NGOs remind the EU that hydropower is not the solution to accelerate Europe’s renewable energy deployment
Posted on October, 20 2022
In a new briefing paper, WWF EPO, the European Anglers Alliance, the European Environmental Bureau, the European Rivers Network and Wetlands international ask policy-makers in the European Parliament and Council to amend the Commission’s ‘REPowerEU’ proposal to exclude new or revamped hydropower projects from the ‘go-to areas’ and streamlined permitting under the amended Renewable Energy Directive.
The RePower-EU proposal, which includes setting the new EU renewable target and designating ‘go-to areas’ for renewable energy deployment has already had a calling effect for new hydropower projects.However, a new hydropower boom is neither a desirable nor strategic approach to improve the EU’s energy security. Building new hydropower plants would further fragment European rivers and destroy precious ecosystems. In addition, hydropower is becoming more and more unreliable due to increasing water scarcity.
In this paper NGOs explain what allowing new hydropower in go-to areas would mean, and why we think this should not happen.