Europe - UNEP

Figure 5.2 The Danube River Basin.
Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. The
Danube delta, where the Danube discharges into
the Black Sea, is a World Heritage site spanning
60,000 hectares, two-thirds of which is
seasonally submerged. The delta is Europe’s
largest remaining natural wetland and one of the
continent’s most valuable natural habitats.
While the Danube River has played an
important role for drinking water supply, industry,
transport, energy, tourism, and recreation, the
middle and lower reaches of the basin are
heavily utilised for agriculture. Industrial use,
particularly for mining and energy generation,
are especially important in economic terms as
they account for a significant share of
employment and revenue for the countries of the
Danube basin.
The heavy reliance on Danube waters
throughout the years has taken its toll on this
resource. Over 80% of the Danube has been
regulated, with over 700 dams and weirs along
its main tributaries. While representing a major
source of income for many people living in the
Danube basin, agriculture has had a significant
transboundary impact on the waters of the
Danube as inappropriate practices have led to
degraded water quality and soil erosion,
particularly due to pollutants such as fertilisers
and pesticides. Furthermore, outdated industrial
facilities and inadequate pollution control
technologies have caused degradation of the
Fruit stand at outdoor market, Belgrade, Serbia. Photo credit:
Milan Vatovec.
Chapter 5. Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience Case Studies — 71