River deltas are a critical coastal habitat, however, they are facing continuous threats such as increased erosion, flooding risk, and shrinking salt marshes and mangroves. This has become a global problem which requires international cooperation to find solutions. The Mega-Delta Programme will study the present status and threats facing 25 globally representative deltas, create methodologies for new blueprints including critical characteristics and the sustainability of the delta system and its capacity to support regional development for deltas having different physical processes and ecological and economic value. The overall objective of the programme is to support sustainable development in delta regions.

In response to the common problems of marine disasters and environment that are of concern to coastal countries, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt and Romania, which have a good foundation for cooperation and an important strategic position, are selected as the main partners to enhance the capacity of the cooperating parties for disaster prevention and control, ecological and environmental restoration and environmental health risk prevention and control, and enhance knowledge generation and sharing among deltaic regions.