Water Related Conflicts Linked to Hydro Power Projects in Albania the Project Partners of HELP-CSO Are
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This Project is funded by European Union ASSESSMENT STUDY 2017 Identification of water related conflicts linked to hydro power projects in Albania The project partners of HELP-CSO are: The project was implemented in the frame of ACHIEVE Implemented by REC Albania This Project is funded by European Union A S S E S S M E N T S T U D Y Y Identification of water related conflicts linked to hydro power projects in Albania 2017 Cover: Landscape with the Vjosa river's valley. © Eco Albania Publisher: ©HELP -CS O Date: February, 2017 Author: M i l i eukontakt AAlbanil b a n i a LLeex FFerenderenda Eco AAlbanlbania Compiled and prepared: M.Sc. Elton Qendro With contribution of: Valbona Mazreku, Arion Sauku, Besmir Beja, Odeta Jahaj, Olsi Nika, Besiana Guri, Agim Blloshmi, Erdiola Terziu, Daniel Bica, Robert Murataj. Contact: [email protected] Design and layout: A. Hitoaliaj DISCLAIMER “The content of this publication is the responsibility only of Milieukontakt Albania, Lex Ferenda and Eco Albania, as implementing partners and in in no way can be considered to reflect the views of the European Union and/ or REC Albania”. With respect to any information available from this publication, neither HELP-CSO, nor its employees or members make any warranty, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, nor does HELP-CSO assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, or process disclosed, nor does HELP-CSO represent that its use would not infringe upon privately owned rights. CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Situation analysis 1.2 Objective and scope of the study 1.3 Research limitation 2. APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY 2.1 Methodology framework 2.2 Strategy of data collection 2.2.1 Data collection for the establishment of a baseline list of water -conflicts 2.2.2 Literature review. 2.2.3 Identification of case studies and key informants. 2.2.4 Fieldwork in the affected conflict communities. 2.2.5 Systematization, quality control, analysis and interpretation of results and editing of reports 3. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS 3.1 Conflict causes 3.2 Conflict geography 3.3 Conflict mobilisation 3.4 Conflict impact 3.5 Conflict result 4. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECCOMMENDATIONS REFERENCES ANNEXES Annex 1: Database of water-related conflicts Annex 2: List of stakeholders consulted Annex 3: Photos taken from various hydro-power projects Annex 4: Factsheets of water related conflicts with hydro-power project. Assessment Study 3 Water related conflicts linked to hydropower development in Albania LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Table of casualties and arrested people related with HP conflicts Table 2: Overview of Hydro Power Plants in Albania by category. Table 3: Questionnaire structure and statistics LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Cyclical process of research areas Figure 2: Methodological steps for the study and evaluation of water conflicts Figure 3: What is the conflict cause Figure 4: The affected people Figure 5: The main supporters in conflict cases Figure 6: Hydropower conflict related map. Figure 7: The start of mobilisations Figure 8: The mobilised groups Figure 9: The form of community mobilisation Figure 10: Environmental impact of the conflict Figure 11: Health impact Figure 12: Socio-economic impact of water related conflicts Figure 13: The current project status Figure 14: The conflict status Figure 15: The success of environmental justice 4 Assessment Study ACRONYMS ACHIEVE Albanian Civil Society for a European Environment EJOLT Environmental Justice Organization, Liabilities and Trade EU European Union EIA Environmental Impact Assessment ERE Energy Regulatory Entity ECSO Environmental Civil Society Organization HELP-CSO Horizontal Enforcement Legislation Promotion of Civil Society Organizations HPP Hydro Power Plant Kwh Kilowatt hours MEI Ministry of Energy and Industry MoE Ministry of Environment MW Mega Watts NEA National Environmental Agency N/A Not available EIA Environmental Impact Assessment CSO Civil Society Organization Assessment Study 5 Water related conflicts linked to hydropower development in Albania EXECUTIVE SUMMARY his assessment has been prepared using the Environmental Justice Organization, under the EU funded project Liabilities and Trade (EJOLT) framework “Horizontal Enforcement Legislation assessment model. The findings presented here TPromotion of Civil Society are intended to provide supporting information Organizations (HELP-CSO), through ACHIEVE for the detailed planning of the HELP-CSO project Programme, managed by Regional Environmental activities such as the interactive conflict map as Centre and implemented by Milieukontakt Albania, well as to support the local environmental Eco Albania and LexFerenda. The overall objective organizations, local communities, engaged of the Project is to help environmental civil society citizens, scientists, farmers and energy organizations for a better implementation and companies to improve the management of monitoring of horizontal legislation in the country. conflict cases regarding hydro-power projects in The main objective of this report is to assess the the country. water-related conflict cases linked with hydro- power development in the country. The assessment study mapped 18 certain The assessment is based on data gathered cases of hydro-power conflicts reported in HPP name No.of people Casualties arrested/detained HPP Gojan N/A 1 (Wounded) HPP Fangu 6 3 (Dead) HPP Cernaleva 4 (3 women +1 N/A minor) HPP Ternova 8 N/A HPP Vinjoll (Hurdhas 1,2,3) 2 1 (Murdered) HPP Dragobi 2 N/A HPP Gurshpate 1,2 8 (3 women) N/A HEC Peshku N/A 1 (murder attempt) HEC Kalivaç 4 arrested Total 34 5 Table 1: Table of conflicts casualties and arrested people related with HP conflicts 6 Assessment Study Albania during the period 2012-2016. Overall, out majority of hydro-power projects. The conflict of these conflicts 34 people have been detained impact is being manifested differently from the and/or arrested among which 6 were women and affected group of stakeholders with environmental 1 minor and 6 casualties have been registered civil society organizations focusedmainly in loss in connection with hydro-power projects (4 work of landscape, biodiversity and flooding and the accidents and 1 conflict borne from HPP rural villages and communities on lack of irrigation construction+ 1 murder attempt). (Table 1).The water and agriculture in 54% of the cases. The study found that the small hydro-power plants are affected stakeholders were not very optimistic on the most conflict-ridden projects. the conflict result where 64% of the respondents said the cases were not successful, however In none of the cases the parties ( private acknowledged as the main result a strengthening concessionary companies, community and public of public information and participation on the authorities) reached the stage of formal hydro-power development issue. cooperative agreements due to protests, contestation by local peoples. The conflicts had The respondents made several also significant impacts on the operations/ recommendations for a deep analysis of the construction, since 1/3 of the 18 cases identified environmental impact and also local benefit to had to stop and/or delay the works of the develop hydro-power projects and also stressed completion due to the situations and suffered the need to strengthen the enforcement of the financial loss due to clashes with communities.1 monitoring of the water use by the energy companies. It is the belief of the author that there In all the conflict cases analysed, the most is an urgent need for all the stakeholder groups, vulnerable groups are mostly rural communities, energy companies, local organizations and small villages or communities whose lifestyle are community groups to shift their strategy of result inextricably linked to the water resources for their from a traditional win-lose situation towards a win- sustenance. The transformation and/or win situations. This would enable the improvement appropriation of their territory and ecosystem by of the project in the construction phase, monitor new users (energy companies) displace and strip water sharing during operation and avoid future their traditional rights and openly threaten various conflicts being generated. aspects of their social structure and cohesion. The analysis in this report shows that the Water sharing rights and irrigation water have categorisation of the different conflictual hydro- been identified as the most serious threats/ power cases is difficult when the assessment is causes to water related conflicts linked with hydro- referred by different people.This is related to the power development in Albania. Lack of fact that the EJOT is a qualitative assessment information and public consultationconsultation, however methodology based on ‘expert judgment’ which have been recognized as a common cause in 21% is prone to errors and cognitive biases. This seems of the conflict cases, followed by loss of landscape to be the case in particular with respect to the and sense of place. 52% of the respondents have assessment of conflict geography and impact of stated that local communities/farmers and the conflictual cases which were then translated villagers are the most affected stakeholder group into individual factsheets, despite the effort of the due to conflictual hydro-power projects. The expert and HELP-CSO consortium to promote the respondents generally replied in 67% of the cases use of quantitative data to the stakeholders. that the mobilisation started as reaction to project Therefore the results presented in this report need start when they saw the machineries digging the to be interpreted with caution, especially with place. This strongly correlates with lack of respect to the analysis of the individual conflict information and public consultation in the vast factsheets. 1HPP Gojan blown with explosives; HPP Vinjoll (Gallate) blown with explosion; HPP Ternova& HPP Cernaleva suffered asset damaged and stop of works. Assessment Study 7 Water related conflicts linked to hydropower development in Albania 1.