Climate Exchange

The 2nd DRB and 1st Danube Flood Risk Management

Plan, due by 2015 and to be updated according to the six-

year planning cycles, will be the key tools for adapting the

DRB to climate change. The adaptation strategy will there-

fore not include a programme of measures since the required

adaptation measures will be discussed and enshrined in the

forthcoming management plans. ICPDR will focus in this

process on the issues that are relevant for the basin-wide scale.

For further information please get in contact with the

ICPDR secretariat via

www.icpdr.org

Possible adaptation measures

The Danube study includes a summary of possible adaptation

measures for each investigated impact field, which can be ordered

according to different categories (for example, based on the United

Nations Economic Commission for Europe Guidance on Water and

Adaptation to Climate Change).

Possible adaptation measures can include preparatory measures

for adaptation (e.g. intensified monitoring activities to assess climate

change impacts or forecasting and warning systems, further research

to close knowledge gaps), ecosystem-based measures (e.g. imple-

mentation of a green infrastructure to connect biogeographic regions

and habitats, protection and restoration of water-retention areas),

behavioural/managerial measures (including support for education,

capacity-building and knowledge transfer or promotion of water-

saving behaviour), technological measures (e.g. improvement of

infrastructure such as more efficient irrigation systems in agricul-

ture or the construction and modification of dams and reservoirs

for different purposes like drinking water supply), as well as policy

approaches (like support of an institutional framework to coordinate

activities e.g. on flood risk management).

Developing a climate adaptation strategy

The Danube study was an important step towards adapting the DRB

to climate change. By addressing the whole basin, it helps to generate

a joint understanding of the issues and identify the required trans-

boundary actions. The ICPDR Strategy on Adaptation to Climate

Change is currently being developed, to be finalized by the end of

2012. The strategy should guide the way to fully integrate climate

adaptation in the work of ICPDR by making best use of existing

structures and instruments, in particular the WFD and EFD.

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Although no clear picture can be provided at the current stage on expected changes in flood magnitude and frequencies, focusing on integrated flood risk

management with the implementation of the EU Floods Directive on Danube Basin-wide scale, is considered as a no-regret measure for adaptation to climate

change and the protection of the local population

Image: F. Kovacs

Green infrastructure like the extension of natural areas and the (re-)

connection of wetlands and floodplains to the main river can provide

various benefits for adaptation to climate change, creating win-win solutions

like the reduction of flood peaks, increased robustness against low flow

situations and drought spells, beside the protection and maintenance of

the natural ecosystem

Image: Alexander Ivanov