pleasantly surprised by the strong media interest in the event”, Vesselina Kavrakova, Program Manager of the WWF Danube - Carpathian Program in Bulgaria, said. “This was an excellent opportunity for our team to actively promote the clean economy concept at home”, she added.

Only recently Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, WWF International's Head of Business & Industry was the keynote speaker at an industry event, The Green Innovations Forum, taking place in Sofia. "We are facing an unprecedented challenge, the outcome of which will determine the bottom line of business, not to mention the future of humanity", he said in his keynote speech.

EU legislation will promote green homes, green economy

2009-11-18

The new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive agreed Novemer 18, 2009 by the European Council and Parliament represents a crucial step in efforts to limit climate change, enhance energy security and generate jobs as well as a green economy in Central and Southeastern Europe.

The new legislation, which aims at realising the up to 40% in energy savings associated with the way buildings are constructed and managed, comes just weeks before the crucial global talks on climate change that are set to take place in Copenhagen in December and amidst efforts by governments in the region to stimulate job creation and flagging economies.

The recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive will require the public sector to take the lead by owning buildings with "nearly zero" energy standards by the end of 2018. The legislation requires all new buildings to have low energy standards by 2020.

EU member states will also be required to take measures to bring existing housing stock in line with the directives, though no firm standards for this have been laid down. Member states will have to develop national plans to encourage owners to take the opportunity to install smart meters, heat pumps and heating and cooling systems using renewables.

“We are disappointed that the recast Energy Performance and Buildings Directive is weaker than the version that had been agreed by the EU Parliament, which included firm standards for renovating housing stock and tighter deadlines for implementation,” said Andreas Beckmann, Director of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme. “That said, this legislation represents a step in the right direction for our region – for jobs, a new economy as well as for climate and the environment,” Beckmann added.

Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and other countries of the region are among the most wasteful users of energy in Europe, with an intensity of energy use that is twice or more that of their Western European neighbours. The housing stock in the region is a particular problem in this respect, with old and inefficient buildings and still limited incentives for households to implement energy saving measures.

WWF and other organisations such as the Romanian Green Building Council have been promoting energy efficiency in buildings as a golden opportunity for cutting costs and climate change while promoting the creation of green jobs and a green economy.

“The costs of implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy measures are minimal as they are not cash expenditures but rather investments paid back by future, continuous energy savings,” says Steven Borncamp, who heads the Romanian Green Building Council, an industry group dedicated to promoting energy and resource-efficient construction. “With proven and technologies currently available in Romania, the energy consumption in both new and old buildings can be cut by an estimated 30-50 percent without significantly increasing the upfront investment cost.”

Constructing and retro-fitting energy efficient buildings is relatively low-tech but labour intensive, making it one of the leading opportunities for stimulating job creation.

“The pressure is now on the governments of Central and Southeastern Europe to transpose and implement the new EU legislation, “ WWF’s Beckmann said. “The sooner they get serious about this, the sooner we will begin realising the multiple benefits of energy efficiency in buildings”.

Protests as Romania lifts sturgeon fishing ban

2009-11-12

The controversial legislation, allowing sturgeon fishing for purposes other than restocking, was adopted in September by the Agriculture and Environment Commitees of the Romanian Parliament. The new law in effect legalizes fishing of sturgeons for commercial purposes.

Meanwhile, some Romanian politicians are calling for the elimination of the current ban on gillnet and trawler fishing in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve.

To counter this destructive decision, 34 Romanian environmental NGOs, including “Save the Delta” Association and WWF, organized a bitter protest in the Romanian capital Bucharest on Tuesday.

“The new fishing law practically throws away the EUR 4 billion spent by the Romanian Government for the sturgeon restocking programme, which was developed during the last four years,” said Luminița Tănasie, Director of WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme Romania. “If the 200,000 young sturgeons which were bought for restocking the Danube, are not given the necessary time to mature and reproduce naturally, the sturgeon fisheries will not be able to recover, and both the economical and the ecological loss will be enormous.”

In front of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development building in Bucharest, protesters held a “sturgeon fair”, offering the public the opportunity to view sturgeons caught in a fishing gillnet. Environmentalists also displayed the photographs of the MPs who proposed the amendments.

At the end of the protest, the sturgeons were sent to the MPs. The MPs who proposed the elimination of the ban on gillnets and trawlers within the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve received the gillnet used during the protest. Each of the MPs also received a letter of protest signed by the 34 participating NGOs, asking them to reconsider their actions and adopt new legislation.

Scientific reports indicate that among the sturgeon species which populate Romanian waters, are the critically endangered (possibly extinct) Ship Sturgeons, the endangered Russian and Beluga Sturgeons, as well as the Sterlet Sturgeon, considered to be vulnerable.

The Black Sea once harboured some of the most productive sturgeon populations. However, research on age structure of sturgeons captured in Romania has revealed a critical decrease in the number of sturgeons born during 1990–99 that survived to sustain the population.

Sturgeons are fished mainly for caviar, although their meat and skin are also widely used in the region. Poorly regulated fisheries have caused severe decline in populations due to overfishing, which almost entirely disrupted the fish species' natural spawning in the Danube River.

Fishing of sturgeons for commercial purposes was banned in Romania in 2006 for a period of ten years. The relatively long period of prohibition is explained by the long life cycle of the sturgeon (the maximum age being between 24 and 100 years), by the long period necessary for the sturgeon to reach reproductive age (between 6 and 26 years), and by the fact that the sturgeon does not reproduce every year.

The letter of protest was also sent to the Romanian President Traian Băsescu, to the Interim Prime Minister Emil Boc, to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and to the Romanian National Commission to UNESCO.

Spectacular images of “Nature and people” win over Ukraine

2009-11-10

Over a period of three months – from August through to October - more than one hundred Ukrainians took part in a photo contest organized by WWF DCPO. The contest has been a spectacular and exciting event with more than 10 000 visitors entering the special competition website.

The participants competed in three main categories. In the first category, “Our beautiful world”, photographers could submit photos of beautiful nature, unique places and picturesque landscapes. The second category, “Nature catastrophes”, called for images of places harmed by human activity. The final category was dedicated to places that have benefited from human activity - “In harmony with nature” sought images of places where human progress has helped nature conservation.

This was the first WWF photo contest in Ukraine. The judges took great care in selecting the photos that uniquely capture the beauty of wildlife and wild places in Ukraine and around the world. Because of the high level of the competition, the jury decided to discard the original idea of picking one winning photograph. Instead, the jury selected several photographs that stand out. The winners will receive certificates as well as WWF souvenirs.

“We sincerely thank all of our supporters who participated in the photo contest, our judges, as well as those who voted online to select our winners”, Katya Kurakina, Communications Officer of WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme in Ukraine, said. “These winning photos serve as a reminder that we have all around us an amazing, surprising, mysterious world of nature and that we need to do our best to take care of it”, she added.

A selection of the best photos will find a permanent home on the website.

The business case for nature conservation

2009-11-06

Current rates of consumption that far outstrip the Earth's carrying capacity, and a world population that is projected to increased from 6 to 9 billion people within the next few decades are just some of the challenges facing humanity today, said Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, WWF International's Head of Business & Industry at The Green Innovations Forum taking place in Sofia.

"We are facing an unprecedented challenge, the outcome of which will determine the bottom line of business, not to mention the future of humanity", he added in his keynote speech.

"At the same time, however, these unprecedented challenges present significant opportunities for businesses, in Bulgaria as elsewhere."

Jean Paul Jeanrenaud outlined the opportunity for businesses in delivering solutions to the world's growing environmental problems. He gave a number of examples of WWF's work with a range of major companies members of the initiative Climate Savers. WWF has been working with these companies – Coca Cola, IBM, HP, Nike, Nokia, Sony, Lafarge to name but a few - to reduce their carbon footprint. "When these companies start to act, their competitors follow suit, producing major gains for the environment," Jeanrenaud added.

Other speakers at the seminar included representatives of Toyota, Aurubis, Siemens, Hilton and local communications giant Globul.

Contact:
Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, Head, Business and Industry Relations
WWF International
Tel +41 22 364 90 11
E-mail: jpjeanrenaud@wwfint.org

Bulgarian natural icon turns 75 under threat of dubious construction activities

2009-10-28

Sofia, Bulgaria – A massive expansion of skiing infrastructure is threatening the essence of Vitosha Natural Park, one of Bulgaria’s most famous and popular protected areas, on the eve of it’s 75th anniversary.

Right at the edge of national capital Sofia, Vitosha mountain is a much loved destination for those wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of a busy city. Trekking routes and skiing facilities attract between 2,5 and 4 million people each year.

However, three years after acquiring a monopoly on skiing facilities in the area in an already dubious manner, Vitosha Ski, is planning to boost the current 19 ha ski area more than seven fold to 142,5 ha, adding eight new ski pistes and 18 ski lifts.

If the construction goes ahead, it would destroy the habitats of the species including bears, wolves, wild cats and chamois for which Vitosha was designated a European Natura 2000 site.

The new ski zone would rise on territory owned by the state, for which the Forestry Agency is responsible and although the Forestry Agency has not yet approved the plans the threat must be taken seriously.

“From the very beginning the ski zone expansion has been planned and pushed through in a way that is quite obviously in breach of a number of Bulgarian laws, not only environmental” , Vesselina Kavrakova, Program Manager of the WWF Danube - Carpathian Program in Bulgaria, said.

Worryingly, this is yet another case in Bulgaria of illegal or semi-legal construction of ski and tourism infrastructure. Among others, many of the skiing facilities of the well known resort of Bansko in south-west Bulgaria were unlawfully built in the heart of Pirin National Park.

The European Commission has initiated penalty procedures against Bulgaria because of violations of environmental law in the case of Bansko.

Earlier this month environment minister Nona Karadjova abolished a non-transparent decision by the Regional inspectorate of environment and water that would have given a go-ahead to construction work.

“We welcome the Minister’s decision”, Toma Belev, Director of Vitosha Nature Park administration, said. “The interest in protected areas in Bulgaria and Romania by private investors is huge as these areas are part of the nations’ natural treasure, emblematic for these countries and therefore easier to ‘exploit’.”

In an opinion poll conducted by Alpha Research in 2008, 73.6% of respondents said that destruction of nature is the greatest environmental problem in Bulgaria; 58.3% said that illegal construction was the greatest problem.

In 2007, over 145,000 people signed a petition calling on the Bulgarian authorities to take action.

WWF climate truck tours Ukraine's largest cities

2009-10-26

The WWF truck with solar powered appliances and the colourful blow up tent stopped in 7 Ukrainian cities including Ujgorod, Lviv, Ternopol, Rovno, Kiev, Dneprodjerjinsk and finally in Odessa.

Ukraine is named among the 20 most energy inefficient countries in the world. To this end, the tour demonstrated a number of small steps that Ukrainian citizens could take to save energy, from changing light bulbs to purchasing energy efficient appliances. Turning off stand-by functions on appliances can save as much as 40% of energy used. Visitors could also find out how much energy is needed to operate simple appliances, such as toasters, microwave ovens and PCs. They were asked to produce electricity by peddling a bicycle. The majority could only produce enough to make a cup of coffee, eat a toast or watch TV for a couple of minutes, but very few could power a PC. The idea was to show how difficult it is to produce energy and how careless we are in consuming it.

During the tour WWF and partner environmental NGO “The voice of nature” asked visitors to sign a petition pleading with the Ukrainian government to implement energy efficient practices in municipal services – providing energy efficient grid, promoting renewable energy, developing financial incentives for those switching to solar or wind power.

“Despite cold weather conditions, the climate tour was very successful and attracted a great deal of attention from ordinary people and the media”, Katya Kurakina, Communications Officer of WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme in Ukraine, said.

The WWF climate change tour is part of a European tour, which is being sponsored by the Toyota Europe Foundation. Prior to travelling to Ukraine the tour passed through Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia.

Bulgaria takes part in the global Day of Action on climate

2009-10-24

Founded by American environmentalist and author Bill McKibben, 350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis. On the Day of Action, the organization is calling on people around the world to organize an event incorporating the number 350 at an iconic place in their community, and then upload a photo of their event on 350.org website.

Thousands of photos from 5,248 rallies and protests spread across 181 countries flooded into the web servers of 350.org, marking what organizers of the global warming campaign said was “clearly the most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history.”

In Sofia 110 people, organized by the country’s Climate Action Coalition of which WWF is a member, held hands and stood in the shape of the number 350 in front of the National Palace of Culture. However, in spite of the fact that a great number of Bulgarian politicians had been invited to show their support, only Atanas Semov, Vice-President of the National Assembly, attended the event and joined the supporters.

“We must do more to educate people on the issue”, said Georgi Stefanov, Climate Change Expert of the WWF Danube - Carpathian Program in Bulgaria. “Talking to people today I have realized that journalists and environmentalists have a huge job on their hands, informing the general public of the looming climate crisis.”

Earlier this week WWF sent Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov an open letter urging him to strive for a legally binding agreement to emerge from Copenhagen, with all of the elements that make it a real deal. WWF is currently disturbed by the increasing number of voices from European sources hinting that Copenhagen will fail to lead to a legally binding agreement.

350.org will deliver the images from the Day of Action to the media and world leaders. “In some sense, the global warming movement finally went global yesterday,” said 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben. “And there wasn’t a rock star or movie actor in sight—it was ordinary people rallying around a scientific data point to send the message that our leaders actually need to lead.”

“People in almost all the nations of the earth are involved,” said 350 honorary spokesman Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican archbishop and Nobel Laureate. “It's the same kind of coalition that helped make the word “apartheid” known around the world.”

350 parts per million is what many scientists, climate experts, and progressive national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. Scientists have concluded that we are already above the safe zone at our current 390ppm, and that unless we are able to rapidly return to 350 ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping points and irreversible impacts such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and major methane releases from increased permafrost melt.

Only last week the WWF released a report saying that the world has just five years to initiate a low carbon industrial revolution before runaway climate change becomes almost inevitable. But the good news is that it can be done and that the long term benefits will be immense, according to the analysis from WWF.

Lafarge and WWF extend partnership in Romania

2009-10-23

Lafarge Romania and the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme Romania have extended their partnership in Romania for another 3 years. The local partnership agreement, which was signed at the Lafarge headquarters in Bucuresti on October 21, is in the framework of the global agreement signed by the two organisations in April.

The global cooperation focuses on climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions; promotion of biodiversity and nature conservation, including in and around Lafarge plants and quarries; freshwater conservation; sustainable construction and building materials; and reduction of toxic pollutants.

Lafarge is one of the world's leading producers of cement, gypsum as well as concrete and other aggregates.

"Through the renewal of the partnership with the WWF in Romania, all Lafarge operations in Romania are committed to contribute to minimising their impact on the environment and to continuously improve their indicators for sustainable development. One of the projects initiated with our partners from WWF focused on educating children from middle-school in the spirit of responsible behaviour toward nature and the environment," said Philippe Questiaux, Presidint-Director General of Lafarge Ciment (Romania) S.A.

"WWF's partnership with Lafarge in Romania demonstrates what corporate social responsibility truly means. The company's long-term involvement in the sustainable development of communities including sustainability indicators for evaluating business performance and structural changes, its internal communication and education of employees -- all these are relevant to WWF's efforts to change the paradigm of business in Romania and across world", said Andreas Beckmann, director of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme.

Past cooperation of WWF and Lafarge in Romania has focused on education and awareness raising related to nature conservation, including the development of a set of school materials as well as support for a national campaign for nature conservation. Last spring, Lafarge Romania signalled its support for vigorous action to address climate change by shutting down not only lights but also industrial operations for one hour during Earth Hour. WWF has also organised a One Planet Leader workshop for Lafarge Romania top managers as well as a number of awareness activities for Lafarge employees. Lafarge is a founding member of the WWF-Romania Corporate Club.

Among activities that Lafarge and WWF are currently considering is development of a nature area and environmental education centre at the site of a former quarry as well as cooperation around demonstration and promotion of "green" buildings and construction.

Green homes and green jobs in sight for Romania

2009-10-17

Romania can face the current economic crisis as well as the looming climate crisis head on by cutting energy costs, enhancing energy security, and creating jobs – including many new skilled jobs in green technology, products and services. This is the message that WWF, the Romanian Green Building Council, UNDP and other partners have given Romanian policy makers in a position paper released in September and follow-up communication.

Buildings utilize almost 40% of energy consumption and have a direct impact on the quality of life for all Romanians, so improvements in new and existing buildings represent a tremendous opportunity to achieve economic stimulus, improve the lives of people, and achieve the full benefits of international and European climate change legislation. In particular, construction renovation can generate numerous local jobs, thus responding to growing unemployment in the construction and related sectors.

“The costs of implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy measures are minimal as they are not cash expenditures but rather investments paid back by future, continuous energy savings,” says Steven Borncamp, who heads the Romanian Green Building Council, an industry group dedicated to promoting energy and resource-efficient construction. “With proven and technologies currently available in Romania, the energy consumption in both new and old buildings can be cut by an estimated 30-50 percent without significantly increasing the upfront investment cost.”

In addition, government or private loans can be utilized to improve energy efficiency and have the benefit that the reach of existing programs can be vastly expanded without undue strain on today’s budget.

WWF and the Romanian Green Building Council have commented on draft legislation of the Romanian government that would promote energy efficiency in buildings and transpose the amended EU Energy Efficiency in Buildings Directive, which is moving toward final decision making in Brussels.

The draft legislation for the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive that is supported by the European Parliament and that has been generally welcomed by WWF and others, calls for a tightening of targets and requirements contained in the directive. According to the Parliament’s plans, all new buildings would be required to have net zero-energy consumption 2018, i.e. low energy consumption with remaining energy provided by renewable sources such as wind or thermal solar or photovoltaics mounted on the structure. Earlier targets would apply for public buildings.

“2018 is not far away”, Andreas Beckmann, director of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme, remarked at a press conference organized by WWF and the Romanian Green Building Council in September. “Investing now in energy efficient buildings is not only a smart move to save energy, save money, save the climate and create jobs while meeting EU requirements – it is also smart strategy for positioning Romanian industry for future growth.”

Contact:
Luminita Tanasie, WWF-DCP/Romania Country Manager

NGOs join forces to save a living Danube threatened by inland navigation plans

2009-10-09

“Inland navigation can be considered as a viable alternative to road freight only if both global CO2 emissions and local impacts on river ecosystems are considered equally”, says Orieta Hulea, Head of Freshwater at the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme. “Navigation projects that require regulation of the river bed and bank impede the multitude of services, free flowing rivers provide to society, such as drinking water supply, flood control, acting as a natural filter for pollutants or support of healthy fisheries. These aspects must be considered when discussing transport plans and projects. Otherwise in areas like the Danube environmental damages risks are higher than benefits”.

As part of the European TEN-T programme, infrastructure projects are planned for the Danube on a combined length of 1000 km including the last free-flowing stretches in Germany, the Danube National Park between Vienna and Bratislava, and large stretches of the middle and lower Danube in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.

Current plans in Hungary would affect groundwater supply and natural areas protected under national and international law. Proposed dredging works and closing of lateral arms on the Danube in Romania will endanger the fish population due to the loss of the main spawning grounds especially for sturgeons, which are already on the brink of extinction as a direct consequence of previous river regulation.

With more than 80 million people depending directly on the economic value of its river basin natural systems, the Danube is the lifeline of Europe. “In every village and town along the Danube farmers, fishermen and small companies are depending on the natural river eco-system,” reminds Harald Kutzenberger, IAD General Secretary. “We should not easily risk thousands of local jobs along the Danube as a result of gaps in the Environmental Impact Assessments – and loose the strong potential for eco-tourism and rural development.”

NGOs are calling for the EU and national governments to guarantee and regain functioning ecosystem processes, respect socio-economic needs of regional and local economies, and prove that navigation projects meet all legal requirements, in particular compliance with the non-deterioration clause of the European Union’s Water Framework Directive (hereafter WFD) as well as achievement of the environmental objectives of the Danube River Basin Management Plan and Natura 2000 sites.

For further information:
Orieta Hulea, Head of Freshwater, WWF Danube Carpathian Programme, Tel. + 40 21 3174996,
E-mail: ohulea(at)wwfdcp.ro

Harald Kutzenberger, General Secretary, International Association for Danube Research, Tel. +43 676 328 33 12, e-mail: kutzenberger(at)iad.gs

Money woes threaten Romanian protected areas

2009-10-02

Brasov, Romania: Dwindling resources and bureaucratic hurdles are threatening to destroy Romania’s protected area system – home to some of Europe’s largest remaining natural forests.

The protected area system, which on paper covers 20% of Romania, also houses more than half of Europe’s populations of bears, wolves, and other large carnivores.

Despite these natural riches, salaries of many park rangers and other staff have not been paid for months, and telephone and internet connections are being cut as operational funds disappear.

Although the Romanian Government has committed to ensuring the protection of these lands, both as a member of the European Union and through its signature on several international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, it has failed to stand by these pledges, citing fiscal difficulties.

“The Romanian government must take immediate action to address the crisis faced by the country’s protected areas and their tremendous natural wealth,” said Andreas Beckmann, Director of WWF’s Danube-Carpathian Programme. “Priorities should be setting up and properly financing a single national agency to oversee and manage the areas.”

Back to "paper parks"?

The protection afforded by the Romanian protected area network is impressive - at least on paper.

Significant support for protection activities has been financed through EU and various governmental and private funds, including the Dutch MATRA programme. An ongoing WWF programme supported by the MAVA Foundation has been providing significant training and support for protected area professionals in Romania and other parts of the Carpathian Mountains.

According to the Romanian legislation, Protected Area management can be subcontracted to institutions, companies or organizations that have the interest and resources to support active management and implementation of management plans.

Based on this legislation, in 2005 the Ministry of Environment subcontracted the National Forest Administration to manage most of the nation’s national and nature parks, including flagship areas such as Retezat, Rodna and Piatra Craiului National Parks, with no contribution to the management costs from the state budget.

The National Forest Administration provided funding to Protected Area administrations, allowing the management teams to function at a minimal capacity and carry out some management activities. Although the support provided was limited, it was nevertheless critically important for at least the basic functioning of the protected areas.

This system worked, even if not with maximum efficiency, until 2009 when the National Forest Administration began facing major financial difficulties.

As a result, many PA staff have not received salaries for months or are receiving salaries with very significant delays; office costs are not covered, leading to situations where PA staff have no access to telephone or internet service, and have major problems meeting basic costs.

Situation critical

The situation is now critical, WWF said.

Many of the PA staff are planning to leave or have left already, and there is no possibility of hiring new people. Work in previous years to build an effective protected area system in Romania is quickly unravelling.

The current state of Romania's protected area system is proving a liability not only for the future of the country's natural treasures but also for local development.

For example, many of the areas in Romania that have been designated as part of the EU's Natura 2000 network of specially protected sites often cover very large areas of 150,000-250,000 ha, including numerous communities and their administrative land. Approval of various local development projects is being held up by the lack of management plans and guidelines for the protected areas.

Although the Ministry of Environment has overall responsibility for protected areas, including Natura 2000 sites, there is very limited capacity within the Ministry to coordinate and support protected area management.

The previous government planned for and issued a proposal for the establishment of a National Agency for Protected Areas, with dedicated staff for PA related issues.

However, the present government has decided not to establish the agency, citing the financial crisis.

Unfortunately, even those funds that are available for nature protection are not being effectively used. More than €250 million in EU regional development funds have been allocated for Natura 2000 and Protected Areas.

But bureaucratic restrictions imposed largely by Romanian authorities have made it difficult if not impossible for institutions and organizations to access this support.

European and global treasures

Some 20% of Romanian territory is covered by one form of protected area or another, ranging from relatively strictly protected areas such as national parks to areas with fewer restrictions such as nature parks and biosphere reserves.

It also contains the globally important Carpathian Mountains and Danube Delta ecoregions.

This tremendous natural capital is of national and even European and global significance, and provides a host of ecosystem benefits, including food and fiber, growing opportunities for tourism and recreation as well as flood protection and carbon sequestration.

Romania's protected area system goes back to the early 20th century.

The first nature reserves were established in the 1920s, followed by Retezat as the country's first national park in 1935. But few if any measures were taken for the management of protected areas in Romania until the mid 1990s, when the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the global financing instrument for the Convention on Biological Diversity among other conventions, supported the establishment of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration.

In 1999-2000, with GEF support, the first national and nature park administrations were established and management plans developed and partly implemented for Retezat National Park, Piatra Craiului National Park as well as Vanatori Neamt Nature Park. GEF support continued and some financial resources were allocated from the National Forest Administration and other institutions, permitting the establishment of management teams for most of the national and nature parks by 2006.

Golden Award for Excellence for the Romanian Earth Hour Campaign

2009-09-30

PR Awards is organized by the Forum for International Communications, a non-profit organization which promotes ethics and performance standards among public relations specialists.

This year out of 142 projects which entered the competition, 40 received nominations. Only 6 received Golden Awards. Earth Hour was chosen as "The best campaign implemented by an NGO".

Like previous editions, this year`s competition had an exceptional jury, reuniting communications specialists from the USA, Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, Turkey and Romania. The President of the jury was Mr. Peter Debreceny, Chairman of the Institute for Public Relations in the USA.

About the campaign

Organized for the first time in Romania, the Earth Hour campaign had an enormous success. According to the Romanian Energy Directorate, an estimated 10% of the population or some 2 million people participated in the event.

The campaign was launched on March 9 with a press conference that was a "rehearsal" for Earth Hour - the lights in the conference room went off for one minute. During the 3 weeks of intense campaigning WWF representatives and the Earth Hour Ambassadors were constantly in the media spotlight.

The day before the event, Vodafone Romania sent 2 billion SMS to its clients, reminding them to turn off the lights on March 28th.

On the day, the massive Parliament building – the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon in Washington – was shrouded in darkness, like other Romanian landmarks, including the National Theatre, Opera House, Athenaeum, National Art Museum as well as dozens of cafes, restaurants and hotels.

In Constitution Square WWF hosted a mass event, called "60 Minutes for the Planet". 600 volunteers and supporters carrying candles drew an enormous number 60, the symbol of the campaign. This was followed by a 100% unplugged concert by popular local band Sistem. Later members of the Bucharest Observatory showed the crowd dozens of stars, more visible than ever, thanks to the reduction in light pollution.

More facts about the campaign

Similar events were organized in another 8 participating cities in Romania.
35 major corporations joined the event, including cement and aggregates giant Lafarge, which stopped operations in ten plants.
The campaign involved more than 500 volunteers and 2000 supporters who subscribed on www.earthhour.org.
During the campaign the TV spot was broadcast 999 times.
There were more than 200 articles and stories in the print media.
Romanian pop star Zoli Toth, one of Earth Hour Ambassadors in Romania, made a video which had close to 20,000 views in less than 2 weeks.
The campaign's media partner www.trilulilu.ro confirmed there were more than 100 uploads of photos and videos taken on the night.

Romanian Protected Areas on the verge of collapse

2009-09-21

Romania's protected area system, which harbors many of Europe's most outstanding natural treasures, is on the verge of collapse. Salaries of many rangers and other staff have not been paid for months; telephone and internet connections are being cut as operational funds disappear. At risk are years of investment in building the country's system of protected area management not to mention the outstanding natural treasures that they protect.

European and global treasures

Romania is home to over half the European populations of bears, wolves and other large carnivores as well as the continent’s greatest remaining areas of natural forest outside of Russia and Scandinavia. It also contains the lion’s share of the globally important Carpathian Mountains and Danube Delta ecoregions.

This tremendous natural capital is of national and even European and global significance, and provides a host of ecosystem benefits, including food and fiber, growing opportunities for tourism and recreation as well as e.g. flood protection and carbon sequestration.

The Romanian Government has committed itself to ensuring the effective protection of these values both as a member of the European Union as well as through its signature of a number of international agreements, from the Convention on Biological Diversity to the Carpathian Convention.

The protection afforded by the Romanian protected area network is impressive, at least on paper. Some 20% of Romanian territory is covered by one form of protected area or another, ranging from relatively strictly protected areas such as national parks to areas with less restrictions such as nature parks and biosphere reserves.¹

Romania's protected area system goes back to the early 20th century. The first nature reserves were established in the 1920’s, followed by Retezat as the country's first national park in 1935. But few if any measures were taken for the management of protected areas in Romania until the mid 1990s, when the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the global financing instrument for the Convention on Biological Diversity among other conventions, supported the establishment of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration.

In 1999-2000, with GEF support, the first national and nature park administrations were established and management plans developed and partly implemented for Retezat National Park, Piatra Craiului National Park as well as Vanatori Neamt Nature Park. GEF support continued and some financial resources were allocated from the National Forest Administration and other institutions, permitting the establishment of management teams for most of the national and nature parks by 2006.

Back to "paper parks"?

Significant support for protection activities has been financed through EU and various governmental and private funds, including the Dutch MATRA programme. An ongoing WWF programme supported by the MAVA Foundation has been providing significant training and support for protected area professionals in Romania and other parts of the Carpathian Mountains.

According to the Romanian legislation, Protected Area management can be subcontracted to institutions, companies or organisations that have the interest and resources to support active management and implementation of management plans. Based on this legislation, in 2005 the Ministry of Environment subcontracted the National Forest Administration to manage most of the nation’s national and nature parks, including flagship areas such as Retezat, Rodna and Piatra Craiului National Parks.

The National Forest Administration provided funding to Protected Area administrations allowing for the management teams to function at a minimal capacity and carry out some management activities. Although the support provided was limited, it nevertheless was critically important for at least the basic functioning of the protected areas.

This system worked, however imperfectly, until 2009 when the National Forest Administration began facing major financial difficulties. As a result, many PA staff have not received salaries for months or are receiving salaries with very significant delays; office costs are not covered, leading to situations where PA staff have no access to telephone or internet service, and have major problems meeting basic costs.

Situation critical

The situation is now critical. Many of the PA staff are planning to leave or have left already, and there are no possibilities to hire new people. The work of the previous years to build an effective protected area system in Romania is quickly unravelling. Lost will be not only what capacity has been put in place to protect natural resources, but also that has begun finally working with local communities and various stakeholders to derive sustainable benefits from the areas, e.g. through development of tourism and recreation.

Indeed, the weakness of Romania's protected area system is proving a liability not only for the future of the country's natural treasures but also local development. Lack of management capacity, habitat inventories and management plans for protected areas in many cases are frustrating local development plans. Many of the areas in Romania that have been designated as part of the EU's Natura 2000 network of specially protected sites often cover very large areas of 150,000-250,000 ha, including numerous communities and their administrative land.

Although the Ministry of Environment has overall responsibility for protected areas, including Natura 2000 sites, there is very limited capacity within the Ministry to coordinate and support protected area management. The previous government planned for and issued a governmental decision for the establishment of a National Agency for Protected Areas, with dedicated staff for PA related issues. The present government decided not to establish the agency, citing the financial crisis.

Unfortunately, even those funds that are available for nature protection are not being effectively used. Over €250 million in EU regional development funds have been allocated for Natura 2000 and Protected Areas. But bureaucratic restrictions imposed largely by Romanian authorities have made it difficult if not impossible for institutions and organizations to access this support.

Need for government action

WWF and other organisations are calling on the Romanian Government to take immediate measures to address the current crisis in the country's protected area management and finally establish a long-term basis for managing and safeguarding the country's tremendous natural wealth. Immediate measures must be taken to establish a sustainable financing system for protected area management, including the establishment of a national agency capable of overseeing and ensuring proper management of the areas.

Contact:
Erika Stanciu, Head of Protected Areas Programme, WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme

Notes:

1. Some 1.7 million ha or ca 8% of Romanian territory are covered by national protected areas, including 13 national parks (IUCN category II), including the well-known Retezat and Piatra Craiului National Parks; 14 nature parks (IUCN category V); the globally protected Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve; and over 900 smaller reserves (IUCN category Ia, III and IV). These areas largely overlap with the 17.84% of Romania's territory that is protected according to EU legislation as part of the Natura 2000 network of specially protected sites, with 108 areas designated according to the EU Birds Directive and 273 according to the EU Habitats Directive.

Croatia and Hungary to establish Europe´s largest river protected area - 20 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain

2009-09-16

Barcs, Hungary 17 September 2009 – Croatia and Hungary signed today a declaration to establish a Trans-Boundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that will protect their shared biodiversity hotspot along the Mura, Drava and Danube Rivers. This paves the way to create Europe’s largest river protection area.

The ceremony in the presence of the Prime Ministers of Croatia and Hungary, Mrs Jadranka Kosor and Mr Gordon Bajnai, took place in the border city of Barcs, Hungary.

Given the global significance of this agreement, WWF has highlighted the leading role of the Governments of Croatia and Hungary with a “Leaders for a Living Planet” award, handed over by Lifeng Li, Director of WWF Global Freshwater Programme.

"This cross border agreement to protect an area of great natural importance will foster regional cooperation, international understanding and peace keeping – 20 years after the fall of the ‘Iron Curtain’”, said James P. Leape, Director General of WWF International. “It is not only a significant advance for the region but can serve as an example of how nature conservation visions can bring countries together”.

With rare large floodplain forests, river islands, gravel banks and oxbows, the new protected area covers a 500 kilometres section of the three rivers and about 630,000 hectares of unique natural and cultural landscapes. The protected area, which has been declared with help of WWF and partner organisations (e.g. Drava League, Green Action and Euronatur) is awaiting UNESCO approval to become a Biosphere Reserve in 2010.

Today’s agreement, which was signed by the Ministers of Croatia and Hungary, Božo Biškupić (Minister of Culture) and Imre Szabó (Minister for Environment and Water) has the potential to become the cornerstone for a five-country Biosphere Reserve shared with Austria, Slovenia and Serbia. This would create the world’s first Biosphere reserve, commonly shared by five countries.

“WWF greatly welcomes this step of the governments of Croatia and Hungary as a very important milestone for the conservation of Europe’s natural treasures,” said Gábor Magyar, CEO of WWF Hungary. “This cross-border undertaking between a current and a future EU member is a potent symbol of the proposed unification of Croatia with the European Union,” Andreas Beckmann, Director of WWF’s Danube-Carpathian Programme added.

The area is home to the highest density of breeding pairs of the White-tailed Eagle in Europe and endangered species such as Little tern, Black stork, otters and sturgeons. It is also an important stepping stone for more than 250,000 migratory waterfowls every year. “The diversity of species in this region is one of Europe’s richest. Such areas can only be topped by the tropical rainforests,” says Arno Mohl, project leader “Mura-Drava-Danube" Biosphere Reserve from WWF Austria.

Moreover, the river ecosystem is vital for the socio-economic well being of the trans-boundary region. It is a major source for good drinking water, for natural flood protection, sustainable forestry, agriculture and fisheries as well as having an important role in promoting eco-tourism, awareness raising and environmental education in the region.

“We encourage Austria, Slovenia and Serbia to join the proposed Biosphere Reserve with Croatia and Hungary to complete this green belt protecting the heart of Europe”, WWF stresses.

Bulldozers bring life to the Danube Delta

2009-09-04

In August, a bulldozer and shovel loader went to work ermoving a section of dike on Ermakov Island. Breaching the dikes that surround the island will reconnect the island's barren interior to the life force of the Danube's seasonal flooding.

The 3,500 ha island, which was once home to Cossack warriors, is one of the larger islands in the Ukrainian Danube Delta. Dikes were erected and the island drained in the 1970s to make way for agriculture. The agricultural experiment proved unsuccessful, and the once-lush wetland area turned barren.

Removal of the dike will make way for annual spring flooding, which will return water and life to the island's interior. The barren fields that now mark much of the island will become flooded, creating lakes that will provide rich feeding, breeding and spawning areas for fish, flora and fauna.

In the past, before erection of the dikes, at least three pairs of white-tailed eagles that nested on the island. There were numerous cormorants, ducks and waders.

Their return could attract tourists, including bird watchers from around the world. WWF is now working with the concessionaire of the island to investigate possibilities for developing ecotourism in the area. The smaller Tataru Island, which was restored several years ago, is now a favored spot for anglers.

The removal of the dike follows on the conclusion of an agreement between WWF, the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, the Kilja district administration and concessionaire to restore the former wetlands of Ermakov Island that was signed on August 13, 2008.

The restoration project contributes to realisation of a vision for the protection and restoration of the Danube Delta in Ukraine that was developed by WWF in cooperation with relevant Ukrainian authorities, including the Odessa regional government and water management authority.

Also part of the vision, the former wetland areas of Tataru Island were restored by WWF and partnes in 2003. Efforts are also underway to remove a dike and reconnect Lake Katlabuh (ca 10,000 ha) with the Danube river system. WWF is involved in similar efforts to restore former wetland areas in the much larger Romanian part of the Danube Delta as well.

Contact:
Katya Kurakina, Communications Officer, WWF Odessa Project Office

Protection for Tysa Floodplain Forests -- Ukraine's riverine "jungle"

2009-08-20

Some of Europe's last remaining floodplain forests on the Upper Tysa river in northwestern Ukraine are now under protection. In August, the Transcarpathian Regional Assembly of Transcarpathia (Zakarpatskaya Oblast) voted to formally establish the protected area of Prytysianski, including 10,600 ha of floodplain forests in the Upper Tysa floodplain. Protection of the area caps six years of work by researchers and WWF in the area.

"The decision of the Transcarpathian Regional Assembly to protect the Tysa floodplain forests is a major step toward the long-term preservation of these floodplain forests, which are of European importance," said Andreas Beckmann, director of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme.

Ukrainian jungle

Flooded forests are now extremely rare in Europe and are among the most endangered habitats in the world. The flooded forests of Transcarpathia are an outstanding relic of the forests, which have been reduced to only a few patches. They are part of a larger landscape in the upper Tysa (Hungarian: Tisza; German: Theiss) River Basin that is a priority for WWF's conservation activities in the region.

The 10,600 ha now in the Prytysianski Protected Area is roughly half of the total area of riverine forests in the area that WWF is seeking to protect. The remarkable forests are the creation of the Tysa river and its tributaries that emerge from the slopes of the Carpathian Mountains and flow south and west through the Pannonian plain in Hungary, draining eventually into the mighty Danube and from there into the Black Sea.

The regular flooding of the rivers delivers a rich mixture of nutrients that acts like growth hormones for the trees and plants in the floodplains. As a result, oaks and ash grow as high as 46 m in height. The floods also limit the extent to which the trees must compete with one another for water and nutrients, making it possible for them to grow close together. Thanks to these attributes, the area is sometimes referred to as Ukraine's "jungle".

Royal recognition

The location of the Tysa floodplain forests, close to Romania and Hungary and the western border of the former Soviet Union, has effectively restricted any large-scale investigation of their wildlife and sustainable use. The economic growth of Ukraine is now leading to growing pressure to exploit the forests quickly, and corruption, excessive logging and timber smuggling have caused serious economic and environmental problems for the region and could mean an end to these globally important forests.

The efforts to research and protect the forests have been ongoing since 2003, led by Dr Bohdan Prots, a Senior Research Scientist and Supervisor of the “Plant Ecology” Laboratory of the State Museum of Natural History and Senior Project Coordinator of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme in Ukraine. In 2007, Prots received the prestigious Whitley Award in recognition of his efforts to protect the outstanding natural values of the region.

Montenegro dams to harm crucial bird, fish habitats

2009-07-15

Rome, Italy/Podgorica, Montenegro – Dam projects planned in Montenegro will likely harm Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans and a protected wetland site that is home to crucial bird and fish habitats, according to a study by WWF and Green Home.

The study – 'Proposed construction of dams on Morača River: environmental risk assessment of Morača canyon and Skadar lake' – shows that four dams planned on the Morača River could create water level changes that would impact on the speed, time and quantity of water flow and sediments transported into the lake.

“The construction of dams on Morača river should be carefully evaluated to assess whether they are the best possible options (cost-effective and less environmentally and socially damaging) as their construction will have an impact on important sites (...) and on the economy of local populations just to mention the most striking impacts,” according to the study.

Lake Skadar and its surrounding wetlands are listed under the Ramsar Convention as wetlands of global importance.

The lake houses one of the most important bird and fish habitats in the Mediterranean region – providing more than 90% of fish consumed in Montenegro.

Lake Skadar also is one of Europe's five most important wintering sites for birds. Some 150,000 birds migrate to the lake every year to spend the winter season, according to recent censuses.

In addition, Lake Skadar is largely fed by rivers, including the Morača, which provides approximately 60% of the lake's water.

“The results of our studies are more dramatic than we could have imagined,” said Francesca Antonelli, Head of the Freshwater Programme at WWF Mediterranean.

“If the construction of these dams goes ahead, not only the Morača River ecosystem, but also the biodiversity of the largest lake in the Balkans – not to mention hundreds of local jobs and livelihoods – would suffer a serious blow.”

Flooding of the Morača canyon would also severely affect two nature hotspots designated as Emerald Network sites (also soon to be declared Natura 2000 sites) – the Mrtvica River and the Mala Rjeka.

An entire fisheries-based economy that currently supports more than 600 families around Lake Skadar is also under threat. Very rare endemic species of trout could disappear and the fishery of Lake Skadar, mostly based on carp, could shrink by 30% – with a loss of some €1.5 million in annual fishing revenues.

A major hydropower investor in South-East Europe, the Norwegian company Statkraft, has also expressed concern. Statkraft originally considered developing hydropower projects on the Morača River, but is also now expressing growing concern.

“Before investing we want to ensure that the proposed dam designs are environmentally friendly and support social and economic development in addition to being cost effective,” said Bredo Erichsen, Managing Director of Statkraft Albania.

“Statkraft applies strict standards in all hydropower development worldwide. This has been our focus in Albania but investing in Montenegro is more uncertain – unless the opportunities to minimise social and environmental impact and optimise cost and production are clarified.”

In December 2008, the Montenegrin government approved the construction of four dams on the Morača River, with the aim of further exploiting the hydropower potential of the country and ensuring energy independence for its population.

“Any new dams must be planned taking into account European Union environmental standards – and assessed to this effect before construction begins,” said Darko Pajovič, Head of WWF’s partner NGO in Montenegro, Green Home.

“We appreciate that a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the four dams is currently being carried out by the Montenegrin government, but we are somewhat concerned about the results of our own studies. We want to believe that our findings will be taken into serious consideration in the planning of the dams, in accordance with EU standards as set out in the Water Framework Directive.”

WWF has been calling on the Montenegrin government since 2007 to respect provisions concerning dams and other water infrastructure under the EU Water Framework Directive to ensure minimal environmental impact. The process must be in compliance with EU standards, and before construction begins it should be proven that the proposed dams are the least environmentally damaging and most cost-effective option – and that no better alternatives are available to meet energy needs in Montenegro.

“Montenegro claims to be a “green state” – and now is the time for the government to show their leadership in the region towards such a commitment,” Antonelli said.

For more information
Chantal Ménard, t +39 346 235 7481, email cmenard@wwfmedpo.org

Notes to editor

- EU Water Framework Directive
The December 2000 Water Framework Directive (WFD) is the most important legislative tool for freshwater protection across the EU. It obliges Member States to meet a holistic ecological objective, i.e. to achieve good status (ecological, chemical and hydromorphological) for all waters using the river basin as the main water management unit.

- Natura 2000 and the Emerald Network
In 1992 EU Member States adopted the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora (CE/92/43). The Habitats Directive, as it is also known, aims to protect biodiversity by means of a pan-European network of protected areas. The Emerald Network is the equivalent of Natura 2000 in non-EU countries.

- Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is the only environmental treaty for a particular type of ecosystem and the first global intergovernmental treaty to combine conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Signed in 1971, it originally focused on the conservation and wise use of wetlands primarily to protect waterbird habitat. However, its basic tenets have broadened over the years to recognize wetlands, including coastal wetlands such as mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds, as ecosystems that are extremely important for both biodiversity conservation and the well-being of human communities.

Change of leadership at WWF-DCPO

2009-07-01

Michael Baltzer, director of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme (WWF-DCPO) since 2005, left the organisation in July 2009 to head WWF's global tiger conservation efforts based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is replaced at WWF-DCPO by Andreas Beckmann, who had been serving the organisation as Deputy Director since 2005.

Mike Baltzer oversaw significant development of WWF's work in the Danube-Carpathian region, including a doubling in staff and budget, the establishment of new WWF organisations in Romania and Bulgaria as well as development of new activities in the Ukrainian Carpathians and in Serbia. At the same time, WWF-DCPO pushed into new areas of activity, engaging more closely with the private sector and searching for economic mechanisms to support nature conservation. Awareness raising and public mobilisation became a major focus for WWF's work in the region, with major nationwide campaigns developed in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Ukraine.

The work initiated by Baltzer will continue in coming years. "Our aim for the next 5 years is to continue the work begun in recent years -- to strengthen our national profiles and presence in the region, deepen our engagement with the private sector and step up our efforts to reduce the growing ecological footprint in the region, especially from energy and carbon emissions," Beckmann said. WWF-DCPO will continue ongoing efforts to ensure effective protection and management of protected areas, protect and restore wetland areas within the Danube basin and preserve Europe's last major stands of old growth forest.

A major challenge remains to ensure that the major successes achieved in the region, from the establishment of protected areas to the development of new funding sources for nature protection, are implemented in practice and not just on paper. The protected area systems are still weak, with those in Romania and Slovakia even facing collapse. Many of the protected areas of the region are threatened by developments, many of them illegal, including e.g. illegal construction of ski facilities in Pirin and Rila National Parks in Bulgaria.

"The challenges facing us with regard to environnment and nature conservation are the same ones facing these societies more generally -- establishment of the rule of law, effective governance and administration and an active and engaged civil society and citizenry. In this sense, our work is about much more than 'just' securing many of Europe's last remaining outstanding natural treasures -- it is about the future shape of these societies," Beckmann remarked.

Mike Baltzer came to WWF-DCPO as Conservation Director in 2004, bringing with him rich experience with conservation work from across the world, particularly from Africa and Southeast Asia. He moved to Vienna from Vietnam, where he headed WWF's large-scale conservation efforts in the forests of the Mekong ecoregion. He holds degrees in conservation and environmental studies.

Andreas Beckmann has been living and working in the Danube-Carpathian region since 1991. He came to WWF in 2001 to lead the organisation's efforts to engage with and prepare for the accession of Central and Eastern European countries to the European Union. Prior to WWF, he led development and communications for the Environmental Partnership foundations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. He holds degrees in history, political science and international relations from Stanford University and Swarthmore College as well as a WWF certificate in conservation leadership.

Danube Day -- fears amidst the celebrations

2009-06-28

Amidst the celebrations of this year's Danube Day on June 29, WWF is concerned about persisting threats to the Danube as a living river. Government and EU plans to remove “bottlenecks” for navigation could impact up to 1,000 km of the river’s most natural sections, and threaten to violate the non-deterioration clause of the EU Water Framework Directive.

Plans by the Romanian government to improve navigation between Calarasi and Braila on the Lower Danube could severely impact sturgeon migration routes, possibly pushing the already threatened fish species into extinction. WWF has tabled alternative solutions that would facilitate navigation while limiting negative impacts.

EU plans for developing the Danube as a major shipping corridor have called for the removal of "bottlenecks" on up to 1,000 km of the river's length. Traditional approaches to improving navigation involving damming, diking and dredging could have disastrous effects on the river, its natural goods and services.

WWF will present these and other concerns at public consultations on the Danube River Basin Management Plan that is being organized by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River in Bratislava on June 29-30.

The consultations are taking place within the framework of the EU Water Framework Directive, which calls for all rivers, lakes and coasts to achieve ‘good ecological status’ by 2015. European citizens have a key role to play in implementing the directive, which calls for the public to be informed and involved in the preparation of river basin management plans.

WWF has developed alternatives for promoting shipping while limiting damage to the Danube as a living river. The focus should first be on measures such as improved ship technology and logistics that do not require major changes to the river. Only after such alternatives are exhausted should much more expensive and non-reversible river modifications come into consideration.

WWF is also calling for increased attention to floodplain restoration in the Danube basin as a key measure for addressing climate change and securing ecosystem services, such as flood protection, drinking water provisioning and biodiversity.

According to a WWF commissioned study, the potential for floodplain restoration is much higher than countries have indicated in the draft river basin managment plan. Floodplains provide multiple benefits for humans and nature, securing a range of ecosystem services from flood protection to replenishing drinking water. Protecting and restoring floodplains can make a major and cost-effective contribution to addressing the challenge of climate change.

Romania has ambitious plans to restore over 400,000 ha of Danube floodplains, but work toward this ambitious goal is not planned before 2015.

Contact:
Andreas Beckmann, WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme, +43 676 84 27 28 216