On the occasion of the World Rivers Day, the ZDF will air a documentary about the Balkan Rivers and the dam craze that puts them at risk on Sunday, September 25 at 16:30. This episode of the ZDF “planet e” series will depict the beauty of these rivers as well as the opposition against the imminent river regulations and damming.

Hydropower is a phase-out model. Wind and solar – environmentally, socially as well as economically much sounder – are the energy sources of the present and future. Why is then, that the World Bank seems to ignore the global shift in the renewable energy sector and instead continues to advocate for multi-billion dollar dam projects...

The famous outdoor outfitter Patagonia has just published an article about the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign on their global blog “The Cleanest Line”:  Save the Blue Heart of Europe: The Balkan Rivers story

Europe’s biggest hydropower corporation, the Austrian Verbund AG, is complaining about too much electricity on the European market. Verbund Chairman Anzengruber says: “It is not the time for extensive new projects in the power plant sector over the next few years. That would not be clever in a time with too much energy”

For all river lovers: Between January 22 and 24, the first “River Film Festival Berlin” takes place in the Moviemento Cinema in the Kreuzberg district. Look forward to over 30 movies featuring breathtaking river landscapes as well as discussion forums with environmental activists who fight for the preservation of these valuable habitats. Dive in and discover the wonderful world of rivers!

A new study that Bankwatch published on December 11 deals with European public funding and EU companies, which are fuelling a wave of hydropower development and endangering pristine river environments in the Balkans. It shows who is involved in financing hydropower projects in the region, both overall and inside of protected areas. Bankwatch produced a series of info graphics:

A wave of hydropower development fuelled by European public funding and EU companies is endangering pristine river environments in the Balkans, finds a new study by CEE Bankwatch Network released today.

++The Austrian-German energy company is constructing a hydropower on the Sana River, endangering a globally threatened fish species ++ NGOs and scientists protesting++

We produced three short films about the Balkan Rivers: one about its biodiversity, one about its threats and the third features locals standing up for their river. Enjoy!

We want to visualize a network of initiatives and people who fight for rivers in the Balkans. For this purpose we have created a “River Ambassadors” layer in the interactive map on this website. We would like to add you as well! If you want to be included, please send us the following information: