We believe that European countries and the EU as a community can do better in protecting the last wild rivers on the continent, restoring the pathways rivers create, and taking down dams. Therefore we advocate the establishment of a growing network of strictly protected healthy, dynamic and free-flowing rivers across Europe.
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Open letter: Counting on new hydropower to accelerate Renewable Energy deployment in Europe is irresponsible.
The EEB (European Environmental Bureau), Bird Life International, the EEA (the European Anglers Alliance), Wetlands International and WWF have published an open letter, this Monday 6 February 2023, asking for more regulations of hydropower development. The open letter is signed by more than 100 NGOs across Europe.
Among others, we ask for:
At least retain the new article 29b on sustainability criteria for hydropower proposed by the European Parliament (RED III), as it recognises that hydropower has direct impacts on freshwater ecosystems which must be mitigated.
Ask Member States to exclude new hydropower plants from go-to areas (RED IV), as the Council’s general approach from 21 December on REPowerEU, which only gives Member States the option to exclude new hydropower plants from go-to areas, does not go far enough.
Discover the entire open letter of the European NGOs here (in English): Open letter: Counting on new hydropower to accelerate Renewable Energy deployment in Europe is irresponsible.
The EPO Press release from WWF is available here: www.wwf.eu/?8826916/open-letter-hydropower-RED-trilogues
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“Free-Flowing Rivers for Europe”: Have a look at our conclusions from two online river film sessions with panel discussion at the EU Green Week 2020, hosted by the European Commission in partnership with EEB.
In 2019, we prepared an overview report on legal protection schemes for free-flowing rivers in Europe for The Nature Conservatory.
The growing network of Wild and Scenic Rivers in the US is an inspiration for the protection of free rivers in other parts of the world. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was signed into law by President Johnson in 1968. Most recently, 621 miles of 60 new Wild and Scenic Rivers were dedicated on March 12, 2019. That’s 999 kilometers. Congratulations!
In light of the global boom of hydropower, what might Europe, what might other parts of the world learn from the US when it comes to protecting free-flowing rivers and removing dams?
Shane Anderson’s film Run Wild, Run Free is a magnificent portrayal of 50 years of Wild and Scenic Rivers. This is why we put on River Film Fest. We are advocating the establishment of a similar policy for Europe, and want to foster exchange, through the sharing of scientific insight and river stories.
Restoring 25.000 km of rivers to a free-flowing condition by 2030
Living Rivers Foundation welcomes the EU-Commissions proposal for the restoration of freshwater ecosystems as part of the EU-Biodiversity Agenda 2030 and the European Green Deal.
At the same time, it will be important to protect those rivers and streams that are still free-flowing. After all, it’s much cheaper to protect what is still intact than to restore what was lost.
Living Rivers Foundation, together with a large number of environmental as well as angling associations, called for such a combination of river protection and barrier removal in their critical joint reaction to the EU-Commission’s controversial guidance document on Hydropower in Natura 2000 areas:
“There is very little scope for new hydropower in any of the EU’s water courses and in particular no room for new hydropower plants in Natura 2000 sites or in rivers containing Natura 2000 sites or EU protected species. These sites should rather be the nucleus for a network of free-flowing rivers and streams with high ecological value that should be expanded through the decommissioning and removal of ecologically harmful infrastructure.”
NGO position on Hydropower and Natura 2000 guidance document (2017), download PDF