2. DANUBE DELTA INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE GENERAL OBJECTIVES: 1. To Create a modern international infrastructure for integrated and multi-disciplinary research on sustainable management of wetlands within the river – delta – coastal zone – sea systems of Europe The Centre will create opportunities for the international scientific cooperation development by offering possibilities for international scientific teams to study directly the natural processes that influence the evolution and changes of wetlands, deltas and coastal zones.

3. DANUBE DELTA INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE GENERAL OBJECTIVES (Continuation): GENERAL OBJECTIVES (Continuation): 2. Training, education, information, public awareness, local communities involvement - to create an international focal point on training and education: data base, post graduate training courses, doctorate terms, training courses for students and young scientists from Romania, European Union and other countries as well; - to create an information centre for public awareness and local communities involvement.

4. DANUBE DELTA INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE GENERAL OBJECTIVES (Continuation): 3. International scientific cooperation - to create opportunities for the development of international scientific cooperation on sustainable development in wetlands, on achieving new knowledge in the natural processes that coordinate and influence the evolution and changes of deltas and coastal zone.

5. Research Framework Programme  Assessing the Danube - Western Black Sea system reference state of environment  Climate change and its consequences for the Danube – Western Black Sea System  Ecosystem response to climate change  Effects of increasing human activities on the Danube - Western Black Sea system  Changes in Societal Demand on the Danube – Western Black Sea System

6. General Operational Goals  Develop data gathering technologies/strategies and new process understanding to study changes in Danube – Western Black Sea ecosystems  Improved model building for evaluating reactions to changes in external forcing and exploring linkages in the system  Develop predictive capacity for the response of the Danube – Black Sea System to changes in both natural and the human forcing The ultimate goal of the Centre is to provide improved tools for sustainable management

7. WHY DANUBE DELTA?  Position: interface between the Danube River (the most important river in EU - over 2 800 km long) and the Black Sea.  Unique place:  the largest delta of the European Union (~6 000 km 2 ),  less affected by human activities,  high biodiversity ( over 30 natural and modified ecosystems).  Conservation status: Ramsar site (1991), Biosphere reserve, UNESCO MAB Program, UNESCO World Heritage site.

8. Location of the International Centre “Danube Delta”

9. MAIN COMPONENTS OF FACILITIES  Buildings for research (laboratories, aquarium, terrarium, experimental ponds/fields, etc.);  Buildings for meetings/courses and seminars/conferences;  Buildings for information (library, visitor centre, exhibitions, etc.)  Buildings for accommodation and living;  Buildings/spaces for recreation/sport;  Functional annexes.

10. GENERAL VIEW OF DANUBE DELTA IRC

11. DANUBE DELTA IRC: partial view

13. sustainable management of wetlands within the river – delta – coastal zone – sea systems of Europe; – Opportunity to study in a unique place where the river meets the sea the sustainable management of wetlands within the river – delta – coastal zone – sea systems of Europe; – Opportunity for exchange of know how, to develop common research programmes of interest for both the Danube and Black Sea region; – Opportunity to develop and strengthen the science community of the Danube and Black Sea regions Added value at Danube macro- regional level and Black Sea region

14. – European Union level – National level - Regional level – International level (UNEP, UNDP, GEF, IUCN, etc.) Financial support

15. European Union Community Policies Environment Policy Regional Policy Maritime Policy R&I Policy Neighborhood Policy EU Strategy Danube Region Specific financial instruments EGTC

16. Why the EU regional policy?  Strategic/ Territorial planning approach: -Territorial cohesion principle -Geographic territorial dimension -Macro regional approach- EU Strategy for the Danube region -EU 2020  Financial instruments -Objective 1 programmes- Environment SOP -Objective 3 programmes – cbc, interregional and transnational cooperation  Implementation instrument: -European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation

17. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !