Nature-based solutions as water management measures in Hungary

Climate change, loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems are all linked and have devastating consequences for our socio-economic stability, health and well-being. Working with nature is increasingly recognized as an efficient way to tackle these growing challenges, according to the new EEA report ‘Nature-based solutions in Europe: Policy, knowledge and practice for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.’ In line with the basin wide updated flood risk strategy like International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (hereafter: ICPDR) Flood Risk Management Plans 2021. Multilevel action plans have been developed. The EU level plans, such as the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, from the geographical point of view (for example: EU Green Deal) are mainly based on watersheds and on macro-regional scale. However, at the same time, counties should elaborate their strategies on their own level. Hungary has many strategies, one of the most relevant in terms of climate change is the Hungarian National Water Strategy (hereafter: HNWS), also known as, Kvassay Jenő Plan.

Keywords: climate change, flood risk, risk reduction, runoff management, water conservation