The JDS is now being organized for the 5th time by the Vienna-based International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR). The kick-off event took place on July 1 as part of a press conference at the “Motto am Fluss” ship restaurant on Schwedenplatz in Vienna.
As the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK) bears a major part of the costs of the JDS5, the press conference was opened by the responsible minister Norbert Totschnig as well as the president Lidija Globevnik and the executive secretary of the ICPDR Birgit Vogel. The ICC Water & Health team was represented on site by Alexander Kirschner and Alexandra Fobe and answered questions from the minister and the press (see photo, photo credit APA).
The microbiology team will set off for the first partner laboratory at the University of Regensburg on July 14 and, via laboratory stations in Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Turnu-Severin and Calarasi, will take samples from a total of 70 locations along the Danube and important tributaries until August 10, analysing them in the laboratories or preparing them for later analysis. The focus of the investigations will be on faecal pollution and the spread of antibiotic resistance.
The team will be reinforced by ICC member Mats Leifels, young researcher Ofélia Kirschner and the Serbian research couple Stoimir and Margareta Kolarevic. A total of 1000 researchers from 100 institutions in 14 countries are taking part in the JDS5 activities. The most important results on the current ecological, chemical and microbiological status of the Danube and its most important tributaries will be available in a report at the beginning of 2027. Further details can be found on the JDS5 website and in articles in the press, radio and television.