Save the Blue Heart of Europe - A campaign for the protection of Balkan Rivers
Vienna, Radolfzell, March 20, 2014. As a contribution to this year’s UN World Water Day (22.3.) on the topic of “Water and Energy”, EuroNatur and Riverwatch draw attention to the impending destruction of rivers on the Balkan Peninsula. Disguised as green sources of energy, more than 570 hydropower plants (> 1 MW) are planned to be built between Slovenia and Albania.
The German magazine Der Spiegel published an article about the situation of the Balkan rivers. The article captures the beauty of these last wild, living rivers of Europe, as well as the threat they are facing. Find the online version here:
The interactive map to explore the region in detail based on different criteria.
The Eco-Masterplan for Balkan Rivers is a comprehensive study which, for the first time, combines knowledge about biodiversity (fish, mussels, caddisflies), integrity of rivers and floodplains (hydromorphology), as well as the location of protected areas.
We are a coalition of NGOs who have launched the campaign “Save the Blue Heart of Europe” in order to raise awareness about the imminent dam craze on the Balkan peninsula and to spare the most valuable rivers and river stretches from destruction.