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BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
RATIFY CONVENTION
Formal ratification procedures of the Danube River
Protection Convention for Bosnia and Herzegovina were completed
in December. As the last remaining Danube country to sign, Bosnia
and Herzegovina will close a gap in the convention and bring
all waters of the basin together under a basin-wide convention
for the first time. Find more information in the next
issue of Danube Watch. |
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IWA WATER PRIZES FOR
AUSTRIA AND HUNGARY
At the World Water Congress held in Marrakech
in September, the International Water Association awarded two
innovative projects from the Danube Basin: The ‘Year of
Water 2003’ initiative by the Austrian Water Ministry
was honoured, as well as a CD-ROM project about the Sziget Festival
by the Waterworks of Budapest. The projects were awarded silver
medals and were ‘highly recommended’. Congratulations!
Find more information under: www.iwa2004marrakech.com |
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NEW COOPERATION FOR BULGARIA
AND ROMANIA
Bulgaria’s Deputy Minister of Environment
and Water, Mr. Nikolai Kouyumdzhiev, and the State Secretary
of the Ministry of Environment and Water Management of Romania,
Mr. Florian Stadiu, signed an agreement on Co-operation in the
Field of Water Management in Bucharest on November 12.This important
step aims to strengthen further the cooperation of these two
nations in areas of water management, integrated costal zone
management, transborder protection of resources, and the exchange
of water expertise. Find more information under: www2.moew.government.bg |
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EU COURT RULES ON EUTROPHICATION
The European Court of Justice defined eutrophication in a ruling
against France for breaching the EU urban wastewater treatment
directive. The case involved areas in France that the European
Commission argued should have been designated as sensitive to
eutrophication. The court set four criteria for determining eutrophication:
enrichment of water by nutrients, accelerated plant life growth,
undesirable disturbance of organism balance, and water quality
deterioration. Find more information under: www.curia.eu.int,
judgement in case C-280/02. |
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13-18/3/2005 |
RIO DE JANIERO
THIRD GEF INTERNATIONAL WATER CONFERENCE
The goal of this conference is to review Global Environment Facility’s
(GEF) water portfolio, share successes and experiences, and encourage
collaboration among participating organisations and countries.
The GEF water portfolio amounts to nearly three billion USD, out
of which the UNDP/GEF Danube Regional Project is also funded.
For more information, please visit: www.getf.org/iwc3/
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17-20/3/2005 |
GENEVA
SECOND ALTERNATIVE WORLD WATER FORUM
The forum’s key objective is to further develop and promote
institutions and public policy that will provide access to potable
water for all human beings and ensure that water management practices
are democratic, united
and sustainable.
For more information, please visit: www.fame2005.org |
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NEW PUBLICATION
"ECOLOGISATION OF THE DANUBE REGION"
is the title of a new publication of IDM, which discusses a variety
of questions about the sustainable development of the Danube region,
touching on ecology, economy, society and culture.
Der Donauraum 1/2, 2004. www.idm.at |
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NEW WEBSITE
WWW.UNDP-DRP.ORG
The UNDP/GEF Danube Regional Project has launched a new website
to communicate information on the project’s activities and
cooperation in the Danube region. |
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