Several hydropower plants are planned on the upper Neretva © Amel Emric

Bern Convention targets crimes against nature in the Balkans

Dec 03, 2021 /

At the urging of nature conservation organizations, the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention took another look at various projects in the Balkans at its most recent meeting. These include an airport in the middle of the Narta Lagoon in the Vjosa delta in Albania or a series of hydropower plants along the Neretva in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Balkanrivers
The destroyed river Lumbardhi in the National Park. © Shpresa Loshaj

Riverwatch against re-opening of Kelag/Kelkos HPPs in Kosovo: more assessments needed

Nov 23, 2021 /

The Kosovar Minister for Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure informed the public via Facebook about the presentation of a concept for the area Zalli I Rupes. In this post, Riverwatch is mentioned and it might give the impression, that Riverwatch has been part of a process towards re-opening of the hydropower plants in the region and that we have given a “green light” for this. This is not the case.

Balkanrivers

PETITION: Vjosa National Park, the only way to save Vjosa

Oct 25, 2021 /

After a decade of efforts to protect the Vjosa River in Albania, this petition will gather the voices of all supporters and demand an action that will make a real change: Proclaiming Vjosa as a National Park. Sign the petition and share it with your friends so that we join our efforts to protect what nature took centuries to create.

Balkanrivers
© Ulrich Eichelmann/Riverwatch

New Alliance for the Protection of the Balkan Rivers - "Different Countries - Collective Struggle"

Jul 05, 2021 /

Under the slogan "Lets defend the Balkan Rivers", activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia Sarajevo met in Sarajevo on Saturday, July 3, to decide on a pan-Balkan alliance for the protection of the rivers in the region. From now on, the various organizations want to work more closely together, because the issues are the same in all countries

Balkanrivers
Maida Bilal received the award on behalf of the all the brave women of Kruščica. © Goldman Prize

Goldman Environmental Prize for the “Brave Women of Kruščica”

Jun 15, 2021 /

On Wednesday evening, Maida Bilal received the renowned 2021 Goldman Environmental Prize on behalf of the “brave women of Kruščica”. The prize is endowed with 200,000 USD.  The Jury justified their decision on the grounds that hydropower is not green, and is one of the greatest threats to wild rivers and the people living along their banks. Maida Bilal and the other women fought for one of the last free-flowing rivers in Europe - and won.

Balkanrivers
Professor Gabriel Singer (University of Innsbruck) at the Shushica river taking water samples for providing further evidence that the river network of the Vjosa catchment needs the best protection possible. © Nick St.Oegger

Discovering the unknown: Science week at the Vjosa tributaries

Jun 07, 2021 /

From May 29 to June 6, a science delegation from Austria, Albania, Italy and Germany collects multidisciplinary data from the two major Vjosa tributaries Shushica and Bënça. This research week is a follow-up of a comparable undertaking at the Vjosa in 2017, which contributed substantially to our success in establishing the ecological value of the Vjosa, fending off the hydropower projects (HPP) and which led to the designation as a protected area.

Balkanrivers

Pages

Logo Balkanrivers

Search

Supported by long time partner

Tags

Newsletter Archive

Monthly archive