Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Documentation from The International CCB Seminar,
"Small-scale hydropower - threats to free-
flowing watercourses"
Arranged by CCB Latvia/Green Liberty 8 December 2001
CCB Report No. 2002:1
Contents: Introduction – article on the Seminar in the CCB Newsletter………………...…3 Invitation to the Seminar………………………………………………………...6 Programme of the Seminar………………………………………………………7 List of participants……………………………………………………………….8 CCB Interest group on Hydropower issues…………………………………….10 Copies of Overheads from the speech by Ingemar Näslund, Sweden………….11 Copies of Overheads from the speech by Alvis Birkovs, Latvia………………23 Text from the speech by Per Isaksson, Sweden………………………………..28 Copies of Overheads and Information from speech by Rimantas Brauzaulis and Gedrime Kusliene, Lithuania .....................................35 Posible coming CCB International activities on river protection and hydropower issues …………………………………………………..…….45 Conclusions from the Seminar and CCB proposal to HELCOM 23 ………….47
2
"Small-scale hydropower - threats to free-
flowing watercourses"
Be aware! Increasing Threats! Two CCB Seminars arranged on “Small-scale hydropower – threats to free-flowing watercourses” on 7-8 December 2001, in Riga, Latvia. During the last years there has been a growing threat from planned constructions of small hydropower plants and dam constructions in many river systems in the Baltic Sea drainage basin. Constructions of hydopower plants is usually seen as very good investments for sustainable energy systems. Hydro-power is a renewable energy resource, that don't give much contribution to air pollutions, climate change etc. But constructions of hydro-power plants usually have adverse impact on river eco-systems and destroy its biodiversity. Such constructions imply a threat to important river ecosystems and endagered species, such as e.g. naturally spawning Baltic salmon and Brown trout populations. Several of the CCB member organisations are actively working with this issue, like e.g. Lithuanian Green Movement, CCB-Latvia/Green Liberty, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Klub Gaja (Poland), Finnish Association for Nature Conservation. During two ice-cold, but very beautiful winter-days, about 40 people came together in Riga, Latvia, to attend the two CCB seminars arranged on the topic “ Small-scale hydropower – threats to free-flowing water-courses”. The organisers of the seminars were CCB Latvia in co-operation with Green Liberty (GL). The first day consisted of a national seminar with participants from Latvia representing different stakeholders like e.g. NGO´s, officials from the ministry, owners of small-scale hydro power stations. This issue is quite hot in Latvia right now and at the seminar there were intensive discussions at the end, due to participants representing different opinions. The second day was an international seminar with the goal to share experiences among CCB organisations from different countries, to increase the knowledge within these issues and to discuss possible solutions. Participants came from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Sweden. At the international seminar e.g. the situation within the different countries was presented, the impacts on river eco-systems from the construction of small-scale hydropower stations was discussed as well as problems and possible solutions. A CCB position paper was drafted and possible CCB activities were discussed.
3
Alvis Birkovs from Latvian Coalition informed on the present situation in Latvia and on the work that is made by the Latvian Coalition. In Latvia a subsidies program has started, wich gives double price for each kWh during 8 years, that can be delivered to the electrical energy net in Latvia. This program has promoted many new projects for reconstruction of old dams and construction of new dams for hydropower production. These activities threaten important river ecosystems, including wild fish popluations, such as wild Baltic salmon and other salmonids. If building a new small-scale hydropower station in Latvia after the year 2002 these favourable subsidies will no longer be given , therefore it is very much coveted to get a license for building before the end of 2002. Latvian Coalition has compiled a list of rivers and stretches of rivers which should be protected from building of new hydropower plants. This list will be the base for a new law in Latvia on protection of rivers/ stretches of rivers from building of new hydropower plants. The new law was passed through the cabinet in the beginning of this year (2002), but still the Prime Minister has not signed it. It contains 214 rivers/stretches of rivers (in the original list there were 240 rivers/stretches of rivers). Ingemar Näslund from the Environment County Administration in Jämtland, Sweden gave a talk about “Impacts to river ecosystem, from construction of small-hydro power stations”. Among other things he also pointed out some important tools for stream conservation like e.g.; an appropriate legislation, good lawyers, smart media strategies, local opinion and dedicated environmental protection organisations, scilled biologists, acceptance of some EU and other conventions as well as co-operation. Per Isaksson from the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) shared some of the experiences made by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation in their work with protection of rivers and small-scale hydropower in Sweden. Per was responsible for a campaign tour that was arranged by the SSNC in 1998. This campaign had its focus on a number of rivers being threatened by new hydropower plants, often very small ones. In Sweden about 70% of all the rivers have been sacrified to produce hydropower. The effect has been that a lot of plant and animal species have had their habitats destroyed. The lessons from the SSNC Campaign was that it is long and hard work to protect threatened rivers, but it is possible to do it! Until now half of the threatened rivers included in the campaign have been protected. Two of them have been exploited and two cases have still not been decided on. Rimantas Braziulis and Gedrime Kusliene from Lithuanian Green Movement (LGM) presented the today´s situation concerning hydropower in Lithuania and the activities carried out by LGM within this field of issue. In Lithuania the development of small-scale hydropower plants is rapidly increasing. Rimantas and Gedrime pointed out that there is a general lack of knowledge and awareness about negative impacts of these small-scale hydropower plants on the environments of rivers and streams. Small-scale hydropower plants very often are considered as environmentally friendly renewable energy, not taking into account negative aspects of these plants. Many of these power plants are designed or constructed without proper Environment Impact Assessements. Also there is a lack of public involvement and consultations about these development plans and projects. Jaak Tambets from WWF-Estonia informed on the situation concerning small-scale hydro power in Estonia. In Estonia the development of small-scale hydro power has been much slower than in Latvia and Lithuania, but it is increasing. About 15 small-scale hydropower stations have been built and there are plans for building about 100 new small-scale hydropower stations. Jaak also discussed the situation which has arisen today, where there is a
4
contradiction between “Environmentalists” with focus on the Climate Change Convention and “Nature Conservationists” with focus on the Biodiversity Convention. This situation can be used by Economy people who´s interest are in building cheap dams. At the end of the international seminar persons interested in participating in an CCB interest/working group for issues concerning small-scale hydropower stations noted their names on a list that was distributed. The purpose with this working group will be to facilitate the future sharing of knowledge, information and experiences. Several other ideas of interesting future CCB activities also came up during the discussions. Immediate actions are needed especially in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia as the threats from small-scale hydropower are impending and rapidly increasing. Many important political decisions will in these countries be taken in the near future. A lot of inspiration was given and shared during these two seminar-days, giving fuel for new efforts in our common struggle for the improvement of the Baltic Sea environment and its natural resources! ....................................................................................................................... 04/02/2002 Eva Frössling
5
Coalition Clean BalticLatvijas Koalīcija par tīru Baltiju
Meža iela 4 Tel./Fax: +371 7 613 806 Rīga, LV-1048 Mob: +371 9 118 112 Latvija E-mail: [email protected]
ZAĻĀ BRĪVĪBA MEŽA IELA 4, 4. STĀVS RĪGA, LV-1048, LATVIJA TEL./ FAX: (371) 7 613 806 E-MAIL: [email protected] HTTP:/ / WWW.ZB-ZEME.LV
2001-11-12
Invitation for Coalition Clean Baltic and Green Liberty international seminar:
Small-scale hydropower - threats to free-flowing watercourses
Dear friends, as the questions of river basin management and protection of biological diversity is one of the main priorities of CCB and its now the big issue in the region on the 8th December, Green Liberty (GL) in co-operation with Coalition Clean Baltic - Latvia (CCB-Latvia) will organize an international seminar on ’Small-scale hydropower - threats to free-flowing watercourses’ to discuss these issues together. The seminar involves representatives from all relevant major groups (i.e. NGOs, Government, Business and others). The Goals of the seminar are to: - Give facts / info on what impact dams have on watercourse; - exchange experience between NGOs on successful work; - produce a CCB position paper (demands, requirements, initiate a new HELCOM
recommendation). CCB is in the process of securing limited funding for participation in this seminar of representatives of NGOs. NGOs needing financial support should inform the CCB-Latvia in advance and we will reply to you about the decision. Please fill in attached application form. This application form should be sent to CCB - Latvija via email: [email protected]; Fax: +(371) 7 613 806 or by mail: Meza st. 4, Riga, LV-1048 until November 25th. Work language of the seminar will be English. We are ready to help with any questions, so do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to your participation, Sincerely, Janis Brizga
6
7
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
e-pasts / Nr. Valsts / contry
vārds / name
organizācija / organization
adrese / address telefons / telephone / fax
9224331 1 Latvija Ints Mednis Koalīcija – WWF, LMA, VAK
Elizabetes iela 8-4, Rīga, LV - 1010 fax – 7505651
9285934 2 Latvija Alvis Birkovs Koalīcija – WWF, LMA, VK
Elizabetes iela 8-4, Rīga, LV - 1010 fax – 7505651
Paulis 7213566 3 Latvija Barons
CCB enerģijas birojs SPARS
Akadēmijas lauk. 1-447, Rīga, LV-1050 fax - 7213566
7213566 4 Latvija Atis Zviedrs CCB enerģijas birojs SPARS
Akadēmijas lauk. 1-447, Rīga, LV-1050 fax - 7213566
3427487 5 Latvija Grigorijs Kravčuks
Liepājas Zaļais centrs
Lielā iela 14, Liepāja, LV - 3400 fax - 3424223
3427487 6 Latvija Inese Mjaļenkova
Liepājas Zaļais centrs
Lielā iela 14, Liepāja, LV - 3400 fax - 3424223
3427487 7 Latvija Evita Puriņa Liepājas Zaļais centrs
Lielā iela 14, Liepāja, LV – 3400 fax - 3424223
3427487 8 Latvija Dace Gulbe Liepājas Zaļais centrs
Lielā iela 14, Liepāja, LV – 3400 fax - 3424223
3427487 9 Latvija Inese Eistere Liepājas Zaļais centrs
Lielā iela 14, Liepāja, LV – 3400 fax - 3424223
10 Latvija Gundars Patmalnieks
"Staburaga bērni" [email protected]
11 Latvija Kristīne Bežere
"Staburaga bērni" Upesciems, Ziedu 219
2990329
12 Latvijas Jānis Jakstonis
SIA "Patika" 6556019
13 Latvija Vāvels Ivanovs
Valsts zivjsaimniecības pārvalde
7334527
14 Latvija Ivars Morozs Mazās hidroenerģijas asociācija
9155240
15 Latvija Ģirts Strazdiņš
VAK Kalnciema 28, Rīga, LV-1046
16 Latvija Elita Juhansone
Daugavas projekts 9443378
17 Latvija Elita Kalniņa VAK Audēju 7/9, Rīga, LV-1966
18 Latvija Valērijs Gabrāns
Bauskas mednieku-makšķernieku biedrība
3956565
19 Latvija Juris Kalniņš Latvijas meliorācijasbiedrība
9134805
20 Latvija Gunta Ozoliņa
ZM Valsts zivjsaimniecības pārrvalde
7334478 [email protected]
21 Latvija
Dina Belta laikraksts "Kursas laiks"
3423835 [email protected]
22 Latvija Andris Eglītis VAK Cēsu nodaļa Gaujas iela 56/9, 6407855 [email protected]
8
Cēsis, LV-4101 fax - 4125325 7273814 23 Latvija Rūta Birziņa Valsts
būvinspekcijas HES hidrotehnisko būvju kontroles daļa
Kr.Barona iela 99, Rīga, LV 1012 fax - 7276374
24 Latvija Inta Pipaka Latvijas Dabas muzejs
Kr.Barona iela 4., Rīga, LV - 1712
7213134 fax - 7220092
25 Latvia Guntis Zaķis SIA "NARA" Noloktavas 5, Rīga 7325701 [email protected] Latvija Andrejs
Vasiļjevs Magazine "Enerģētika un automatizācija"
Nīlandes 13-6, Rīga, LV-1010
27 Latvia Astrīda Puriņa
VARAM Peldu 25, Rīga, LV-1494
7026460
28 Latvia Vilnis Berards
VARAM Peldu 25, Rīga, LV-1494
7026524
29 Sweden Per Isaksson SSNC Box 4625, Stockholm, SE – 11691, Sweden
46-8-70265000
30 Sweden Eva Frossling
CCB secretariat Östra Ågatan, Uppsala, SE – 75322, Sweden
Tel./fax 46-18-71 11 75
31 Sweden Ingemar Näslund
Environment Country Administration
P.O.Box 156, Kaunas, 3000
3707425566 32 Lithuania Gedrime Kusliene
Lithuania Green Movement
Lithuania fax - +370425207
Blueflag@zalieji
P.O.Box 156, Kaunas, 3000
3707425566 33 Lithuania Rimantas Braziulis
Lithuania Green Movement
Lithuania fax - +370425207
Blueflag@zalieji
34 Estonia Meelis Tambets
Society of Hydrobiology
Kesk 44-1, Tartu, 50114, Estonia
+ 372 51 76886
3725270020 35 Estonia Kaja Riiberg Tartu Students Nature Protection Circle / Lahemaa National Park
Lahemaa RPA, Palmse, 45202, Estonia
fax – 372 3295531
+ 372 51 74661
36 Estonia Rein Järvekülg
Wildlife Estonia (NGO)
Kesk 44-15, Tartu, 50114, Estonia
fax - + 3727383013
+ 372 51 74661
37 Estonia Jaak Tambets
Wildlife Estonia (NGO)
Kesk 44-15, Tartu, 50114, Estonia
fax - + 3727383013
9
CCB INTEREST-GROUP ON
RIVER PROTECTION/SMALL-SCALE HYDROPOWER PLANTS
8 DECEMBER 2001 An interest-group on river protection and small-scale hydropower plants was established at the seminar. Other persons interested are welcome to sign-up. NAME ORGANISATION COUNTRY E-MAIL OTHER
INFO Alvis Birkovs Latvian Anglers
Association Latvia [email protected]
Ints Mednis WWF-Latvia Latvia [email protected] Gunta Ozolina Latvian Board of
Fisheries Latvia [email protected]
Nina Ljungquist
Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
Sweden [email protected]
Ingemar Näslund
County Administration of Jämtland
Sweden [email protected]
Rimantas Braziulis
Lithuanian Green Movement
Lithuania [email protected]
Elita Kalnirya FOE-Latvia Latvia [email protected] Jaak Tambets Wildlife Estonia Estonia [email protected] Kaja Riiberg Tartu Students
Nature Protection Circle
Estonia [email protected]
Eva Frössling CCB International Secretariat
Sweden [email protected]
10
Copies of Overheads from the speech by Ingemar Näslund, Sweden
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Copies of Overheads from the speech by Alvis Birkovs, Latvia
23
24
25
26
27
Text from the speech by Per Isaksson, Sweden
28
CCB och Green Liberty international seminar: Small-scale hydropower - threats to free flowing watercourses Riga 8 th December 2001, Per Isakson SSNC PRESENTATION BY PER ISAKSSON, SWEDISH SOCIETY FOR NATURECONSERVATION Good afternoon everybody. It’s an honour to be here and I hope I will be able to share my experiences with you. Since 1994 I work at the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation as the Programme Coordinator for on one hand a project on Rivers and on the other a project on Greening the Cities. First time I entered a Baltic State country was in 1992, when Gunnar Norén from CCB had asked me to organise a campaign tour with the name ”Save the Baltic Sea”. The first meeting in Talinn was at Mr Valdur Lahtvee from the Estonian Green Movement. Together with us we also had representatives from the environmental movements of Latvia and Lithuania. That meeting was the starting point of a very enjoyable work, which culminated in some really interesting summer weeks, when we sailed with the campaign ship Sunbeam from Sweden via Hangö in Finland. The first stop was at Dagö in Estonia and the following approximately ten harbours were at 10 other harbours all the way down to Kaliningrad. Planning the campaign we followed a concept, which had been used by SSNC in their Protecting-the-Sea Campaigns, which took place between 1989-1991. We arranged seminars and exhibitions, sold books and showed people acquaries with live fish. We invited politicians and journalists to excursions with the ship. Under those tours divers took samples of sediment from on before hand selected areas. The sample would smell badly from sulphor and we would stick it under the noses of the politicians to the joy of journalists and fotographers. The Campaign aimed at being an alarm clock for politicians and the public, so that they would acknowledge the fact of the environmental degradation. It was also a way to point in another direction of development. The deregulation of the Swedish energy market in 1995 created an opportunity for SSNC to develop criterias for the electricity distribution based on renewable energy sources. Hydro power plants, which were already was in use, were included in the SSNC Green Label package on energy sources. The inclusion of hydro power in the Green Labelling caused a crisis of credibility at the SSNC annual meeting in 1996. This led to a decision, at the AM, to start a campaign on rivers, against the construction of new hydro power plants, however small they would be. Hydro power plants built in 1996 or later can never acquire a Green Label licens. The criterias are being sharpened successively and next year we will also require Nature Protection demands on those hydro power companies, which apply for coming
29
generations’licences. I was responsible for organising a campaign tour in cooperation with the SSNC local units, which would focus on a number of rivers being threatened by new hydro power plants, often very small ones. The final day of the tour would be at the National day of Rivers next to the Kalix River in ”Norrbotten”, which is one of the northern regions in Sweden. Here follows the letter which we sent to media and politicians, locally and nationally all through the country in the up-run to the campaign tour in 1998. Life of a Nomad Nomads are on a constant move. Their lives change according to weather and seasons. The same accounts for free-flowing waters. Sometimes they are lovely and glittery, other times their rage causes cascades of freezing cold water. But they are always exciting and full of organisms. Ever since the SSNC was built in 1909 we have faught to save our remaining untouched rivers and untouched parts of already exploited rivers. Ever so often we have failed. Only very few of the great Swedish Rivers are still un-exploited by dams and hydro power stations. In the eighties we beleived the fight was over. Sweden then had a new law on the preservation of rivers. But happiness was short. During the nineties Companies and politicians again give their attention to rivers, and it´s not with the mind to preserve them. Big rivers to small streams now live under the threat to be exploited. That is why we, the SSNC, will become nomads for at summer. With a tent and a bus we will travel throughout the country and talk about our anger and our love. Sweden can afford saving our remaining rivers. They give life to both people and animals. Since you live or work near a place which we will visit, we would like to tell you about our plans for this summer’s nomad life. So that you won’t be unprepared when the tent is suddenly there at your town’s market place. We hope you will take your time reading about our tour for free-flowing water. If you want to ask us anything, please call or send us an e-mail. After July 6, we will be even easier to reach. Until then we will be trying to rest before the tour. The local branches of SSNC have contact persons, which you will find at the next page. The letter continued saying: Keep an eye open for the SSNC tent and bus this summer! We will be visiting eleven places with threatened rivers. We will arrange exhibitions and gather names to protect the rivers. The tent will be placed centrally in your town. More information will be
30
sent to you during July. We will open up the tent at 12.00 and keep it open until everybody has left. At 14.00 we will depart with the excursion bus towards the river. The local branch of the SSNC will be the host for the visits and the excursion and have a lot of exciting things to tell us about the life around and in the river. The excursions are open to everybody, young and old, tourists and locals, everybody who has ever been wondering about the future of the rivers. Of course we would be delighted to see you there! During the campaign tour, through appeals in our magazine ”Sveriges Natur” and through our web site we gathered names, which would be presented to the Minister of Environment after the campaign tour. This is how we formulated the message: Sweden needs its last rivers. We cannot afford losing another single drip! About 70% of all the rivers in Sweden have been sacrified to produce hydro power. The effect has been that a lot of plant and animal species ( as for example otter, salmon, brown trout, kingfisher and dipper) have had their habitats destroyed. This also diminishes people’s possibilities of fishing, enjoying nature life and scenery. The remaining rivers ought to be protected. Already in the eighties it was written in the Swedish Law of Natural Resources that the big rivers should be saved and not exploited. Amongst them there were the so called National Rivers: The Torne River, The Kalix River, The Pite River and The Vindel River. That’s when you thought the danger had passed. But that was obviously not the case: the General Director Mr Andersson of the Hydro power plant’s Association, said in the beginning of the year that Industry had not dropped the idea of expanding the four National Rivers. The Labour Union in the Norrbotten region were openly fighting for an expansion of the Kalix river. And not even the smallest rivers were safe. Already in July 1997 there was a special contribution from the State to build mini hydro power stations. A fact which has led to many old plans on hydro power stations to become vivid again. Many of us would like to beleive that we have to sacrifice the remaining rivers to be able to get rid of the nuclear power stations. But this is not true! We will be fine just by using our energy in o more efficient way. Do you want to join us in the struggle to protect the last remaining rivers? Sign your name on the list before August 30, 1998. The names should be delivered to the new Government after elections. As a preparation for the campaign tour we mapped all the plans to build new mini hydro power stations. We mapped all the projects, which had
31
applied for resources from the Agency of Energy. By a coincidence we found out that there was another still not published study, which pointed at the consecquences of a small-scale exploitation. This unique study was published in a fact sheet. Both these reports and the campaign tour was presented at a conference, where we also had a video film on one of the threatened rivers and dia slides on the campaign tent and crew for free publishing. This had the effect that the media coverage was very good. Parallell to this we had frequent contacts with our local branches, which would be hosts and local organisers at each river expedition. We sent a special campaign letter and had frequent telephone contacts with the locally responsible people. We also published a flyer with further information on which threats there were against the rivers, we were supposed to visit during the tour. The tour was between July 25 and August 15, and we managed to visit 12 different rivers. We started in Blekinge, Olofström, where the power company of Olofström wants to expand at Östafors. We got up at six o’clock to raise the tent and arrange with the exhibition. Around ten we were done and that’s when people started coming. There were special children’s activities, for example they could look at insects and preserved animals. Grown up people would sign the papers, ask about energy saving activities or listen to musicians, singning about rivers. 25 persons joined the excursion amongst them politicians and journalists. Årån is a delightful area with streams and mysterious calm waters. Per Pettersson from the local branch has been fighting to save the Årån from a mini hydro power station. 30 persons came along to the excursion and we all saw Anton Halldén fish electrically in the river. There sas a hot debate on the plans to build the hydro power plant, when the hydro power entrepeneur and the chairman of the miniscale hydro power organisation joined the group. In the tent in Värnamo one can join the competition ”guess the name of each of these preserved animals” and win a low energy electricity bulb. The River of Österdal is threatened by an exploitation at Brunnsberg, in spite of a local referendum in 1994, which showed a majority against nex plants. Ulla is the leading lady in the fight for the protection of the river. First page in the Mora newspaper is covered by a photo of a man in giant river boots, fetching water form the river. A bottle is filled from each river we visit. Those bottles will all be part of the present to the Government after the tour. In the forest river Svågan Birka Energy company wants to build two new mini power plants. The parliamentarian Tomas Gyling ftom the Green Party
32
took the symbolic water sample after we had watched a vivid group of Fresh Water Pearl Mussles in the stream Styggforsbäcken. In Sundsvall we have a good sight for the tent, in the middle of the market place. The hydro power plant owner Jan Bäckström was at the River of Sörforsån and loudly argumented in favor of his own exploitation plans. Ljungåfors hydro power company wants to build a hydro power plant at the boarder between Jämtland and Medelpad. The regional government has suddenly decided to create a nature reserve to protect the river. Sadly enough that decision was broken one year later when no funds were given from the National Agency for Natural Resources. The regional government could not afford to all alone pay the land owner Håkan Andersson. Parbäckarna is a small river threatened by further exploitation. At this place a naked man called ”Näcken” played the violin in the middle of the streams. Staffan Holmgren, doctor in limnology told us about the small rivers and the importance of insects and fish. The lower part of Långan is protected through the Natural Resources Law but the Law cannot allow for a furhter exploitation if the effects are others than a very small effect on the environment. This has been taken into consideration by Jämtkraft and they want to use Långforsen. Singing and Trumpets gave a feeling of spirituality up at the river side, where the water proof was taken by the politician in opposition surveyed by the Chief editor of the local paper. At the market place, in the tent, people were served wok á la Långforsen. The general director of the Jämtkraft was delighted to get all this attention. In Haparanda the tent was raised at the beach of Torne River, one of our still few untouched rivers. The excursion should have gone to the exploited Kukasjokki, where Martin Arm 87 year old and agriculturist, was very unhappy about the result. Erosion damage, water with sediment and depleted fish. The owner of the mini hydro power plant, Assar Nordebo, defended himself as good as he could but also held a defensive speach to the excursion group. Assar had plans on even regulating Moån, another small river. The excursion headed towards the river through pineforests and a beautiful part with birches, asps etc. Martin Lång, a member of the municipality board took the water sample and promised to protect the river at the next board meeting. The tour ended at the National Day in Kalix. The day was filled with fun activities in and around many of the villages along the river. In the evening we had a manifestation in boats, each of us holding a lit stick. The Campaign has taught us that it is long and hard work to protect threatened rivers, but it is possible to do it!. Until now half of the threatened rivers have been protected. Two of them have been exploited.
33
Two cases have still not been decided. The name lists finally had 15 000 signatures. All the signatories were handed over to the new Minister of Environment, Kjell Larsson, together withe the water samples. At the same time we had a manifestation at the Parliament and full page advertisments in the daily newspapers. During the Autumn we organised a seminar on small scale hydro power, which was followed up by a couple of articles on threatened rivers, published in the SSNC magazine, Sveriges Natur. We also visited to National Agency on Energy, which was responsible for the decision on which project would get a financial contribution. Until today we have investment contributions, but the interest is not as high as the Goverment had thought. Could this be because of our Campaign? Now there is a new threat - EU - which sees hydro power as a clean energy source and where skilful lobbyists in Brussels try to gain finanancial support for the exploitation of new rivers in other parts of Europe. To fight this trend, SSNC will spead a fact sheet to other parts of EU, with information on the effects of a small scale river exploitation on plant and animal life. The fact sheet I will hereby hand out to you. You are welcome to read it and use it. biolog Per Isakson projektledare Strömmande vatten Svenska Naturskyddsföreningen Tel 08 702 65 18, fax 08 702 08 55 [email protected] http://www.snf.se
34
Copies of Overheads and Information from speech by Rimantas Brauzaulis and Gedrime Kusliene, Lithuania
35
SMALL HYDRO POWER PLANTS
IN LITHUANIA
36
HYDROPOWER IN LITHUANIA
The beginning of power sector development in Lithuania is the year 1892 when the duke B. Oginskis for the lighting purposes built in his Rietavas estate the power plant where the Gram current generator of the 110V voltage was rotated by steam-engine. In 1939 the total number of the water energy producing plants was 640 with 1590 kW general power. But these HEPP was very primitive and during the freshets falled down. After the war (until 1955) electricity production in small HEPP continued increase. However, when the new large-scale power industry installation were introduced the energy production in small HEPPs began to decrease in 1962. Development of the small-scale hydro power plants (HPP) is rapidly increasing in Lithuania. Today there are 41 small hydro power plants operating in Lithuania with the total installed capacity of 12 MW and annual electricity production of about 26 GWh, which makes up to 0.2% of electricity produced in Lithuania. This development could be characterised by calculated small technical potential of energy production (~5 MW of total potentially installed capacity) and large number of HPP’s ranging from 10 kW to 150-400 kW and spread in whole Lithuania. Fortunately, many of these HPP’s are still in the planing stage. Lithuanian law related with HEPPs:
1. The Water law (1997). This law oblige to project fish-ways in new HPP. 2. The special conditions for forest’s and land’s using. In these conditions there are
prohibited to change river’s bed and lake’s water level without Ministry of Environment permission.
3. The wild fauna law (1997). 4. According to the order of Minister of the Ministry of Environment there is made a list
of the rivers in which there is prohibited building of HPP. 5. According to the order (1999) of Minister of the Ministry of Environment there is
made a list of the protected fishes and crawfishes species.
The harm of electric power stations However even if fishes spawing places are protected by national laws, international agreements (Helcom convention, Bern convention), people often fail to take it into account and assert that won’t be any damage. And in this moment such facts: there are not planned fish-ways in new HEPP, in 41 operating HEPP there are built only 9 fis-hways but only 3 are working, there are not planned control of operating HEPP, by the fishways poachers are fishing and etc. There is general lack of knowledge and awareness about negative impacts of these HPP on environments of rivers and streams. Small-scale HPP very often are considered as environmentally friendly renewable energy, not taking into account negative aspects of these plants (influence on biodiversity of the rivers, landscape, fishing, etc.). Many of these power plants are designed or constructed without proper Environment Impact Assessment, not mentioning lack of public involvement and consultations about these development plans or particular projects. In the most of these HEPP there are not planned fish-ways. There are 47 HEPP in project stage now. And only in two HEPP there are planned fish-ways.
37
Hydropower plant changes river flow regime very much: increase water depth and reduce water velocity in reservoir, create permenent fluctuations of flow rate and stage in downstream reach. Beside of harmful scour of river bed sudden and frequent fluctuations of water level makes killing influence to water flora and fauna. When building hydropower plants a particular attention must be paid to these rivers where precious fish species migrate. These migrating fish species are very sensitive to the changes of habitat. The migrating fish species especially decreased after the hydropower dam was commissioned on the main Lithuanian’s river the Nemunas near Kaunas in 1959. It is one of the largest hydro schemes without the fish ladder in Lithuania. About 6 to 8 thousand of salmon, 8 to 11 thousand of sea-trout migrate every year into Lithuanian’s rivers. Good conditions for salmon spawning are in the rivers Minija, Šventoji, Žeimena, Neris and Nemunas which hydropower potential is high. LGM activity regarding small HEPPs:
- Iniciates discussions in the Parlament, in the Minstry of Environment - Organizes seminars - Iniciates preparation of documents - Puts pressure on politicians - Informs public - Seeks international co-operation
There are 900 artificial ponds in Lithuania, so our proposal would be to use these ponds for building new HEPP. Other suggestion would be to built fishways in operating HEPP, especialy in Viekšniai HEPP and Kuldiga HEPP in river Venta, in Kavarskas HEPP in river Šventoji. These rivers are the most important for migrating fishes. At this moment nobody takes environmental issues into account when project new HEPP. So with the help of international organizations LGM would like to organize international conference regarding smal HEPP where would participate not only NGO bet also State organizations, State representatives and etc.
38
Lithuanian law related with HEPP
6. The Water law (1997). This law oblige to project fish-ways in new HPP. 7. The special conditions for forest’s and land’s using. In these conditions
there are prohibited to change river’s bed and lake’s water level without Ministry of Environment permission.
8. The wild fauna law (1997).
9. According to the order (1999) of Minister of the Ministry of Environment
there is made a list of rivers where it is prohibited building of HPP. This is the main document which regulate building of new HEPP in Lithuania.
10. According to the order (1999) of Minister of the Ministry of Environment
there is made a list of the protected fishes and crawfishes species.
LGM ACTIVITY
- Iniciates discussions in the Parlament, in the Minstry of Environment
- Organizes seminars
- Iniciates preparation of documents
- Puts pressure on politicians
- Informs public
- Seeks international co-operation
39
STATISTICS
In 1939 in Lithuania were 640 hydropower plants and 100 of them were HEPP. In 1958 were 320 hydropower plants:
- Hydro-electric power plants (HEPP); - Water-mills; - Sawmills and etc.
In 1962 – 1982 almost all hydropower plants were closed. Today there are 41 HEPP operating in Lithuania. There are 47 new HEPP in project stage now.
REALITY
- There are not planned fish-ways in new HEPP - In 41 operating HEPP there are built only 9 fish-ways but only 3 are working - There are not planned control of operating HEPP - Near the fishways poachers are fishing
40
Operating HEPP in Lithuania in 2001.
41
River Virvyte is the mostly damed river in Lithuania.
42
This is a typical Hydro power plant in Lithuania without fish-ways.
43
Belmonto fish-way.
44
POSSIBLE COMING CCB INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON RIVER PROTECTION AND PLANNED CONSTRUCTIONS OF NEW HYDROPOWER AND DAMS At the seminar ideas for possible coming CCB International activities within this field of issue were discussed. In Baltic Countries this issue is very hot right now, a lot of important decisions are taken and there is a need for immediate actions! (*) Indicates that there were a higher interest for the specific activity mentioned List of with all ideas for possible coming activities that came up during the discussions:
- *To initiate a CCB interest/working group on River Protection/Hydropower – Dams (Volontary Leadparty). (The participants in such a group should come from not less than three different CCB countries)
- *Inventory of potential removal of suitable existing dams in Baltic rivers. - *Develop a CCB-strategy for removal of suitable dams in Baltic Sea region - *To publish a CCB position paper - *Production of a CCB-folder on Consequences of dam construction/hydropower on
river ecosystems (5-10 pages) - *Presentation of success stories, like e.g. the work made by the Latvia Coalition with
the Latvian list for protection of rivers/river stretches in Latvia. - Inventory of plans of new construction of dams-hydropower in the Baltic Sea region
(a publishing of inventory) - *CCB should follow the work of Natura 2000 network and give proposals for
important rivers to be protected, so that these rivers are included in each national Natura 2000 report. Now it is time for discussion in every country and at the end of 2002 all national Natura 2000 reports have to be submitted.
- *A campaign could be formulated to protect the most valuable rivers/stretches of rivers and where there are good possibilities to stop the exploitation of the river by hydropower. 5-6 objects (rivers/stretches of rivers) could be identified. Press-releases and involvement of media could be included in the campaign. .
- Inventory of existing dams and existing hydropower stations. - *Establish an NGO expert group - *Arrange 3 International Conferences, one in each of the following countries: Estonia,
Latvia and Lithuania. Target groups should be e.g. state authorities, scientists, NGO´s, tourism companies
- To compile a CCB policy paper on alternatives to Hydropower and on Energi saving. - Education on energy saving - *CCB to distribute information on international legislation, e.g. legislation of
HELCOM, legislation of EU. If there is a country where the legislation is rather satisfactory – this could be presented as one good example.
- A delegation of government officials and NGO representatives could visit Sweden to see good examples.
- Make a comprehensive survey of one area that is going to be build-out with a Hydropower station. The situation before and after building could be studied concerning e.g.; economically aspects, social aspects, biological aspects (fish, bentos, sediments, transports, seeds, vegetation.
45
- New seminar – follow-up in autumn 2002 - Lobby for a new HELCOM recommendation on Protection of river eco-systems - Documentation of the today´s situation concerning hydropower around the Baltic Sea
Region (Norway and North-West Russia included) - Co-operation with World Comission of Dams - Water Round Tables – co-operation between different bodies like: lokal governments,
NGO´s, cultural institutions, anglers, business etc. - net conferences (the person that takes the initiative should push the question forward
46
NEW THREATS TO THE BALTIC SEA ENVIRONMENT – HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER AND DAMS CONCLUSION FROM THE CCB-SEMINAR ON RIVER PROTECTION AND THREATS FROM PLANNED CONSTRUCTIONS OF NEW HYDRO-POWER AND DAMS, in Riga, Latvia, 8 December 2001 CCB has observed during the last years, growing threats from planned dam constructions and construction of small hydropower plants in many river systems in many countries in the Baltic Sea drainage basin. Constructions of hydopower plants is usually seen as very good investments for sustainable energy systems. Hydro-power is a renewable energy resource, that don't give much contribution to air pollutions, climate change etc. But constructions of hydro-power plants usually have adverse impact on river eco-systems and destroy its biodiversity. Such constructions imply a threat to important river ecosystems and endagered species, such as naturally spawning Baltic salmon and Brown trout populations, and other organisms. Today there is a deficiency of pristine river ecosystems in the Baltic Sea Region. Most river ecosystems are influenced by human activities. Biological valuable and pristine river ecosystems must be secured. Examples are e.g. the planned construction of a cascade of dams in the Vistula River, Poland, Which totally would destroy the ecosystems of Free-flowing River. Vistula River represents one of the very few still free-flowing European rivers, with great values for nature conservation and environment protection, from a Pan-European perspective. In Latvia a subsidies program has started, wich gives double price for each kWh during 8 years, that can be delivered to the electrical energy net in Latvia. This program has promoted many new projects for reconstruction of old dams and construction of new dams for hydropower production. These activities threaten important river ecosystems, including wild fish popluations, such as wild Baltic salmon and other salmonids. Development of the small-scale hydro power plants is rapidly increasing in Lithuania. Most of these power plants are designed or constructed without proper Environment Impact Assessement and without construction of functional fish-ways. Important rivers for migrating of fish, like e.g. wild Baltic salmon, are threatened by these activities, including other important biodiversity values. In Sweden a number of new exploitations are planned along the whole Sweden, from south to north, which e.g. will threaten planned Natura 2000 objects and other very important river ecosystems for nature conservation. The on-going activities can threaten important river eco-systems in the Baltic Sea Region. There is a need to consider the situation on the international Baltic Region level, and take actions in a pro-active way to avoid non-reversible losses of important representative river ecosystems for the future. These matters of concern should be addressed by the Baltic intergovernmental bodies such as HELCOM and the BALTIC 21. Proposals for actions, to be taken on international ande national level in the Baltic Sea Region:
47
1. Exploitations and constructions for dams and hydropower in Baltic rivers should not be allowed before a strategy based on national inventory and evaluation of all national river ecosystems, from a nature conservation and sustainable fisheries point of view, including a list of river systems especially important for nature conservation. Certain river ecosystems of great importance must be set aside for nature conservation, where constructions not will be allowed.
2. All Baltic Region countries must implement the EC Water Framework Directive
(WFD), so a Good Ecological Waterstatus will be reached. This should included requirements on demands for
- no construction in water, that may stop important natural fish migrations - a certain lowest allowable water flow from possible dams, that will secure the
biodiversity of the river ecosystem down- and up-streams such constructions.
3. HELCOM should develop a new Recommendation that will secure the nature values and biodiversity of Baltic Sea Region river ecosystems.
4. The BALTIC 21 process should included programs in their acitivities that will secure
the nature values and biodiversity of Baltic Sea Region river ecosystems. 5. A Baltic Regional program should be established to evaluate potential for
reconstruction of Baltic river systems with existing dam constructions, through removal of existing dams to restore rivers of special importance for nature conservation and recreational fisheries.
The proposals 1-5 should also be considered in relation to the implementation of EU Habitat directive on national level in the Baltic Sea Region. CCB proposal to HELCOM 23 HELCOM should, without delay
- Prepare a Comprehensive Report – Red list of river ecosystems in the Baltic Sea drainage basin (like the Baltic Sea Environment Proceedings no. 75 – Red list of Marine and Coastal Biotopes and Biotope Complexes of the Baltic Sea, Belt Sea and Kattegat).
- Develop a HELCOM Recommendation for protection of important and valuable River
ecosystems in the Baltic catchment. - Ask HELCOM contracting parties to develop National strategies for protection of
valuable river ecosystems.
48
