Transcript Session 2 - Water-energy-climate nexus and freshwater ecosystems

Sustainable Hydropower
E
The water-energyclimate «nexus»
and freshwater
ecosystems in the
Western Balkans
Angela Klauschen
WWF International
Mediterranean Programme
EEA Hydropower Workshop
Lljubljana, 11-13 February 2013
Contents
Shorter title
Secondary information can go here
– What are the main implications of water-energy-climate nexus
XX-XX Month, Year
in the Western Balkans?
• Additional information can run
– How will the nexus affect freshwater ecosystems in the
Underneath if necessary
Western• Balkans?
– What solutions does WWF propose to preserve freshwater
ecosystems in the context of the nexus?
1. What are the main implications of water-energyclimate nexus in the Western Balkans?
The nexus – an overview...
1. What are the main implications of water-energyclimate nexus in the Western Balkans?
Water demand, energy and freshwater ecosystems
 Increased incentives to the
development of hydropower
globally
 Growing pressure and impacts of
water allocation (agriculture food /
biofuels, cooling water for energy
production, urban demand, industry, etc.)
 Both non-consumptive and
consumptive use with significant
impacts: economic, social and
environmental
  Massive losses in freshwater
biodiversity and ecosystem
services
1. What are the main implications of water-energyclimate nexus in the Western Balkans?
Implications of climate change
 Climate change is a fact
 Climate change increases
pressure and uncertainty
 Climate change will increase
precipitation variability,
temperature, extreme events
(floods, droughts)
 Climate change has its most
severe effects on freshwater
systems: runoff, extreme
events, water supply, freshwater ecosystems
1. What are the main implications of water-energyclimate nexus in the Western Balkans?
In Europe...
In the Western
Balkans, climate
change will entail:
- decreases in water
discharge
- by up to 25%
- by 2070
2. How will the nexus affect freshwater ecosystems
in the Western Balkans?
Hydropower: a renewable and sustainable energy?
Hydropower is powerful
 as a renewable
energy
 as a potentially
sustainable energy
 as a threat to
freshwater
ecosystems
2. How will the nexus affect freshwater ecosystems
in the Western Balkans?
In the Western Balkans...
 Rising energy demand for
development purposes
 Some countries’ energy
supply relies for up to 80%
on hydropower (i.e.
Albania)
 Hydropower potential of
rivers not yet ‘exhausted’
 Strong investor interest/
activity in the region (i.e.
WB, EBRD) supporting
dam construction
2. How will the nexus affect freshwater ecosystems
in the Western Balkans?
In the Western Balkans...
Hydropower again fashionable
as a «clean» energy solution
and as water storage + flood
retention infrastructure
Hydropower seen as a viable
option for energy security and
even to increase income
through energy exports to
neighbouring countries
2. How will the nexus affect freshwater ecosystems
in the Western Balkans?
Freshwater ecosystems in the Western Balkans...
On the other side...
- very pristine, biodiverse
freshwater ecosystems
- but fragile and complex
due to karstic nature of
the area
- highly sensitive to climate
change
2. How will the nexus affect freshwater ecosystems
in the Western Balkans?
Freshwater biodiversity the Western Balkans...
2. How will the nexus affect freshwater ecosystems
in the Western Balkans?
Main identified threat: hydropower...
Biodiversity Loss
(State)
Threats
(Pressure)
• Changing hydrological and • Water resources overflow regimes due to CC
exploitation
• Drying out of wetlands
• Fragmentation of river
systems
• Water infrastructure
development, water
regulation
• Wetland reclamation for
• Loss of freshwater species
agriculture
• Changing natural
processes
• Industrial, domestic,
agricultural pollution
Root Causes
(Drivers)
• Increased agricultural
production for domestic
markets
• Industry and tourism
development
• Increased energy demand
(nationally and
internationally)
• Lack or not enforced
institutional setting for
IRBM/IWRM
• Insufficient systems of PAs
2. How will the nexus affect freshwater ecosystems
in the Western Balkans?
WWF’s freshwater priority areas under threat
Livansko Polje
Hutovo Blato
Lake Skadar
3. What solutions does WWF propose to preserve
freshwater ecosystems in the context of the nexus?
Overview



Sustainable hydropower for healthy ecosystems
and water security
Envisioning a sustainable, renewable energy
future by 2050
„Soft“ infrastructure vs hard infrastructure for
adaptation to climate change
3. What solutions does WWF propose to preserve
freshwater ecosystems in the context of the nexus?
Making hydropower sustainable...
Some planning principles:
 Preserve critical natural assets,
free-flowing rivers - the «Amazon»
of Europe -, precious wetlands and
related ecosystem services from
development → define zoning
criteria and create no-go areas,
choose dam sites accordingly
 Assess needs and best options
→ use SEAs, master planning and
sectoral policy integration
 Avoid cumulative impacts of
infrastructure on one river/
ecosystem → plan wisely using
basin planning tools (IRBM, WFD,
SEAs)
3. What solutions does WWF propose to preserve
freshwater ecosystems in the context of the nexus?
Making hydropower sustainable...
Some technical measures:
 Minimize environmental impacts
through hard mitigation measures →
include e.g. fishladders, special intake
towers in dams to be built/refurbished
 Respect natural flow regime needs
of ecosystems (water quantity, quality,
timing, temperature + sediments) →
implement environmental flows
when designing and operating dams,
avoid hydro-peaking
 Give priority to rehabilitation and
refurbishing of existing infrastructure
for increased energy output and
improved environmental standards
3. What solutions does WWF propose to preserve
freshwater ecosystems in the context of the nexus?
Making hydropower sustainable...
Some ideas for fair and inclusive decision-making:
 Provide credible information to the public & involve stakeholders to show that the planned infrastructure is the best
option → implement WFD, SEA, Aarhus Convention provisions
 Make sure all parts of society, incl. downstream users, are
better off with than without the project → conduct cost/ benefit
analysis, SEAs, EIAs, etc.
 When in a transboundary context, countries sharing water
basins in which new infrastructure is planned, should comply
with the Espoo Conv., Kiev Prot., Aarhus Conv., UNECE
Water Conv.
 Before approving loans/financial support, IFIs and donors
should screen projects against their environmental standards
(e.g. EU, WB performance standards, Equator Principles)
3. What solutions does WWF propose to preserve
freshwater ecosystems in the context of the nexus?
The Dinaric Arc Sustainable Hydropower Initiative
WWF's Mediterranean Programme works:
 in cooperation with its network, local NGOs, regional
partner organisations (Transparency Int'l, GWP) and other
stakeholders (EU, farmers, fishermen), independent experts
 to influence key decision-makers among water and energy
utilities, international hydropower sector, IFIs, to adopt a
sustainable approach to hydropower in the region
 by providing scientific information and capacity building,
reminding commitments and legal requirements, allowing
discussion and trust building, etc.
 to ultimately reach common understanding on sustainable
hydropower in the region that works for people and nature
3. What solutions does WWF propose to preserve
freshwater ecosystems in the context of the nexus?
Towards a sustainable energy mix...
- Energy can be sustainable by 2050
- Mix of renewables and energy efficiency
– no nuclear, no conventional fuels (coal,
oil, gas) but some biomass and ...
- Hydropower part of the energy mix, but
limited increase
- Need to look at real needs reg. energy
generation
- Need for change in consumption patterns
(e.g. meat) and change habits (reduce
footprint)
3. What solutions does WWF propose to preserve
freshwater ecosystems in the context of the nexus?
“Soft” versus hard water infrastructure for adaptation
- Freshwater ecosystems often able
to adapt to changing climate
- high natural resilience, resistant to
extreme events
- provide «adaptation» services
such as flood protection (buffer
zones), water purification and
storage = «soft» infrastructure
- hard infrastructure too rigid,
usually restricts or eliminates some
of this natural resilience
- Soft or “green” infrastructure can
help combine control of water
resources, restore flow regimes,
rebuild natural climate resilience
Thank you
www.panda.org/mediterranean
© 2010, WWF. All photographs used in this presentation are copyright protected and courtesy of the WWF-Canon Global Photo Network and the respective photographers.
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