I graduated in 1977 from the József Attila University, Szeged, with Master’s degree in biology. From 1981, I write articles and deliver lectures about environmental issues of water management and water constructions. I am founder of the Danube Circle, the first independent environmental protest group in the former communist block, recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, the alternative Nobel-prize in 1985. In 1990, I was awarded with the Goldman Environmental Prize. I am the editor of a book, published in 1997, about the decision of the International Court of Justice in the Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros hydropower project’s case, and author of its chapter about hydropolitics. From 1998, I was the chief environmental advisor of the Hungarian government. In 2000, I resigned from this position. Recently, I follow the changes in the relationships of humankind and rivers, especially the development of river sciences.
Further readings:
Right Livelihood Award, 1985
Goldman Environmental Prize, 1990
Haraszti, M., 1990. The Beginnings of Civil Society: The Independent Peace Movement and the Danube Movement in Hungary. In V. Tismaneanu, ed. In Search of Civil Society. Routledge New York, pp. 71–88.
Pearce, F., 1991. Green Warriors: The People and the Politics Behind the Environmental Revolution, London: The Bodley Head.
Galambos, J., 1993. An international environmental conflict on the Danube: the Gabcikovo–Nagymaros dams. In A. Vari & P. Tamas, eds. Environment and democratic transition. Technology, Risk, and Society: An International Series in Risk Analysis. Springer, pp. 176–226.
Richter, M. & Thunecke, I., 2005. János Vargha : Ohne Notausgang — gefangen in der Technosphere. In M. Richter & I. Thunecke, eds. Metamorphosen der Utopie: Rückblicke und Ausblicke nach Europa. Mössingen–Talheim: Talheimer Verlag, pp. 300–316.
Marmorat, M., 2006. Controverse socio-technique autour des barrages danubiens Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros, 1977-2004 ( Hongrie / Slovaquie ). Etude microsociologique des relations internationales (PhD thesis). Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. Available here.
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