Another hydroelectric power station authorized on an ecologically sensitive river

On May 14, 2025, the Lyon administrative court of appeal validated the construction of a hydroelectric power plant on the Sallanche river, a tributary of the Arve (in Haute Savoie). FNE had challenged the prefectoral environmental authorization order in 2019, as the project threatened this river, classified as a biological reservoir, and diverted more than half the water flowing into the Sallanche. This ruling follows an initial decision by the Grenoble Administrative Court on December 6, 2022, which had initially annulled the project’s authorization precisely because of the risks it posed to the ecosystem.

FNE AURA (France Nature Environnement AUvergne-Rhône-Alpes), notes that this decision leads to a further artificialization of waterways, a phenomenon that is at the root of the difficulties in achieving good ecological status for rivers. Indeed, more than half the rivers in the Rhône-Méditerranée basin are in unsatisfactory condition, and many rivers already modified by artificial developments are struggling to maintain balanced biodiversity.

In legal terms, the administrative court of appeal adopted a different interpretation of current legislation, in particular article R214-109 of the French Environment Code. Unlike the Grenoble administrative court, it did not consider that the planned diversion would significantly affect the hydrology of the river, even though the latter is classified as a biological reservoir.

The court therefore overturned the Grenoble administrative court’s ruling and validated the prefectoral decree of December 26, 2019 authorizing the project.

This ruling reflects continuing legal uncertainty, particularly after a legislative attempt in 2019 to simplify the interpretation of rules on the protection of biological reservoirs. However, the Conseil d’État overturned this amendment and favors a case-by-case approach, leading to the risk of contradictory decisions and increasing legal uncertainty for the protection of biodiversity.Yet another hydroelectric plant authorized on a River with high ecological stakes.

More info :

Cour administrative d’appel de Lyon :
https://www.actu-environnement.com/media/pdf/jurisprudence/57.pdf

FNE :
https://www.fne-aura.org/communiques/region/centrale-hydroelectrique-de-sallanches-un-pas-de-plus-vers-la-degradation-de-nos-cours-deau/

La loire à Champtoceau

Disparition de Philippe Auclerc et Laurent Roy : hommage

En ce début mars 2025, nous avons appris avec tristesse la disparition brutale de deux hommes passionnés et engagés pour les rivières : Philippe Auclerc, Rédacteur en chef pendant 25 ans de « La Loire et ses Terroirs » et de la lettre « Les Nouvelles du bassin de la Loire » et Laurent Roy, ancien Directeur de l’Eau et de la Biodiversité au Ministère de 2013 à 2015 et ancien Directeur de l’Agence de l’Eau Rhône Méditerranée Corse jusqu’en 2023. Notre association a eu la chance de travailler avec eux, ils ont souvent partagé les visions de notre association et leurs compétences ont fait avancer la cause des rivières.

Philippe Auclerc était un fin connaisseur du territoire ligérien et de ses acteurs. Son engagement pour la préservation de la Loire et de ses affluents était profond et sa plume était sincère et souvent aiguisés sur la description du jeu d’acteur et le sens de la gestion de l’Eau du bassin. Son travail a plusieurs fois croisé les actions de l’association SOS Loire Vivante, il est venu nous voir dès les débuts de notre combat dans les années 1990 et a encore récemment été le modérateur de notre dernier colloque « Des Saumons et des Hommes » à Brioude en 2023, un sujet qui l’animait fortement. À travers ses écrits, il a su sensibiliser un large public aux enjeux environnementaux et patrimoniaux de ce fleuve. La disparition de Philippe marque la fin d’une époque pour les passionnés de la Loire, c’était le seul encore aujourd’hui à informer de la vie du fleuve, avec un sens critique, de la source à l’estuaire. Nous espérons que son projet de relier les ligériens perdurent. Nos pensées vont à sa famille et ses proches.

Laurent Roy a également joué un rôle important en faveur des politiques de gestion de l’eau et de préservation de la biodiversité en France tout au long de sa carrière. Avec European Rivers Network nous avons pu le rencontrer plusieurs fois lorsqu’il était au Ministère et à l’Agence de l’Eau, notamment au sujet du rétablissement de la continuité écologique sur le Rhin ou en lien avec le projet du label « Sites Rivières Sauvages ». Homme de conviction, sa capacité à dialoguer et échanger de manière constructive en faisait une personnalité respectée dans le milieu. Nous présentons nos sincères condoléances à sa famille.

 IUCN Report Recommends: Stop Water Abstraction at Shushica River in Albania and Use Alternatives

Joint press release by EcoAlbania, Riverwatch and EuroNatur

 

Tirana, January 29, 2025  –  This Monday, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released an assessment report about the controversial water abstraction project from the Shushica River, a vital tributary of the Vjosa River within Albania’s Vjosa Wild River National Park (VWRNP). With the project, the Albanian government aims to divert water to the Mediterranean coast to support large-scale tourism. The report, developed by leading international and Albanian experts, concluded that the proposed project would have a severe impact on the national park’s biodiversity and fail to comply with IUCN national park standards. It recommends avoiding the project altogether and using alternative water resources instead. “Avoidance is mandatory to achieve No Net-Loss of biodiversity and avoid significant adverse impacts on the integrity of the VWRNP and its objectives.” so the report states (IUCN, 2025, p. 59).

EcoAlbania, Riverwatch and EuroNatur welcome the results of the report and urge the Albanian government to act decisively on the report’s findings and protect the VWRNP by prioritizing the Avoidance Scenario. This scenario prohibits water abstraction from the Shushica River and recommends alternative water sources outside the park, ensuring that the national park’s objectives are upheld. WATCH OUR VIDEO

Key Findings of the Assessment

  • Violation of National Park criteria & Severe Ecological Risks: The assessment highlights the project’s potentially devastating impacts, including:
    • Loss of critical habitats for endangered species, such as fish, amphibians, and aquatic vegetation.
    • Irreversible damage to sediment transport, water quality, and biodiversity.

As a result of the above, the project is in violation of IUCN guidelines for Category II National Parks, to which the Albanian government has committed itself. It “is expected to have implications for the objectives of the VWRNP. As planned, the project water abstraction will not comply with IUCN guidelines for Category II National Parks, potentially affecting the park’s integrity and conservation objectives as well as ecosystem services.” (IUCN, 2025 Executive Summary)

  • Lepusha Springs Are Crucial: Contrary to the claims of the project proponents – including the Albanian Ministry of the Environment – the Lepusha Springs are of crucial importance for the Shushica. They form the primary source of the river and are integral to the river’s ecosystem. The IUCN report describes the springs as a “key inherent part of the Shushica River, given the functional meaning for the whole river ecosystem.” (IUCN, 2025, p. 22) The project as planned would extract the entire flow of the springs during dry months, leaving no water for the river’s biodiversity.
  • Viable Alternatives Exist: The assessment identifies several alternative water sources, such as the Borshi, Tatzati and Fera Springs, which are capable of meeting water demand without damaging the Vjosa Wild River National Park.
  • Climate Change Compounds the Risk: With climate change projected to reduce water availability in the Vjosa and Shushica River by 30% by 2050, the ecological impact of water abstraction would be even more severe in the future.

The Austrian company STRABAG has been laying these pipes to divert the spring water of the Shushica to the Mediterranean coast © Adrian Guri

 

NGOs and Local Communities Call for Immediate Action
The NGOs of the Blue Heart campaign and local residents of the Shushica Valley are united in their opposition to the planned project.

“This report reinforces the stance we’ve held since the start of this fight: the project would cause significant damage to vast areas of the Wild River National Park, and with alternative water sources available, it is completely unnecessary,” said Olsi Nika from EcoAlbania. “The Avoidance Scenario is the only path forward to protect one of Europe’s last wild river ecosystems and preserve the integrity of the VWRNP.”

“For generations, the Shushica River has been the lifeline of our valley—providing water for our fields, supporting our livelihoods, and offering a place of natural beauty,” said ,” said Astrit Balilaj, mayor of the village Kuç in the Shushica Valley .“We will not stand by and let this project destroy our river and our way of life. The government must listen to science and choose the Avoidance Scenario to protect our future.”

NGOs echo the call to abandon plans that threaten the national park, urging project developers, including the Albanian Development Fund, to embrace sustainable alternatives that respect the park’s integrity and long-term ecological health.

 


Background information

  • Other Scenarios Evaluated: In addition to Avoidance, the report assessed two other scenarios of lower priority, following the standardized framework of an IUCN Mitigation Hierarchy Assessment:
    • Minimization/Mitigation Scenario: : This would necessitate significantly less water abstraction from the Lepusha Springs, a complete redesign of the water intake and the use of alternative sources in parallel. A year-long hydrological and biodiversity study is required to determine an environmental flow regime and so is “an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) according to the amended EIA Directive” (IUCN, 2025, p. 65) in order to minimize environmental impacts during construction phase. This means that construction could not proceed as currently planned.
    • Offsets Scenario: Under this scenario, the project would proceed as planned but compensation measures—such as expanding the VWRNP boundaries to include additional areas, such as the Vjosa Delta—would be required to offset the damage. However, the report stresses that offsetting cannot fully mitigate the ecological harm caused by the project.
  • Download the Full Report and the Executive Summary. The report was independently financed by IUCN, and through aligned grant funds from Patagonia, and the Gordon and Betty Moore foundation, and was prepared by leading international and Albanian experts.
  • The Shushica, a key tributary of the Vjosa and part of Europe’s first Wild River National Park, faces threats from a water abstraction project. The government plans to divert its spring water to the Mediterranean coast to support large-scale tourism. While a 17 km pipeline from Kuç to Himara is nearly complete, the critical diversion infrastructure remains unbuilt. Financed by KfW and the EU (Western Balkans Investment Framework) and constructed by Austrian STRABAG, the project is both destructive and unnecessary, as alternative water sources exist outside the park. Local communities are determined to stop the diversion dam.
  • The Vjosa is one of the last big wild river in Europe outside Russia. Along her course of almost 270 kilometers, the river flows entirely unobstructed from the Pindus Mountains to the Adriatic Sea. In March 2023, after ten years of our campaign, the Albanian government proclaimed Europe’s first Wild River National Park.
  • Photos attached: The attached photo material can be used once in connection with this press release and indicating photo credits. Photos in print quality on request.

Contact
Besjana Guri – EcoAlbania b.guri@ecoalbania.org   0035/692954214
Ulrich Eichelmann – Riverwatch ulrich.eichelmann@riverwatch.eu 0043/6766621512
Christian Stielow – EuroNatur christian.stielow@euronatur.org 0049/7732 9272 15

 

logo Living Rivers Europe

Living Rivers Europe publishes its position : Making Europe climate and water resilient

from wwf epo , 24 january

Europe stands at a critical juncture. As the fastest-warming continent, we are witnessing the devastating impacts of climate change – from deadly floods to severe droughts and wildfires – all driven by extreme water events. At the same time, Europe’s freshwater is widely polluted, with less than 30% of surface waters meeting pollution standards set by the Water Framework Directive. Time is running out, but decisive EU leadership can pave the way for a resilient future.

As the EU prepares its Water Resilience Strategy, the Living Rives Europe coalition is launching its joint position on the path forward for a water and climate resilient Europe.

Read the position here.

Fontgombault (in operation), Bénavent, Saint-Gaultier, Ruffec – the number of micro-power projects on the Creuse River continues to grow

At the end of October, the investigating commissioner issued a favorable opinion on the project to authorize the Moulin de Bénavent hydroelectric power station, brushing aside the five opinions of environmental protection associations, experts in the field of water and rivers. They had demonstrated that the project did not meet the challenges of restoring ecological continuity and migratory fish on a river classified as a priority axis and biological reservoir by the SDAGE and the national biodiversity strategy. Despite all the existing literature on the impact of weirs and received ideas, we can still read in the conclusions of the report that the structure “will protect the homes of towns and villages located downstream from the mill”!

Read the report of Bénavent public enquiry (french)

Read our views on the projects Bénavent, Saint- Gaultier (french)

The EEA report on the state of water bodies in Europe has just been published : Pollution, over-use and climate change threaten water resilience in Europe

Member States must urgently accelerate the implementation of the Water Framework Directive to improve the state of our waters.

Bruxelles, Belgique, 15 october 202, press release from Living Rivers Europe

A new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) reveals that Europe’s water resources are under serious pressure, with no significant progress made since 2009*.

The report Europe’s state of water 2024: the need for improved water resilience underscores the urgent need for stricter implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), significant changes to agricultural production, pollution reduction, and urgent ecosystem restoration.

Its main findings include:

  • Less than 40% of surface waters, such as rivers and lakes, are currently healthy.
  • Nearly 25% of groundwater bodies are not in good chemical status, even though they provide almost two-thirds of our drinking water.
  • The chemical status of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters has further deteriorated, with less than 30% meeting the pollution standards set by the WFD.
  • Harmful agricultural practices, particularly the intensive use of nutrients and pesticides, continue to be the most significant pressure on water. Diffuse pollution pressures from agriculture affect 32% of groundwaters and 29% of surface waters.
  • Chemical pollution from coal-fired plants, along with alterations to rivers due to dam construction and straightening, also exerts considerable pressure on surface waters.

Claire Baffert, Senior EU Policy Officer, Water & Climate Change Adaptation at WWF European Policy Office, said: “The persistently lousy state of Europe’s waters shows that Member States are failing to address the water crisis, year after year. The Water Framework Directive has been in place for over two decades, but its goals remain largely unmet because national governments do not take its requirements seriously. Unfortunately, as reflected in the Draghi report*, there are strong calls to weaken the directive’s standards to facilitate harmful projects, when what we truly need is to prioritise the protection of our water resources.”

Sara Johansson, Senior Policy Officer for Water Pollution Prevention at EEB, said “The EEA data shows that less than 30% of surface waters are in good chemical status. While these stats are alarming, they’re not even giving the full picture as it’s only assessed against a limited and outdated list of pollutants. New quality standards for water must be adopted with urgency so that monitoring and planning of measures can be included in the next River Basin Management Plans.”

Mark Owen, Director of the European Anglers Alliance, said: “This report not only highlights the crisis that we face with the state of EU waters but also the significant cost that citizens will face by continued inaction by member states. The report showcases the way forward with the example in Estonia restoring 3,300 KM of rivers by removing dams and river restoration, increasing biodiversity with improvements to 32 species. Similar actions are now required across the EU.”

Irene Duque, Freshwater Policy Officer at Wetlands International Europe, said: “Thank you, EEA! We have heard the message loud and clear: our water resilience is at risk. The path forward to meet EU targets and improve the health of European waters is equally clear: wetland restoration over maladaptation. Building dams and relying on more grey infrastructure continues to prove counterproductive, often worsening the problems it aims to solve. Wetland restoration remains a low priority on the EU’s agenda, but for those concerned about devastating floods, droughts, the decline of freshwater fish, or access to water as a human right, this is truly a no-brainer.”

Andras Krolopp, Head of Biodiversity Policy at The Nature Conservancy Europe, said: “The state of Europe’s waters is a wake up call for urgent action. As the EEA report shows, this is not only a European issue, but a global crisis. Restoring at least 25,000 km of rivers to their free-flowing state is not just an environmental necessity: it’s a commitment to biodiversity and our future. Europe has a global commitment under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nature Restoration Law to achieve this goal. We need to accelerate the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and prioritise water and ecosystem protection across all policies. The time to act is now, and delay is not an option.”

Europeans are increasingly paying the price for their government’s inaction on the water crisis. According to the latest Eurobarometer survey, 78% of Europeans want the EU to do more to address water pollution.

The Living Rivers Europe NGO coalition* urges Member States to accelerate the implementation of the WFD to improve Europe’s waters and integrate water and ecosystem protection across all policies.

Notes to editors:

*The deteriorating trend in the chemical status of surface waters and the overall lack of progress are partially linked to the fact that Member States are improving their monitoring practices, thereby identifying more pollutants than before.

*In its previous assessment from 2018, the EEA reported that “It can be expected that, by the time the third River Basin Management Plans are drafted (2019-2021), some of the several thousand individual measures undertaken in the first and second RBMPs should have had a positive effect in terms of achieving good status.” This has not been the case, showing that many Member States have failed to implement the planned measures.

*The Draghi report notes that the EU should consider other targeted updates to relevant EU Environmental legislation (i.e. the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive, the Birds, Habitats, Water Framework and potentially the SEA Directive) for renewable energy installations and grids. It considers including limited (in time and perimeter) exemptions in EU environmental directives (e.g.  the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive) until climate neutrality is achieved. Exemption requirements need to be met under certain conditions (e g  installations do not endanger the population and mitigation measures).

*An illustration of insufficient WFD implementation can be found in the resurrection of infrastructure projects that damage biodiverse rivers, such as the Răstolița Hydropower Project in Romania, or the TURNU MĂGURELE –NIKOPOL hydraulic structure project on the Danube.

*Living Rivers Europe is a coalition of organisations advocating for the defence, maintenance and implementation of the WFD in its current form. The coalition includes the European Anglers Alliance, the European Environmental Bureau, the European Rivers Network, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International, and WWF, representing a movement of over 40 million European citizens. See the Living Rivers Europe’s handbook for the 2024-2029 mandate.

the EU Environmental Council finally adopted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL)

Read EEB press release :

Brussels/Luxembourg, 17 June 2024

Today, after a nail-biting last discussion, the EU Environmental Council finally adopted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL), marking the last step for this long-awaited proposal to become law. This outcome is a huge win for Europe’s nature, climate action, citizens and future. 

Member States followed through with their commitments and with a majority of 20 countries, representing 66.07% of the population, the law was officially endorsed, thanks to Austria’s Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler stepping up at the last minute, changing the country’s previous stance and safeguarding the law.

The #RestoreNature coalition, consisting of BirdLife Europe, ClientEarth, EEB and WWF EU, says: “Today’s vote is a massive victory for Europe’s nature and citizens who have been long calling for immediate action to tackle nature’s alarming decline. After years of intense campaigning and many ups and downs, we are jubilant that this law is now reality – this day will go down in history as a turning point for nature and society. Now, we need all hands on deck: Member States must properly implement this legislation without delay in their countries, in close collaboration with all involved stakeholders. At the end of the day, nature can rebounce, for the benefit of our climate, biodiversity and people!”

The law has faced one of the most tumultuous journeys in the history of EU legislation. After surviving an unprecedented and absurd disinformation campaign, aiming to destroy the NRL in the European Parliament, it faced the risk of being rejected at the very last step in the Environment Council. In the end, however, support for the law carried the day.

This is also a timely outcome to present at the upcoming UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16) later this year, showing that Europe is willing to lead the way in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises by owning up to its global commitments. It is also a very clear message to the new EU Parliament and Commission, to not forget to keep biodiversity at the forefront of their agenda.

 

This result followed a massive public mobilisation. Over the past few years, over a million signatures and messages from citizens, repeated calls from 6000+ scientists, 100+ businesses, youth organisations, and civil society from across numerous sectors have been made to defend the law and the integrity of the EU Green Deal. As the #RestoreNature coalition, we want to thank anyone who contributed to this result and made it happen.

 

World Migratory Fish Day: Watch and share our videos

To mark World Migratory Fish Day on Saturday 25 May, ERN-SOS Loire Vivante is launching three videos about Atlantic salmon and ecological continuity.

These videos are previews of remixed extracts from the documentary entitled “Pour une fois qu’il faut laisser couler”, which will be released shortly.

The 2-minute portrait and landscape modules presented here, in French and English, plunge you into the life of the Atlantic salmon in the Allier and Sélune rivers and present 2 major innovative and far-reaching actions that France has taken to restore access to the upstream areas of rivers and streams, the historic breeding grounds of the Atlantic salmon.

Discover these videos :

The New Poutès, the dam that opens for wild salmon 
watch the French version / watch the English version

Allier River : An obstacle course for salmon
watch the French version / watch the English version

France: The largest dam removal project in the world, 2017-2022
watch the French version / watch the English version

 

All the videos can also be viewed on our new YouTube channel: “Rivières Vivantes – Laisser Couler”: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjokCmOpXMcgD4ag3UY3ctg

Note :

  • France is the European leader in the restoration of ecological continuity, particularly through the removal of small and large transverse structures. Since 1997, it has built up recognised expertise through innovative policies and major international projects. At a time when the decline in populations of migratory fish and fish at the head of river basins, such as trout, is alarming, we need to pursue innovative actions that provide the most effective response to the challenges of biodiversity.
  • To publicise France’s experience, you will soon be able to watch the full documentary produced by ERN – SOS Loire Vivante as part of the OFB’s Mobbiodiv call for projects. The 3-part film, told from the point of view of our association, traces the history of the major events and projects that have marked the restoration of free movement of rivers in France from 1997 to the present day.
    “For once it’s time to let things flow
    part 1/3: Reopening river routes to large migratory species
    part 2/3: Reconnecting small and medium-sized rivers
    part 3/3: Rethinking and reconfiguring major blocking structures

A new report from WWF France warns of the decline in biodiversity in French rivers

Every two years, the WWF publishes a report measuring the state of biodiversity. In 2024, we are presented with the state of France’s rivers.

The report states that “Despite spending an estimated €500 billion on water policies over the past 20 years, freshwater bird and fish populations are stagnating at a worrying rate, and only 43.1% of rivers and water bodies in France are in good ecological condition”. It also highlights “a slight decline in bird and fish populations observed in rivers (-0.4% in 20 years), with emblematic species such as the river trout and the great crested grebe particularly threatened. This virtual stagnation masks an overall deterioration in the quality of small rivers in rural areas, offset by an improvement in the water quality of rivers downstream of large towns”. River trout populations, which depend on upstream areas of rivers, are a good illustration of this phenomenon, with a 44% drop in populations in 20 years, as a result of serious deterioration in many rivers at the head of the basin.

With 3 years to go before the deadline set by the WFD, we need to think again and give a major boost to improving the resilience of the water cycle (preserving wetlands, overhauling the agricultural system).

Read Roberto Epple interview in the newspaper “Liberation”

Read report (french)

WWF web page

 

81% average decline in migratory fish populations since 1970

The new Living Planet Index (LPI) report on migratory freshwater fish published today by the World Fish Migration Foundation (WFMF), ZSL, IUCN, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Wetlands International and WWF has highlighted an 81% decline in the size of monitored populations on average between 1970 and 2020, including catastrophic declines of 91% in Latin America and the Caribbean and 75% in Europe.

Populations of migratory freshwater fish species continue to decline across the globe, risking the food security and livelihoods of millions of people, the survival of countless other species, and the health and resilience of rivers, lakes and wetlands. Habitat loss and degradation – including fragmentation of rivers by dams and other barriers and conversion of wetlands for agriculture – account for half of the threats to migratory fishes, followed by over-exploitation. Increasing pollution and the worsening impacts of climate change are also fuelling the fall in freshwater migratory fish species, which have now been declining consistently for 30 years.

The index reports on population trends of 284 monitored freshwater f ish species, representing 1,864 populations (Figure 1). Globally, the index shows a decline of -81% between 1970 and 2020, or an annual decline of 3.3%. This downward trend has been consistent over the last 3 decades. In terms of global species trends, 65% of species have declined on average, while 31% have increased.

In a press release Herman Wanningen, founder of the World Fish Migration Foundation said Herman Wanningen, fondateur de la World Fish Migration Foundation a déclaré “The catastrophic decline in migratory fish populations is a deafening wake-up call for the world. We must act now to save these keystone species and their rivers. Migratory fish are central to the cultures of many Indigenous Peoples, nourish millions of people across the globe, and sustain a vast web of species and ecosystems. We cannot continue to let them slip silently away.”

The report is not all doom and gloom. Nearly one third of monitored species have increased, suggesting that conservation efforts and improved management can have positive impacts. Some promising strategies include the improved and/or species-focused management of fisheries, habitat restoration, dam removals, the creation of conservation sanctuaries, and legal protection.

For example, in Europe and the United States, thousands of dams, levees, weirs and other river barriers have been removed in recent decades, and momentum for such actions is growing*. Dam removals can be cost-effective, job-producing solutions that help reverse the disturbing trend of biodiversity loss in freshwater systems as well as solutions that improve river health and resilience for people, too.

While scaling up dam removals is a key solution to reversing the collapse in freshwater migratory fish populations, there are more. Decision makers across the globe must urgently accelerate efforts to protect and restore free-flowing rivers through basin-wide planning, investing in sustainable renewable alternatives to the thousands of new hydropower dams that are planned across the world as well as other measures that contribute to the ambitious goals in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to protect 30% of inland waters and restore 30% of degraded inland waters. Rising to the Freshwater Challenge’s goal of restoring 300,000 km of degraded rivers will contribute enormously to reversing the trend in migratory fish populations.

Along with protecting and restoring healthy rivers, there is an urgent need to strengthen monitoring efforts; better understand fish species’ life-history, movement and behaviour; expand international cooperation, such as adding more freshwater migratory fish species to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS); and promote greater public and political engagement.

There are many initiatives around the world supporting the recovery of migratory fish species and freshwater biodiversity in general. The Emergency Recovery Plan for Freshwater Biodiversity highlights a variety of measures that could transform the management and health of rivers, lakes and wetlands to improve the health of freshwater systems and biodiversity.

Read the executive summary

Read the study 

*In 2023, Europe removed a record 487 barriers – a whopping 50% increase over the previous high reported in 2022. Meanwhile, in the United States, the largest dam removals in history are currently underway along the Klamath River in California and Oregon.

Read press release (en anglais)