Europe‘s rivers

Save the Blue Heart of Europe

Geographical location in Europe

Ecologically valuable watercourses in the Balkans, the blue heart of Europe.

Status

The Balkan Peninsula’s wild and pristine river landscapes are among Europe’s most important natural treasures. In more than ten years of campaigning to save the Balkan rivers, there’s a lot we have achieved together with our partners, especially in terms of raising awareness among local people as to the adverse impacts of hydropower. Local groups are fighting back against the energy companies’ often illegal activities, and more and more often national governments are deciding against the destruction of rivers by hydropower projects. But the issue has not gone away and is unlikely to do so any time soon, a fact that is also borne out by the latest developments in the European Union‘s renewable energy policy, which continues to involve a level of reliance on hydropower.

Objectives

Our aim is to ensure that the Balkan rivers will continue to be allowed to flow freely and that any utilisation of these rivers will be sustainable.

Free-flowing rivers have become very rare in Europe. But they still exist in the Balkans, where even today breathtakingly beautiful river landscapes can be found. However, nature has been coming under increasing pressure. Together with our many fellow campaigners, we draw attention to the destruction and exploitation of the Balkan rivers and highlight alternatives.

Selected activities and achievements in 2022

One of our most effective tools has been the “Lawyers for Rivers” initiative. In 2022, our lawyers helped prevent the construction of hundreds of hydropower plants.

After several years of persistent lobbying on our part, the government of the Republic of North Macedonia decided to abandon 25 of the 29 planned small hydropower projects in the newly designated Šar Planina National Park (map p. 5, no. 4), a trailblazing decision that strengthens the value of protected areas.

In June 2022, in the presence of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Albanian Environment Minister Mirela Kumbaro and Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Vjosa Wild River National Park. The MoU picks up on measures we proposed in our campaign.

In February 2022, the European Investment Bank improved its Biodiversity Standard by taking into account many of our recommendations. This new standard should now prevent the Bank from financing new hydropower projects.

Outlook

We will increasingly focus on particularly harmful large-scale projects, such as the Skavica hydropower plant in Albania. To this end, we will support local initiatives and help them build effective campaigns. In addition, we aim to further strengthen our campaign partners in the Balkans so that they will be able to act as national focal points for river protection and local resistance movements without being dependent on our support.

Partners: Riverwatch, EcoAlbania, MedINA, Pindos Perivallontiki, IUCN ECARO, Tour du Valat, ClientEarth, DPRS, Eko-svest, Front 21/42, North Green Association, Res Publica

Funding: MAVA Foundation, Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation, Manfred-Hermsen-Stiftung for Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection, Fondation Genevoise de Bienfaisance „Valeria Rossi di Montelera“, EuroNatur‘s donors