EWP Newsletter June 2011
Interative Danube platform launched on Danube Day
Vienna (Austria), June 2011. Danube Day, the annual celebration of the world’s most
international river, was this year celebrated on the 29th of June and marked with the
launch of Danube +, an interactive map-based platform which will expand
understanding of the river and the challenges and opportunities it presents.
Danube + is an initiative of WWF and The Coca-Cola Company Europe Group,
supported by The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River
(ICPDR).
European Water Partnership
Av. de Tervuren 168, bte 15
1150 Brussels, Belgium
Phone +32 2 735 0681
Fax +32 2 735 0682
[email protected]
www.ewp.eu
“We want to keep the public informed about the natural values and threats to the
Danube, and about the importance of the water stewardship work that is being done
on the Danube today”, said Andreas Beckmann, Director of the WWF DanubeCarpathian Programme.
“The Danube + website prompts the public to explore the river by navigating through a
satellite map which has three types of objects: natural values, environmental issues
and actions for a living Danube. It also gives the public and other organizations the
opportunity to share information about the river. It is our hope that this will become
the largest Danube community out there”, Beckmann said.
“Water stewardship is key to building a sustainable business and communities. The
Danube is a focal point for us in Europe as it is the lifeline for over 80 million people
and a haven for biodiversity”, said Ulrike Sapiro, Environmental Sustainability Director,
Coca-Cola Europe.
The work of WWF and The Coca-Cola Company Europe Group has been supported by
The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), a
transnational body, which works to safeguard the Danube’s waters for future
generations. The use of ICPDR resources has been invaluable.
The Danube River flows through 10 countries and four European capitals, and its
drainage basin includes major parts of 14 countries. An estimated 83 million people
live in the Danube River Basin today and more than 20 million people depend directly
on the Danube for their drinking water. Flowing 2,857 km from Germany’s Black Forest
to the Danube Delta and into the Black Sea, the Danube is recognized by the European
Commission as the “single most important non-oceanic body of water in Europe” and
a “future central axis for the European Union”.
In addition, the Danube basin is home to a diverse system of natural habitats. Among
these are Germany’s Black Forest, the Alps and Carpathian Mountains, the Hungarian
Puszta Plains, the Bulgarian islands and the giant reed beds and marshes of the
Danube Delta. These habitats are home to a rich and unique biological diversity and
species. The Danube River Basin has more than 100 different species of fish – including
five sturgeon species – and it is home to rare birds like the White Pelican, White Tailed
Eagle and Black Stork.
Visit Danube + on www.danube.panda.org
Media contact:
Lisa Struebbe
[email protected]
+32 (0) 273 50 681
EWP Newsletter June 2011
About WWF
As a global conservation organization, WWF is one of the world's largest, working in
100 countries. Since the Danube has lost 80 percent of its former wetlands, and with
them the most biologically productive areas and essential ecosystem services - from
flood protection to water purification - WWF's efforts on the Danube have focused on
wetland restoration to demonstrate the benefits of wetland systems, provide
guidance on how to restore wetlands throughout the Danube basin, as well as provide
critical habitat for the Danube’s rich flora and fauna.
European Water Partnership
Av. de Tervuren 168, bte 15
1150 Brussels, Belgium
Phone +32 2 735 0681
Fax +32 2 735 0682
[email protected]
www.ewp.eu
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company. Water is the primary
ingredient in every beverage the company makes and it is vital to the health and wellbeing of the communities Coca Cola serves. The Coca Cola Company’s ultimate goal is
to replenish the water it uses in all of its beverages and their production. In 2007 the
Danube River became one of seven major river basins selected to undergo freshwater
conservation work as part of the WWF - Coca Cola global partnership”.
About ICPDR
The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) is a
transnational body, which has been established to implement the Danube River
Protection Convention. The ICPDR works to safeguard the Danube’s water resources
for future generations, achieve naturally balanced waters free from excess nutrients
and sustain a healthy river system.
For further information:
Olga Apostolova, Communications Officer, WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme,
+359 885 727 862, email: [email protected]
Media contact:
Lisa Struebbe
[email protected]
+32 (0) 273 50 681