Annual Report 2018 EuroNatur Foundation

Photo: Theresa Schiller - Valbona
Outlook
We will continue the campaign with great intensity. This
includes further efforts to close knowledge gaps, court
actions, media relations, political lobbying and activities
to mobilize civil society in the countries hosting the Blue
Heart of Europe. In future we will bring a sharper focus on
the people affected and on the socio-economic impacts of
hydropower projects. Moreover, we will further expand our
activities in the Mediterranean region.
Our achievements in recent years
Since the start of the campaign we have been able to
significantly improve the knowledge and data base
on the ecological value of the Balkan rivers. We were
successful in shining a spotlight on the beauty of and
threats to this European natural heritage, bringing
the issue to the attention of the national and international
public as well as important EU institutions.
Thanks to the campaign, some Balkan rivers are now
well-known even beyond Europe’s borders. One of
these is the Vjosa river. While decision-makers in the
Balkans are still ‘selling’ hydropower as an alleged
green source of energy, the EU institutions are gradually
beginning to rethink the issue.
There is now a rising awareness as to the destructive
impacts of hydropower projects. The EU Commission for
example now regularly makes reference to the threat to
Balkan rivers from hydropower developments in their
official reports on the political and legal progress of the
candidate countries for accession to the EU. Important
financiers of hydropower plants in the Balkans, such as
EBRD and the World Bank, are revising their funding
guidelines and are increasingly more critical in their
assessments of investments into hydropower projects.
Moreover, the people affected are increasingly fighting
back against the destruction of their rivers. There is
now a large network of allies in the fight for free-flowing
Balkan rivers. To date our efforts have resulted in preventing
the construction of a number of hydropower plants
in particularly sensitive areas. However, the Blue Heart of
Europe continues to be at risk.
Partners: Riverwatch, Front 21/42, HDZPP, CZZS, Eko-svest,
EcoAlbania, Tour du Valat, MedINA, Pindos Perivallontiki, IUCN
ECARO, WI European Association, WWF Adria, GEOTA
Funding: Mava Foundation, Manfred-Hermsen-Stiftung for
Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection,
Patagonia, Fondation pour la Sauvegarde de la Nature,
Bristol Stiftung, EuroNatur’s donors
Internet: www.balkanrivers.net
Our campaigns
Annual Report 2018
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