Hydropower projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina Coalition for - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Hydropower projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina Coalition for protection of rivers Bosnia and Herzegovina

More than 300 HPP planned and built in 244 rivers (2018)  Declared of public interest  Receiving public subsidies (RES fee in electricity bill)

(2017)

 The economic benefits of these projects are questionable  They threaten the national natural and cultural heritage:  Endangering more than one hundred fish species out

• f which twelve are endemic

 Endangering traditional fishing practices (a way of

living)

 Limiting access to water, impoverishing water quality  Tourism potential ignored  We really do not need hydro energy:

 We need the water for supply-sanitation & sustainable farming

Opposition to the projects

Work against hydro projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Working against hydro since 2004
• Public actions, petitions, scientific research,

networking

• Legal work became crucial in campaigning
• Difficult political and social situation

2004 - Coalition for Vrbas 2009 - Coalition for Sana 2016 - Coalition for protection of rivers Bosnia and Herzegovina

sHPP Medna, Sana River

HPP Zapeće, Ugar River by KELAG

HPP Zapeće, Ugar River by KELAG

2016 - Coalition for protection of rivers Bosnia and Herzegovina

 Individuals and organizations from whole Bosnia &

Herzegovina (more than 20 members)

 Promoting environmental and sustainable

management of rivers

 Analyzing and monitoring plans for construction of

hydropower projects in B-H’s rivers

 Opposing to them, promoting real sustainable

energy sources (solar, wind) and energy efficiency.

 Promoting the development of sustainable tourism,

traditional and complementary activities (bigger benefit for local communities)

 Legal procedures, advocacy; campaigning and direct

action; research and scientific argumentation

Declaration for the suspension hydropower plants construction plans and environmentally friendly use of rivers of Bosnia & Herzegovina (2016)

• Coalition position, Basis for membership

Hydro-energy projects:

• Environment long-term alteration + river ecosystem

destruction

• Limitation on local communities access to clean water
• Unequal use and profit of water as common natural

resource Sustainable use of water resources:

• Water supply, turism, sport activities & traditional

practices

Campaigns

• 1. Central-Bosnia canton
• Kruščica – HPP Kruščica 1 & HPP Kruščica 2
• Legal support
• Public and media campaign
• 2. Vrbas river
• No more HPP in Vrbas (HPP Krupa i HPP Grbići)
• Vrbas canyon = Protected area

+ Legal support & counseling local initiatives > Know-how (previous experiences)

Kruščica – HPP Kruščica 1 & HPP Kruščica 2

• Summer of 2017. Teacher Haris Murem find about

plans for the construction of SHPPs in Kruščica and inform people on his FB page

• people start petition against construction of SHPP on

Kruščica

• machnine first arrive to the Kruščica River and try to
• work. The locals return them from building site
• 24.8.2017. Machinery come back to Kruščica in the

early morning hours with special police with an order to unblock the bridge. The special police attack, arrest and report the woman who defended the bridge. But they dindn’t start to build.

• In January 2018 the Bistro organization is established

and the court procedure starts

• Court stop any construction until the case is resolved
• 8/17/2018. machinery again try to reach the river

Kruscica, the locals again succeed in defending the river

• 11/13/2018 and 11/23/2018 waiting court hearing

First reserach of this kind on this area 9 young researchers participated research was conducted in 7 groups

Ower 170 spieces were located and identified during this preliminary field reserch Our focus areas were : mushrooms, herbaceous plants, ligneous plants (wooddy plants), macrozoobenthos, insects, reptiles and amphibians and bats. 5 new spices of mushrooms

In order to preserve the amazing beautiful rivers we have we need to acknowledged their importance for the whole eco system and develop in depth knowledge of biodiversity that surrounds them.

Camagin Vrbas river

• Government plans to give concession for two HPP on

river Vrbas

• Balkan river Tour 3 initiation on starting a campaign
• Last month it was presented 20 reasons way not to

build HPP on river Vrbas

• Also, 20 reasons are sent to the main institution that

is deciding about this question

Coalition plans & objectives

(Long term)

 Direct support to some organizations-coalition

members: Capacity building (e.g. Kruščica)

 Concession agreements reformulation to public-

legal status (now private-legal status) +

 Request for moratorium on hydro projects  Wide campaign on country level  Declaring cities as „HPP free“

Thank you!