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Making hydropower sustainable in the Western Balkans International Roundtable on Protection and Sustainable Use of Trans-boundary Waters in South East Europe, 15-16 December 2011, Zagreb, Croatia
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International Roundtable
on Transboundary Water
Management – Zagreb, Croatia
15-16 December 2011
Making hydropower
sustainable in the
Western Balkans
Angela Klauschen
WWF Mediterranean
Transboundary Water Resources
Shorter title Secondary information can go here
XX-XX Month, Year
• Additional information can run
• Underneath if necessary
Contents
– Why is WWF concerned about dams and hydropower?
– What is WWF's position on dams?
– What is WWF doing with regard to hydropower in the region?
Energy, water demand and ecosystems
1. Why is WWF concerned about dams and hydropower?
Increased incentives to the development of hydropower globally
Growing pressure and impacts of water allocation (agriculture food /
biofuels, cooling water for energy production, urban demand, industry, etc.)
Both non-consumptive and consumptive use with significant impacts: economic, social and environmental
Massive losses in freshwater
biodiversity and ecosystem
services
Implications of climate change
1. Why is WWF concerned about dams and hydropower?
Climate change is a fact
Climate change increases the pressure and the uncertainty
Climate change has its most severe effects on freshwater systems: runoff, extreme events, water supply, fresh-water ecosystems
Climate-energy-water nexus extremely complex...
Renewable and sustainable energy?
1. Why is WWF concerned about dams and hydropower?
Hydropower is powerful
as a renewable energy
as a potentially sustainable energy
as a threat to freshwater ecosystems
In the Western Balkans...
1. Why is WWF concerned about dams and hydropower?
Rising energy demand for development purposes
Some countries’ energy supply relies for up to 80% on hydropower (i.e. Albania)
Hydropower potential of rivers not yet ‘exhausted’
Strong investor interest/ activity in the region (i.e. WB, EBRD) supporting dam construction
In the Western Balkans...
1. Why is WWF concerned about dams and hydropower?
Hydropower again fashionable as a «clean» energy solution and as water storage + flood retention infrastructure
Hydropower seen as a viable option for energy security and even to increase income through energy exports to neighbouring countries
In the Western Balkans...
1. Why is WWF concerned about dams and hydropower?
On the other side...
very pristine, biodiverse freshwater ecosystems
but fragile and complex due to karstic nature of the area
highly sensitive to climate change
Energy, climate and sustainability
2. What is WWF's position on dams?
- Energy can be sustainable by 2050
- Mix of renewables and energy efficiency
- Hydropower part of mix, limited increase
- Renewable not sustainable per se
- Need to look at real needs, consumption patterns and change habits
Hydropower sustainability principles
2. What is WWF's position on dams?
Hydropower projects should be authorized, financed and built if:
they don‘t destroy critical natural assets, and a representative sample of free-flowing rivers (no-go areas) and their ecosystem services is maintained (Precautionary principle, WFD);
credible information is publicly available to show that they are the best option, and that the best possible locations, designs & operating rules have been chosen (WFD, WCD, SEAs, Aarhus Convention)
all parts of society, including downstream users of ecosystem services, are better off with than without the project (cost/ benefit analysis, SEAs, EIAs, etc.)
in a transboundary context, countries sharing water basins in which new infrastructure is planned comply with the Espoo Conv., Kiev Prot., Aarhus Conv., UNECE Water Conv.
Hydropower sustainability principles (cont'd)
2. What is WWF's position on dams?
Moreover:
Priority should be given to rehabilitation and refurbishing of old/existing infrastructure for increased energy output and improved environmental standards
Mitigation measures taken to minimize environmental impacts should include: environmental flow provisions, fishladders, special intake towers, etc
IFIs and donors should apply internationally recognised environmental standards (e.g. EU, WB, Equator Principles) before approving loans or other funding to new dams
The Dinaric Arc Sustainable Hydropower Initiative
3. What is WWF doing with regard to hydropower in the region?
WWF's Mediterranean Programme works:
in cooperation with its network, local NGOs, regional partner organisations (Transparency Int'l, GWP) and other stakeholders (EU, farmers, fishermen), independent experts
to influence key decision-makers among water and energy utilities, international hydropower sector, IFIs, to adopt a sustainable approach to hydropower in the region
by providing scientific information and capacity building, reminding commitments and legal requirements, allowing discussion and trust building, etc.
to ultimately reach common understanding on sustainable hydropower in the region that works for people and nature
WWF’s Freshwater priority areas in the Dinaric Arc
3. What is WWF doing with regard to hydropower in the region?
Livansko Polje
Skadar Lake
Hutovo Blato
Thank you
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© 2010, WWF. All photographs used in this presentation are copyright protected and courtesy of the WWF-Canon Global Photo Network and the respective photographers.
WWF IN SHORT
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