Ecological problems and environmental threats along the Danube

Ecological problems and environmental threats along the Danube 1

Katya Klymenko

Our civilization is at risk. Clean water is the fastest depleting resource in the world. Without water, there is no life. Life is water. The largest river in Europe, the Danube, sustains the natural environments of 10 different countries, many of which are careful about protecting it from sewage and waste. With the political institutions in place, most countries agree to keep the Danube clean. Thus we might expect hope on the horizon, if all members of our communities commit to reducing greenhouse gas pollution, such as preventing further oil and gas development. However, trade and tourist boats often pollute the river and ruin the natural environment, threatening the life of plants and animals. Garbage and chemicals are the residue of regular trips on the river. It is important to save our clean water, without which we will lose flora and fauna, and end up relying on plastic even more than we already do, to increase the supply of bottled water. Human activities using water have increased the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in nature. Their overabundance makes phytoplankton and algae

1 www.worldwildlife.org/threats/pollution www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Environmental-Threats/Climate-Change/Greenhouse-Gases www.youtube.com/watch?v=luakq7Ip_Yc

overgrow. When harmful algae blooms, it produces deadly toxins, taking the shape of red and brown tides in the water. It kills marine life, and harms us. When this algae decomposes, bacteria suck up oxygen in the water, creating zones where fish cannot live.

Climate change has created adverse effects on our communities, flooding towns and damaging infrastructure. Pollution makes it hard to maintain livestock, and causes health issues in the food chain. Our warming climate has created conditions where droughts and fires happen more frequently, threatening all life in our ecosystem. Water is scarce, and our soil is being degraded. The Danube’s largest wetland naturally cleans the water before it reaches the sea, but with the current threats to our climate, this important wetland will disappear, just as half of the world’s wetlands have in the past 100 years.

Let’s have a look at why we need to focus on waste reduction in the

Danube region. The following give us some insight into the waste challenges in Bulgaria, Germany, Ukraine and Croatia. In Bulgaria, the Danube waters are used for transport, fishing, tourism, domestic supply, irrigation, industrial water supply and energy production, as well as for discharging industrial and household waste water. Compared with

1980, the total flow of the Bulgarian tributaries of the Danube has decreased by 25 - 35%. This decrease in flow affects water quality, since the capacity of the Danube to dilute the concentration of waste water pollutants is reduced, worsening water quality. 2

Water quantity problems (industry)

The main causes of water quantity problems in the industrial sector are high water consumption technology and bad housekeeping by some companies. Water quality deterioration is mainly due to the lack of wastewater treatment plants in many urban areas, and to the low percentage of “clean technology” used in industry. Better understanding of the sources of pollution, and a strategy to address the problem, are needed. There are EU-supported programmes for construction of industrial and municipal treatment facilities that could improve the situation nationally and basin-wide.

The main cause of water quantity problems related to domestic supply is water loss in the distribution system, and the fact that many well-known water saving measures are not implemented in households. The problems have beenidentified and assessed at a national level, and are acknowledged by the Basin Directorate. There is a need to further develop a strategy to address the specific problems in the basin.

From a German perspective, the Danube river is a beautiful and historical river. However, it does have problems along its streams. Fishermen and water sports enthusiasts have observed tourist cruisers dumping their waste illegally at spots along their route. Water analyses have shown that alarming amounts of bacteria are present in certain areas of the river, which affects the ecosystem and the health and security of those who want to enjoy the water, and nature. During dry summer seasons, the water level drops substantially, which means that ships need to adjust their weight. However, this is a natural process, and causes problems for the ships and not the environment. 3

In Ukraine, there are three beautiful sub-basins of the Danube: the Tisza, Prut and Siret basins collectively make up the Danube Delta. The green zone is a cause of debate between the government and activists around the prevention of ecocide. Parts of the delta flood over the spring and summer, and experience dry spells in August and throughout autumn. The delta has a very diverse ecosystem, ranging from otters to flamingos and dolphins. It is currently under debate whether shipping ports will be constructed to help the country’s economy,

3 www.volksanwaltschaft.gv.at/artikel/verschmutzung-der-donau-durch-faekalien www.donaukurier.de/nachrichten/bayern/Wetter-Schifffahrt-NIEDERBAYERN-Bayern-Sinkende-Pegelstaende-aufDonau-Schifffahrt-drohen-Probleme;art155371,4263509

because this will risk the natural balance of the delta’s health, as well as involve the high costs of building new infrastructure. The river cities of the region currently receive around 40% of their water from ground sources. In Croatia, there are only 138 km of the Danube river, of which 130 km creates a natural border with Serbia. However, two big tributary rivers – Sava and Drava – flow through Croatia. It is important to protect these rivers, as both join the Danube. The very important nature park Kopački Rit exists thanks to the Drava and the Danube rivers. It is home to more than 2 300 species, some of which are rare or endangered. Approximately 140 bird species nest in this area. The nature park is listed as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and, in 1993, it became a Wetland of International Importance in the framework of the Ramsar Convention. In 2012, UNESCO established the Mura-Drava-Danube Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, with Kopački Rit as its most valuable part.

In 2004, toxic mud from the aluminium industry in Hungary became a major threat to the park. Building a mound prevented mud from entering, and water analysis is now carried out continuously. The stretch of the Danube in Croatia is partly navigable, so it is also important to consider sustainable navigation and transport to keepi the river and its surroundings pristine.

“For the Danube and its tributaries, it is important to improve the system of purification of waste water from big cities, such as Zagreb, which has yet to build one. The second problem in terms of Danube pollution is agricultural contamination with pesticides and other chemicals that end up in the river. The level of use of these agents has to be reduced along the whole river flow, because they not only pollute the Danube but the Black Sea.

Phillip Weller, ICPDR (International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River), 2004

In 2004, a central plant for wastewater purification was installed in Zagreb, despite a conclusion by experts in 1998 that the plant would not make the river Sava any cleaner. The problem lay in the basic mechanical design of the plant, which could not cope with the torrential waters that bring in most of the pollution. The problem of poor water quality was, however, solved when significant polluters ceased operations, and industries installed devices for