Considering Europe’s commitment to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, Pro Danube International seeks a unique chance for the entire IWT sector to reinforce its position as a leading environmental-friendly mode of transport. Pro Danube International, therefore, initiates the roll-out of a Europe-wide campaign, dedicating the year 2022 to the promotion of Danube Logistics and Tourism under the motto:
The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness on recent and planned developments focusing on new beginnings in line with the European policy framework, highlighting the strengths and opportunities of Danube waterborne transport, while bringing together policy and decision-makers, experts, and the business sector in order to achieve the European goal of increasing transport by inland waterways and short sea shipping by 25% by 2030, and by 50% by 2050.
Given that NAIADES3 was tailored to accomplish these ambitious goals acting as the pillar of the pathway towards a climate-resilient, digital, and reliable inland waterborne transport system, clear and well-defined instruments to accomplish its concrete implementation are necessary. Therefore, as an integral part of our Europe-wide campaign, Pro Danube International initiated a series of interviews with experts of the responsible national governance structures to provide first-hand information on the Danube Region country's adaptation process to the targets enshrined in the European Green Deal.
Representing the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology, Ms. Vera Hofbauer, Head of Directorate General IV - Transport, provided us with interesting insights into Austria's plans to proactively support the IWT industry on its pathway towards climate neutrality. The interview is available here.
The first event organised in the frame of our campaign - "Inland Waterways Transport in the Danube: taking stock of the NAIADES III Strategy" - was co-organised online on 12 July 2022 by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and Pro Danube International, supported by the Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup of the European Parliament and is co-hosted by MEP Carmen Avram, SEArica Vice-Chair for the Danube and the Black Sea & MEP Caroline Nagtegaal, SEArica member & EP rapporteur for "Towards Future-proof Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) in Europe". If you missed the event - the recording is available for download here.
The first event organised in the frame of our campaign - "Inland Waterways Transport in the Danube: taking stock of the NAIADES III Strategy" - was co-organised online on 12 July 2022 by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and Pro Danube International, supported by the Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup of the European Parliament and is co-hosted by MEP Carmen Avram, SEArica Vice-Chair for the Danube and the Black Sea & MEP Caroline Nagtegaal, SEArica member & EP rapporteur for "Towards Future-proof Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) in Europe". If you missed the event - the recording is available for download here.