22 March, the World Water Day
Tirana, 22 March 2014
22 March is the World Water Day which aims at focusing the worldwide attention on water and sustainable water resource management. This year the attention is focused on Water and Energy, aiming at raising awareness on the inter-linkage and inter-dependency of water and energy sectors, as well the necessity for integrated approaches and solutions to water-energy issues in order to achieve greater economic, social and environmental impacts. In this context, the Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania (INCA) and the Network for Nature Protection supported by other environmental organizations and their networks as PPNEA, EDEN, Ekolevizja, have organized a press conference at Tirana International Hotel.
Civil society and non-profit organizations have continuously raised their voice to protect water by insuring a sustainable use of country water resources, particularly rivers. Today we are witnessing an unprecedented attack towards the country's hydric network, where over 450 water use licenses were given for the construction of hydropower stations with a very minimal power generation benefit compared to the environmental damage that they trigger. In most of cases, the Environmental Impact Assessments (IEA) procedures and relevant documentation do not comply with the country legal standards and those of the European Union, even in trans- boundary water basin context. The first negative effects observed were the lack of water, turbulences, soil erosion and other damages in fauna and flora, which has caused reactions of local communities in some communes and municipalities. This is the first impact caused by mismanagement of the water-energy resources which is expected to have further negative consequences in the environment and the well-being of populations living in these basins.
The efforts of the Nature Protection Network organizations and that of Nature Conservation Institute (INCA) have been focused on raising awareness regarding the benefits and the risks of hydropower construction. The work have been concentrated mainly on reaching different stakeholders through preparing and publishing guidance for investors and state institutions, conducting national and local researches, implementing mini-projects on raising awareness among local communities, but also seeking other forms and looking at different ways for getting government institution’s reaction. We have also been strongly supported in our efforts by international organizations such as the World Wild Life Fund (WWF) but also by other groups and organizations working in the country such as PPNEA, EDEN, Eco - movement.
Radika and Vjosa River were two cases with a cross-border character that have attracted a wide public attention. In the case of Radika there has been an immediate reaction from both the government authorities in Albania and Macedonia, while in the case of Vjosa, there has not been any statement regarding the deviation plan of Vjosa River in the Greek territory.
The decision-making process to deviate the natural flow of Vjosa river quite near its spring and the transfer of 70.000.000 m3 of water per year from the Vjosa hydrologic river basin towards Ioannina basin for energy production and water enrichment of Ioannina Lake has been insured through the approvement of the National Water Council Decision 1005/4.9.2013 in Greece to adopt the Epirus District River Basin Management Plan and the Joint Ministerial Decision 169278/8.7.2013 to adopt "the Environmental Strategic Impact Assessment Study of the Epirus River Basin Environmental Management Plan". Both those decisions have been legally opposed at the Greek Council of State (Supreme Administrative Court of Greece) by the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (Med - INA) in cooperation with WWF office in Greece, Callisto, the Management Authority of North Pindus National Park and Konica Municipality, which will be directly impacted by the river flow deviation. It’s a good opportunity for us to join forces and reverse wrong political decisions, as Albania is also having a negative impact and been damaged. Therefore we appeal everyone to support the petition and sign it electronically through the following blog http://protectaoos.blogspot.com/ in order to actively contribute to the acceptance of the charge towards Greek Government and the salvation of Vjosa River.
We believe that this step should be supported as an innovative movement of Civil Society, by challenging wrong decisions and addressing them to the courts(such as the Vjosa case).But it should be followed by other cases within our country where permissions have been given in the protected areas, thus violating of the law. In this respect, we think that if the Albanian government does not review and control all the granted licenses inconsistent with law, and prevent the unsustainable hydropower stations hemorrhage in the country, as promised in electoral campaign, we will refer to the courts for cancellation of the granted licenses.
The Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania-INCA is established in June 2000 and registered at the Tirana Court as a Non Governmental Organization by the Court Decision Nr.1087 in 2004. INCA has its office in Tirana, but it operates throughout the Albania territory. INCAs main goal is to facilitate professional capacity building through training and participatory approach in order to help environmental protection and conservation of nature values, support the regional development and management of protected areas, assessment of biological diversity and the protection of Albanian flora and fauna, raising public and policy-makers’ awareness. The task of the Institute is also to integrate nature and biodiversity protection with other issues or scientific areas that have an impact on natural resources in the country. The Institute is part of the country processes for improvement of legislation, EU integration, capacity building and enhancement of Albanian environmental institutions.
INCA is the leading organization of the Nature Protection Network.
The Nature Protection Network was set up in the framework of the SENiOR-A project (Support for the Environmental Civil Society Organizations in Albania) financed by the Swedish Government and implemented by REC Albania. It consists of seven organizations which are spread throughout Albania: INCA (Tirana), Illyria (Tirana), Adriatic (Vlore), Green & Clean (Korce), Mbrojtja e Mjedisit (Kukës), Miqësia (Ulëz) and FSLSH (Shkodra). The organizations operate in the field of nature protection and have prior experiences with protected areas.
