he global climate strikes have consistently made a simple demand: listen to the science. We agree. Just as听experts and evidence听have been key assets in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, so too must they, and听not sectoral interests, determine our policies to fight the climate crisis.
, along with a coalition of NGOs, think-tanks, experts and scientists, representing millions of citizens in Europe and the global South stress our strong support for an EU Sustainable Taxonomy rooted in climate and environmental science.听This is why we would like to voice substantial concerns that the European Commission鈥檚听听on the EU Sustainable Taxonomy (DA) has听ignored or weakened the鈥檚听(TEG)听scientific advice for several activities, including recommendations on hydropower.
Specifically, the draft DA听does not follow the TEG recommendation that 鈥�construction of small hydropower (<10MW) should be avoided.鈥�听An excessive number of hydropower plants, including many small ones, already heavily disrupt freshwater ecosystems, and the benefit of new hydropower in transitioning to carbon neutrality is negligible.听鈥�With the falling price of wind and solar, governments should explore other alternative renewable energy sources to fulfil energy needs in Central and Eastern Europe beyond damming rivers,鈥�听says Irene Lucius, Regional Conservation Director, WWF Central and Eastern Europe. Moreover,听. For example, there are two hydropower projects threatening Natura 2000 sites in听Romania: one in听Defileul Jiului National Park听and the other in听搁膬蝉迟辞濒颈葲补.
鈥�One of the primary drivers of the decline of freshwater biodiversity in the Danube basin are dams and other water infrastructure that impact the natural habitats of freshwater species like听Danube sturgeons, Danube salmon听and other fish, otters, and thousands of other species in the region.鈥�听– Irene Lucius, WWF-CEE
Populations of freshwater vertebrates (mammals, wetland birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish) have seen an听听globally. Mega-fish such as Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso), that used to reach record lengths of 7m are particularly vulnerable. Of the six sturgeon species previously present in the Danube Basin, two are already considered extinct.
Furthermore, the draft delegated act on the EU Sustainable Taxonomy has chosen to accept that all forest biomass – wood sourced directly from forests – may be burned as feedstock. As it stands, the draft DA also accepts that almost any activity that is aligned with the听flawed Renewable Energy Directive听is counted as sustainable, including the use of dedicated cropland. This is completely unscientific. It contradicts all recent authoritative scientific research and the European Commission鈥檚 own impact assessment on bioenergy. That impact assessment stated that the听idea that forest biomass can mitigate climate change is extremely problematic, and acknowledged that demand for forest biomass is hindering EU forests鈥� ability to act as a carbon sink and听threatening the integrity of biodiversity-rich forests in Central and Eastern Europe. The Commission should reverse its decision to classify the burning of all forest biomass for energy as sustainable, and exclude from eligibility all bioenergy feedstocks that increase emissions compared to fossil fuels, including purpose-grown crops.
An EU Sustainable Taxonomy听must be听produced that is based on scientific evidence, supports fully sustainable economic activities, accelerates the shift from unsustainable to sustainable activities, truly reduces the risk of greenwashing, and is听aligned with the European Green Deal鈥檚 ambitions. The EU Sustainable Economy must exclude small hydro and reject听the idea that all forest biomass may be burned as feedstock.
听The听EU Taxonomy听is a classification tool aimed at investors, companies and financial institutions to define environmental performance of economic activities across a wide range of industries, and sets requirements corporate activities must meet to be considered sustainable.
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