More than 80 million people call the Danube Basin their home - diverse peoples with a multitude of cultures and languages – many of whom depend on it for their livelihoods. The large population living and working there results in great pressure on Danube resources.

Water use is on the up as demands from industry, households, power production, fisheries, irrigation, tourism and navigation grow. The all too common practice of dumping waste adds to these problems. Ensuring the rational use and sustainable management of water is essential.

The intense pressure on the basin has negative impacts for local people and wildlife:

• Severe water pollution (exceeding legal limits in many areas): nutrients and toxics from agriculture and household waste plus chemicals from outdated industrial plants can enter the river system without proper treatment;
• Drastic decline in natural habitats such as wetlands, floodplains, steep banks and alluvial meadows due to drainage and intensified land use;
• Alteration to river dynamics: embankments, dam building and canalisation exacerbate flood risk and pollution problems.