A new scientific study highlights severe ecological consequences due to the lack of ecological flow from the Aoos Springs dam. This absence is disrupting both the river’s biodiversity and its natural hydrological regime...READ MORE.

Every two years, we analyse the situation of hydropower development in the Balkans. As of 2024, 3,188 hydropower plants are planned, 94 under construction and 1,836 are operational in the Balkans...READ MORE

The Vjosa Wild River National Park research plan is a ten-year initiative dedicated to understanding and protecting one of Europe's last large free-flowing rivers...READ MORE. 

This study examines the endangered Danube salmon, or huchen, which is unique to the Danube River basin and faces severe threats, particularly in the Balkans, once the species' last stronghold... READ MORE

The study explores the Vjosa Delta's ecological richness, focusing on detailed data about biodiversity, habitat types, and environmental pressures...READ MORE 

This report provides an interim evaluation of the extent to which 6 Western Balkan countries are protecting their rivers by transposing and implementing key EU directives relevant to hydropower projects...READ MORE

This study dives into Mediterranean deltas, revealing the urgent need for conservation. Led by Ulrich Schwarz from FLUVIUS in Vienna, the study examines sediment flux, showing dams disrupting natural sediment transport... READ MORE

The rapid field assessments conducted in Autum 2023 in the National Park Sharr Mountain encompassed an extensive evaluation of fish and macroinvertebrates, with a specific focus on aquatic insects, in the Lepenc River and its tributaries...READ MORE

Neretva Science Week 2023 took place from May 30th to June 7th 2023. The purpose of this report is to provide preliminary results from the Neretva Science Week 2023, highlights and an overview from each of the specialty groups...READ MORE

This study defines clear steps and locations to start an afforestation project in the Vjosa catchment. The authors propose ten pilot areas to start the afforestation. As there is no autochthonous planting material available on..READ MORE

This study assesses the distribution of breeding birds in the Vjosa Wild River National Park. Led by the Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS) in June 2023, it provides suprising results regarding breeding colonies within the current boundaries of the National Park... READ MORE

This pilot study provides a general overview of the forest situation in the Vjosa basin, discusses problems and defines areas where pilot reforestation projects are to be implemented soon... READ MORE

Every two years, we analyse the situation of hydropower development in the Balkans. As of summer 2022, 3,281 hydropower plants are planned, 108 under construction and 1,726 are operational in the Balkans... READ MORE

The purpose of this report is to provide preliminary results from the Neretva Science Week 2023, highlights and an overview from each of the specialty groups...READ MORE

This report explains the risks behind hydropower projects in southeast Europe and shows that it will only get harder to build them in the future, due to climate vulnerability, the region’s...READ MORE

This preliminary report proves the high conservation value of the Shushica as an essential branch of the Vjosa river system. The Shushica hosts highly specific and endangered fauna and flora...READ MORE

This briefing highlights the recent progress towards changing the rules on renewable energy support in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia... READ MORE

As the European Investment Bank revises its Environmental and Social Standards, this report presents eight hydropower schemes in central and eastern Europe either financed or under consideration by the Bank. READ MORE

This feasibility study covers the Sava river stretch near the Bosut Forest (Serbia) and Spacva Forest (Croatia). The concept of this study foresees to provide an ecological floodplain restoration plan and promotes the idea of integrated land use and forest management. READ MORE

This feasibility study foresees to provide a nature-based solution to current floodplain developments and promotes the idea of an ecological alternative to current spatial planning and challenges like river bed incision on the Sava river between Brežice and Rugvica. READ MORE

Hydropower plants and dams have detrimental effects on river ecosystems, but they also affect people in negative ways. This first-of-its-kind study on the social impacts of hydropower... READ MORE

The IUCN has analysed the ecological and legal aspects around the Vjosa river. This study provides insight into the rationale and feasibility of declaring a protected area for the Vjosa Valley... READ MORE

This Legal Toolkit provides guidance to activists and civil society organisations in navigating the possibilities for legal actions in river protection...READ MORE

This baseline survey summarises the value of the Vjosa River system and points out the detrimental effects dams could have on the river... READ MORE

This study evaluates the economic viability in a climate change context and the energy contribution of small hydropower projects in the Mediterranean...READ MORE

Since the last update of this kind in 2018, another 300 HPPs came into operation, leaving hundreds of kilometres of rivers and streams devastated...READ MORE

Black Catalogue of small hydropower plants: what do small dams really look like and how do they affect nature and species around them? Not many people have ever seen...READ MORE

The Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity Hotspot is among the most biologically diverse regions worldwide but severely threatened by hydropower... READ MORE

This study is the first comprehensive attempt to provide a large-scale overview of hydropower plants and rivers in the extended Mediterranean basin using a... READ MORE

The present biodiversity study has been conducted on the Greek part of the Aoos-Vjosa river. It focuses on insect species related to water (Odonata)... READ MORE

This study shows that further development of hydropower in Greece, and particularly in the Aoos river basin, is a strategy that has detrimental environmental... READ MORE

The first pan-European inventory of existing and planned hydropower plants shows the immense pressure on rivers throughout the continent, despite EU rules which should limit new hydropower plants... READ MORE

Disproportionate public subsidies for small hydropower in the Western Balkans have resulted in widespread environmental damage and have benefited wealthy business people close to or part of the region’s governments...READ MORE

Scientists studied Vjosa River sediment transport across varying water phases for over a year, predicting impacts on energy production, ecosystems, and the Adriatic coast if sediments were trapped by planned dams...READ MORE 

The legal toolkit offers guidance to CSOs and activists on using environmental rights to protect rivers from destructive hydropower. READ MORE

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... READ MORE

The countries in the Balkans are facing a dilemma: they must fulfill the EU renewable targets while also follow environmental legislation. This raises the question: Is it possible to increase the renewable energy share AND keep the Balkan Rivers alive? READ MORE

Subsidies and feed-in tariffs have driven a rise in economically unviable small hydropower projects, with significant social and environmental costs...READ MORE 

This study shows that Balkan rivers are Europe's fish sanctuary, hosting 113 endangered species. It found that proposed hydropower plants could drive up to 49 species to extinction or significant loss of habitat...READ MORE

International scientists have compiled extensive knowledge on the Vjosa, highlighting its invaluable role as a reference system for future renaturation projects and arguing against Albanian government plans to build hydroelectric power plants...READ MORE

The 2018 update to Bankwatch's 2015 study reveals an even greater number of hydropower projects in Southeast Europe financed by international commercial and public banks, which have damaged pristine rivers...READ MORE

Bankwatch's study of eight small hydropower plants in Albania, Macedonia, and Croatia, funded by EBRD and EIB, reveals significant biodiversity damage and a need for better monitoring and restoration...READ MORE

Our 2017 analysis reveals 2,796 planned hydropower plants in the Balkans, with 1,031 (37%) located in protected areas, highlighting an increasing threat to the Blue Heart of Europe...READ MORE

The Sava River faces significant ecological pressures, and this study provides the first comprehensive analysis with specific recommendations for ecological flood control and river restoration...READ MORE

This study reveals nearly half of HPP projects are in protected areas. It investigates the main financiers, highlighting multilateral banks who have funded EUR 818 million for 75 projects, 30 affecting sites like national parks and Ramsar sites...READ MORE

A total of 2,683 future hydropower projects have been identified on the Balkan Peninsula, along with 714 existing dams. This indicates a very high pressure of hydropower on protected sites...READ MORE

This study quantifies planned hydropower projects within protected areas on the Balkan Peninsula, revealing that 49% of 1,640 projected hydropower plants are planned within protected areas, with 32% falling in strictly protected areas and 17% in areas with weaker protection status. READ MORE

The Balkan Huchen, a key species in Europe's river ecosystems, faces critical endangerment from proposed hydropower projects across its habitat, risking a 70% decline in population...READ MORE

This study reveals serious EU law violations in hydropower projects within Macedonia's Mavrovo National Park. Legal experts found inadequate environmental data and misleading assessments, highlighting concerns over cumulative impacts from 22 planned facilities...READ MORE

This report reveals that 80% of Balkan rivers boast pristine to acceptable conditions—Europe's highest! But the threat looms large: delve into the extensive research on proposed dam projects... READ MORE 

This study reveals the Balkan region as Europe's top hotspot for endangered aquatic species. However, proposed dams could drastically reduce this biodiversity, threatening 75% of fish species and 70% of molluscs. READ MORE