{"id":23275,"date":"2024-02-26T14:08:58","date_gmt":"2024-02-26T10:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/?p=23275"},"modified":"2024-02-26T14:11:14","modified_gmt":"2024-02-26T10:11:14","slug":"environmental-groups-urge-european-commission-to-speed-up-nature-safeguards-in-the-western-balkans-ukraine-georgia-and-moldova","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/environmental-groups-urge-european-commission-to-speed-up-nature-safeguards-in-the-western-balkans-ukraine-georgia-and-moldova\/","title":{"rendered":"Environmental groups urge European Commission to speed up nature safeguards in the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The EU must accelerate plans to strengthen nature protection rules for energy infrastructure development under the Energy Community Treaty <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_23275_1('footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_1');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_23275_1('footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_1');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_23275_1_1\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">The\u00a0Energy Community Treaty\u00a0is an international organisation which brings together the European Union and its neighbours to create a pan-European energy market. It was founded by the\u00a0Treaty&nbsp;&#x2026; <span class=\"footnote_tooltip_continue\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_23275_1('footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_1');\">Continue reading<\/span><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_23275_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>, 36 civil society organisations today urged the EU Commissioner for Environment, Virginijus Sinkevi\u010dius, in a joint letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Energy Community countries are no strangers to conflicts between energy infrastructure and nature protection. Rampant hydropower construction in the last two decades has damaged rivers and streams in some of the most precious and pristine areas of the Western Balkans, Dniester River basin, and Georgia <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_23275_1('footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_2');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_23275_1('footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_2');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_23275_1_2\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">For more on this topic, see for example<a href=\"https:\/\/bankwatch.org\/project\/rivers\">\u00a0<span class=\"footnote_url_wrap\">https:\/\/bankwatch.org<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/bankwatch.org\/project\/rivers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\/<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/bankwatch.org\/project\/rivers\">project\/rivers<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.balkanrivers.net\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0<span class=\"footnote_url_wrap\">https:\/\/www.balkanrivers.net\/en<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_23275_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But as the countries strive to overcome the recent energy crisis and meet their 2030 renewable energy targets <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_23275_1('footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_3');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_23275_1('footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_3');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_3\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_23275_1_3\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">More information on the targets can be found<a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy-community.org\/regionalinitiatives\/CEP.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_23275_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>, a significant ramp-up in energy infrastructure construction is starting, including both low-impact forms such as rooftop solar and highly damaging ones like hydropower and forest biomass. This is expected to intensify in the coming years.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Energy Community countries are global biodiversity hotspots, with well-preserved mountains, river and lake systems, that are home to numerous endangered and endemic species and important habitats. Many rivers are still in good or pristine condition, but are woefully under-protected. The EU accession process requires the countries to enact EU nature protection legislation, but in many cases there are no clear deadlines for this.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The organisations are therefore asking the Commission to speed up the inclusion of the EU Habitats, Birds and Water Framework Directives in the Energy Community Treaty, in order to ensure a balance between nature protection and energy sector development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In December 2023, the European Commission indicated that these Directives could be included in the Energy Community Treaty by the end of this year if work commenced \u2018shortly\u2019 <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_23275_1('footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_4');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_23275_1('footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_4');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_4\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[4]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_23275_1_4\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">See the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy-community.org\/events\/2023\/12\/ENVTF26.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">conclusions<\/a>\u00a0of the Energy Community\u2019s 26th Environmental Task Force meeting from December 2023.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_23275_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>. However, it is not clear whether any proposals have been prepared yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-default\"><p>According to the organisations, \u2018<em>solar and wind development is finally ramping up, which is welcome and necessary<\/em>\u2019. But, they warn, \u2018<em>adequate environmental safeguards are a fundamental precondition for the success of such development and for the avoidance of a public backlash against renewables.<\/em>\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><strong>Pippa Gallop<\/strong>, Southeast Europe Energy Policy Officer at CEE Bankwatch Network \u2013<em>\u00a0\u2018This region has already suffered from uncontrolled hydropower development and widespread public resistance. We can\u2019t afford to repeat this with solar and wind.\u2019\u00a0<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u2018The Commission urgently needs to include EU biodiversity and water safeguards in the Energy Community Treaty, to reach a better balance between energy development and nature protection.\u2019\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>The joint letter can be<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bankwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Joint-NGO-letter-nature_water-directives-in-EnCom-February-2024_Unsigned.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> found here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Contacts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pippa Gallop,<br>Southeast Europe Energy Policy Officer<br>CEE Bankwatch Network<br>pippa.gallop@bankwatch.org<br>+385 99 755 9787<br>Skype: pippa.gallop<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andrey Ralev,<br>Biodiversity Campaigner<br>CEE Bankwatch Network<br>andrey.ralev@bankwatch.org<\/p>\n<div class=\"speaker-mute footnotes_reference_container\"> <div class=\"footnote_container_prepare\"><p><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_label pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_23275_1();\">References<\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button\" style=\"display: none;\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_23275_1();\">[<a id=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_23275_1\">+<\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/div> <div id=\"footnote_references_container_23275_1\" style=\"\"><table class=\"footnotes_table footnote-reference-container\"><caption class=\"accessibility\">References<\/caption> <tbody> \r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_23275_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_1');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_1\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>1<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">The<a href=\"http:\/\/energy-community.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0Energy Community Treaty<\/a>\u00a0is an international organisation which brings together the European Union and its neighbours to create a pan-European energy market. It was founded by the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy-community.org\/legal\/treaty.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0Treaty establishing the Energy Community<\/a>\u00a0signed in October 2005 in Athens, Greece, in force since July 2006. Its key objective is to extend the EU internal energy market rules and principles to countries in Southeast Europe, the Black Sea region and beyond on the basis of a legally binding framework. The current Contracting Parties are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine.<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_23275_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_2');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_2\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>2<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">For more on this topic, see for example<a href=\"https:\/\/bankwatch.org\/project\/rivers\">\u00a0<span class=\"footnote_url_wrap\">https:\/\/bankwatch.org<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/bankwatch.org\/project\/rivers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\/<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/bankwatch.org\/project\/rivers\">project\/rivers<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.balkanrivers.net\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0<span class=\"footnote_url_wrap\">https:\/\/www.balkanrivers.net\/en<\/span><\/a>.<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_23275_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_3');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_3\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>3<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">More information on the targets can be found<a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy-community.org\/regionalinitiatives\/CEP.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_23275_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_23275_1_4');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_23275_1_4\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>4<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">See the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy-community.org\/events\/2023\/12\/ENVTF26.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">conclusions<\/a>\u00a0of the Energy Community\u2019s 26th Environmental Task Force meeting from December 2023.\u00a0<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n <\/tbody> <\/table> <\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> function footnote_expand_reference_container_23275_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_23275_1').show(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_23275_1').text('\u2212'); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container_23275_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_23275_1').hide(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_23275_1').text('+'); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_23275_1() { if (jQuery('#footnote_references_container_23275_1').is(':hidden')) { footnote_expand_reference_container_23275_1(); } else { footnote_collapse_reference_container_23275_1(); } } function footnote_moveToReference_23275_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_23275_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } } function footnote_moveToAnchor_23275_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_23275_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); 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