Hydropower vs. Environmentalism
Energy Policy
📍Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Over 60% of the electricity in Bosnia and Herzegovina is generated by dirty coal plants. Hydropower is a cleaner alternative, and all Balkan states are planning to build new hydropower plants. But they are facing a lot of opposition because Balkan rivers are a hotspot of biodiversity. They provide habitats for a multitude of animal and plant species, many of which are endemic.
All over Europe, it is the region where there are currently the most projects of dams and hydropower plants. In July of 2022, the protests led to a partial success since the Bosnian government implemented the "Law on Electricity" to ban the building of small hydropower plants up to 10 MW because of their negative impact on the environment.
📸Berni Mayer