The Danube : environmental monitoring of an international river

The Danube river is one of the worlds greatest international freshwater resources, stretching halfway across Europe and passing through 11 countries with a catchment shared by 17 countries. Environmental monitoring is essential to resolving transboundary water conflicts. This publication examines the development of the disputed Gabc'kovo-Nagymaros project between Hungary and the Slovak Republic, and its progress from the International Court of Justice to the subsequent agreement to joint monitoring and assessment of the environmental implications. The study uses a multidisciplinary methodology combining approaches derived from natural resources management, geography, international relations, political science, and international law, in order to explore the applications of environmental monitoring and data sharing for improving the management of international waters.