A study investigating hydropower conflicts in Albania reveals alarming circumstances: In these 4 years, 34 people have been arrested; six casualties are recorded, including one murder and one murder attempt. The study confirms that conflicts, corruption, lack of transparency and even murder are deeply connected with hydropower development in Albania.

Streams like this would be destroyed by HP projects inside Mavrovo NP © Theresa Schiller

After successfully preventing the construction of two big dam projects inside Mavrovo National Park – one of Europe’s oldest national parks – its rivers and creeks are still threatened by low performing hydro projects. Low performing plants are being promoted under the disguise “small is beautiful”, but they are just as devastating to smaller creeks than big plants are to large rivers. There is nothing green about them, especially not within the boundaries of a national park.

Recently, a report by a team of international lawyers revealed that the plot to kill anti-dam activist Berta Cáceres went up to the top of the Honduran energy company behind the dam, Desarrollos Energéticos, known as ”DESA.” It demonstrates that energy companies not only get away with ecocide and human rights abuses in connection with dam construction, they even kill human beings with impunity.

Read the most recent update of the Initaitive to Keep Hasankeyf Alive: Environmental and heritage destruction have accelerated in Turkey’s historic city of Hasankeyf as crews work day and night, seven days a week to collapse vulnerable portions of the cliffs ringing the town and fill in some 200 caves.

In September, Patagonia took a group of “Change Makers” to the Balkan to explore the stunning rivers, learn about the threats they are facing and what we do to save them. Today, we present to you the first outcome of this trip: a short video about the rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, produced by Grégory Mignard from the “Captain Yvon Association”. Enjoy!

Protest action at the dam Rosenburg on the Kamp river in Lower Austria. The floating letters say “Free our rivers. HPP Rosenburg – Get rid of it” © Riverwatch

++ Riverwatch demands removal of EVN dam ++ Remove the Dams! Initiative for Alpine region launched ++ Austria has the highest density of hydropower plants globally ++With today’s unusual action, Riverwatch and kayakers from the Kamp valley in Lower Austria demand the removal of the dam in Rosenburg. They gathered in kayaks around the floating slogan “Befreit den Kamp! KW Rosenburg - WegDammit! (Free the Kamp! HPP Rosenburg - get rid of it)” on the dam reservoir. 

Under the slogan “Mos ma prek Vjosën! (Hands off Vjosa!)”, a special kind of concert took place at the main square in Tirana last night. In front of over 4000 people, prominent Albanian musicians sang for the protection of the Vjosa river and against the planned dam projects.

On October 18, we will hold a big concert for the protection of the beautiful and threatened Vjosa River, the last big wild river in Europe! Free entry! Where: Skanderbeg square in front of the National History Museum in Tirana; When: October 18, 19:00

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