Active protection of the Oder River is the focus of the German-Polish workshop
01.06.2023
On 31 May 2023, a Polish-German workshop was held to discuss environmental restoration, planned and ongoing investments and maintenance measures on the Oder River resulting from the implementation of the International Polish-German Agreement. The event, organised in a hybrid format, results from the 2022 agreement between the Environment Ministers of Poland and Germany.
Today's Polish-German Workshop on the Oder River results from our mutual good bilateral cooperation. The outcome of the discussions and individual speeches is expected to be an effective exchange of information for each side and the establishment of working contacts between experts. Poland is successfully implementing an active protection plan against golden algae blooms and carrying out numerous maintenance and investment works on the Oder, per international obligations. Today, we would also like to find out how the German side is meeting these obligations
– said Marcin Białek, Director of the Department for International Affairs at the Ministry of Climate and Environment.
The aim of the meeting was to exchange information about the state of the Oder River and ongoing investments between experts from both countries. The workshop brought together many Polish and German scientists, government and local government employees and experts.
Participants learned the most critical information about the ongoing monitoring activities on the River and discussed preventive measures for the new summer season, which are currently being implemented.
The Polish experts displayed a new internet platform where monitoring results from individual intake points on the Oder River are uploaded and updated in real time. They also presented the planned legislative changes resulting from the Act on the Oder River Restoration currently underway and its various assumptions. The characteristics of the Oder River basin area and a catalogue of national measures of a technical and supportive nature were also discussed. Information was also provided on the prevention of water salinisation, acceptable standards, the protection of aquatic ecosystems and the review of water licences.
Representatives of the scientific teams from Poland and Germany involved in the study of the phenomenon emphasised the excellent cooperation in the ongoing exchange of information between the various institutions and agreed on the need to continue it at the expert level.