River basin management

WWF works at international, EU, river basin and national levels, promoting integrated river basin management and the wise use of water resources.

At river basin level, WWF participates actively in the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR). We also work closely with the WWF-European Policy Office and other partners to promote integrated and sustainable river basin management through EU and national policies, legislation and funding programmes including especially:

EU Framework Directive 

The EU's innovative Water Framework Directive calls for the achievement of "good ecological status" of EU surface water bodies by 2015, and provides a blueprint, guidelines and step-by-step requirements for achieving this aim. The directive focuses not only on the chemical quality of water but also on the ecological quality of rivers and other water bodies, and ensures the involvement of relevant interest groups in achieving the directive's aims.

EU Floods Directive 

Floods are growing in scope and frequency on the Danube as elsewhere in Europe, thanks to climate change as well as other factors. WWF is working with partners to ensure that EU and national efforts to address flooding work with nature rather than against by protecting and restoring natural floodplains and wetlands which can help absorb floodwaters while providing a myriad of other benefits and services.

EU Trans-European Network for Transportation

Development of the Danube for shipping is one of the priority projects for the EU's TEN-T policy. WWF is working with partners to ensure that ships are fit to the river, rather than the river fit to the ships.

EU Funds

WWF is working at both the EU and national levels to ensure that EU funding programmes for rural development, agriculture, regional development and fisheries support the aims of EU water and nature conservation legislation and policies.