Romania’s Danube Delta set to host large EU scientific hub

Romania’s Danube Delta will host a large scientific hub where Romanian and international researchers will study floods, droughts, biodiversity, and water quality for the ecosystems of rivers.

The center will be built in Murighiol and will be the first international consortium of its kind headquartered in Romania. The building, expected to be completed in 5 years, will feature cutting-edge laboratories for 300 researchers.

The project, called “Danubius,” was first proposed 25 years ago, and aims to take advantage of Romania's position at the mouth of the Danube River.

However, the research will not focus solely on the Danube and the Black Sea but will also encompass other major rivers, such as the Rhine and the Thames, emblematic rivers of Germany and the United Kingdom, respectively. The data will be shared and analyzed comparatively.

“Water is one of the major challenges of this century, and through this infrastructure with strong Romanian components, Romania has the chance to play in the top league,” said Mihaela Păun, General Director of the National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, cited by ProTV.

Researchers already have seven major topics on their agenda, including floods, like those on the Danube this summer. Experts believe the results obtained here will lead to global solutions.

“Europe’s competitiveness and its position in this race towards a clean and digital economy will depend on launching a new phase of innovation and research,” added Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice President of the European Commission.

Another key topic is the study of pollutants, including new and unknown classes, that reach water sources and ultimately affect humans. These issues will be investigated using six field research stations and 52 observation points distributed throughout the Danube Delta and the Black Sea coastal zone.

The project has a total cost of EUR 130 million, 85% of which will be funded by the EU, with the other 15% covered by Romania.

(Photo source: Salajean | Dreamstime.com)