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

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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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