Nestled at the foothills of Călimani National Park in eastern Romania, the Răstolița river, a tributary of the Mureș, flows through a pristine and biodiverse landscape. However, this idyllic setting is under threat from the Răstolița hydropower project, a relic of the communist era. Designed over 30 years ago, this outdated project is incompatible with modern environmental standards and poses a severe threat to the unique ecosystem of the Răstolița river, home to the endangered Danube salmon.

In December 2024, the Bern Convention set a new target for expanding the Emerald Network. The purpose of the network is to preserve endangered species and habitats throughout Europe by designating and managing protected areas called Emerald sites. In this episode, Andrey Ralev and Friedrich Wulf discuss the challenges and opportunities for nature protection in different parts of Europe.

Biodiversity in Europe is rapidly declining, making it more important than ever to focus on nature protection and restoration while halting harmful projects. We often become aware of projects planned for our localities that pose a risk to nature. But how can we stop them? By identifying and reporting these projects. In doing so, we can all act as watchdogs and help prevent future harm.

That’s why we’ve created a harmful project documenting tool designed to help you collect important information.