|Â | Environment, European Union
Danube, the transforming delta
With its labyrinth of canals, inland lakes, lagoons, remote islands, and windswept coastlines, the Danube Delta seems unchanging. Its precious habitats – a haven for Europe’s main migratory bird species and the most iconic of fish, the sturgeon – and its lands where populations of diverse ethnicities, languages, and religions have found refuge, are exposed to accelerated environmental and social changes. Climate change and the disruption of upstream waterways are leading to erosion and silting of canals, while poaching, pollution, and a warming climate are threatening biodiversity.
The recent boom in tourism provides an unexpected opportunity for residents deprived of their most profitable livelihood – caviar – but also a threat to ecosystems and local identity. Several projects funded by Cohesion Funds are attempting to manage these transformations.
Photos and text by Marco Ranocchiari
This article is published as part of the "Cohesion4Climate" project, co-funded by the European Union. The EU is in no way responsible for the information or views expressed within the project; the sole responsibility for the content lies with OBCT.
