Harmful hydropower projects in SE Europe enabled by sub-standard environmental assessments
November 13, 2015
Civil society organisations today published a new report looking at the quality of 25 environmental impact assessments (EIA) and 2 strategic environmental assessments (SEA) done for hydropower projects in seven countries in the last five years and examines how the mistakes made in these cases could be avoided in the future.
Activists help put the brakes on Balkan hydro projects
August 27, 2015
Balkan governments are under mounting pressure to curb the construction of hydropower plants (HPPs) in national parks and wildlife areas, where hundreds of projects are planned or underway. Environmental campaigners have already scored successes in halting new HPPs. In late July, Croatia’s environment ministry rejected Hrvatska Elektroprivreda’s impact study for its 68-MW Ombla HPP near historic Dubrovnik, Courts in Republika Srpska (RS) have twice this year backed activists’ claims that environmental assessments on proposed plants in the Sutjeska National Park were flawed.
[Campaign update] Ombla hydropower plant nature impact assessment rejected
August 10, 2015
The Croatian Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection has refused Hrvatska Elektroprovreda (HEP)’s nature impact assessment for the Ombla hydropower project near Dubrovnik.
O peniaze z Junckerovho fondu sa uchádza kontroverzná slovenská priehrada
August 3, 2015
Mimovládne organizácie upozorňujú, že bez prísnejších ekonomických a environmentálnych kritérií podporu z 315 miliardového Junckerovho balíka získajú aj rôzne kontroverzné projekty ako vodné dielo Slatinka.
Slovakian dam project is a warning sign for Juncker’s investment drive
July 22, 2015
The European Parliament will soon be voting on a Scoreboard that will help assess candidate projects to the EUR 21 billion European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI). Stringent economic, social and environmental criteria are a paramount need for ensuring investments that contribute to a more sustainable Europe.
Bosnien/Kroatien/Serbien: Wer ist schuld an der Flutkatastrophe vor einem Jahr?
June 2, 2015
Es war die schlimmste Flut in der Region seit Beginn der Wetteraufzeichnungen. Hunderttausende in Bosnien, Kroatien und Serbien mussten im Mai 2014 vor dem Wasser fliehen. Für 82 Menschen kam jede Hilfe zu spät. Ein Jahr danach ist ARD Reporter Darko Jakovljevic nach Rajevo Selo gefahren, ein Ort in Kroatien, der von den Wassermassen der Save komplett überflutet war. Noch heute ist an Alltag in Rajevo Selo kaum zu denken. Die Hochwasseropfer sind misstrauisch, glauben nicht, dass alles Menschenmögliche für ihre Sicherheit getan wurde.
Georgia further develops hydro-power despite risks
May 15, 2015
The government of Georgia has big ambitions to become a regional energy player through hydro-power. But construction in areas prone to landslides has critics worried. Al Jazeera’s Robin Forestier-Walker reports.
Georgia’s hydropower revolution far from rosy for communities, the environment and the economy
May 14, 2015
For Shuakhevi as with other large dams recently built or planned in Georgia, it all adds up for western planners and financiers. The final bill for the Georgian population and environment, though, is still a long way from being finalised.
#SaveGeorgianNaturefromEBRDfinancedDams
May 14, 2015
In the run-up to this year’s annual meeting in Tbilisi, the EBRD has taken to social media, via the hashtag #Georgia15, to invite Twitter users to share “beautiful photos of Georgia with a global audience”.
Pressure mounts on EBRD to quit Macedonian dam folly
May 14, 2015
Macedonia’s Mavrovo national park is the largest and richest national park in the country and home to the critically endangered Balkan Lynx. The Macedonian government, however, has plans to also make Mavrovo the home for two large and around 20 small hydro power plants. Could the EBRD cancel its involvement in one of the projects?
