Magnifique Roberto - An interview with Roberto Epple, Executive Director European Rivers Network

25^th December, 2006

“Twinning” Report from FRANCE December 2006

Interview of Roberto Epple

(Executive Director European Rivers Network (ERN) and

 President of SOS Loire Vivante)

Roberto has been traveling widely in Europe over the last few months. As you will see he is organizing and participating in important and ground breaking programs and plans for Europe and at his own local level, in the beautiful Loire River Basin in France.

Major Issues for ERN and SOS:

In Northern Europe the major issue is Flooding, while in Southern Europe (Mediterranean countries) increasing water shortages and management problems are prioritized.

1. Mediterranean Network for Sustainable Water Use – includes countries in North Africa where impending worsening of water supply is rife. Demand Management will be the key to sustainability in this impacted area. Global Warming is now seen as a major factor.
2. Universal Exhibition (World Expo) 2008 in Saragossa, Spain. Saragossa is 200 miles north of Barcelona in the Pyrenees. The theme is “Water”. One feature will be the invitation and presentations of displaced and affected people from the imposition of Dams. 40 million people world wide have been displaced by the building of dams. We have been asked to provide details of Australian examples of dam impacts. Traveston, on the Mary River is to be researched, also our historical loss and win in Tasmania – the Gordon Dam destroying Lake Pedder and the saving of the Franklin River by the greatest action by our green movement in Australia’s history. Also we will research for Roberto the Hutgyi Dam on the Thai-Myanmar border. This is on the Salween River – the last free-flowing river in the Mekong system. It would be a major ecological asset loss and also mean  the eviction of thousands of ethnic villagers from the Hill tribes along the border. This is a frightening prospect, as the Burmese Army has oppressed these hill tribe minorities with great brutality.  The West seems to turn a blind eye to all this.  
3. Dam Decommissioning in France – dams, with walls from 4 to 30m high are ending their life cycle in Europe. In 5 to 6 years 10,000 will end their life cycle. SOS France is currently involved in a hearing for the continuance or decommissioning of such a dam. Public hearings must be held in France to reach a decision if the dam is to continue or to be demolished. These are Hydro Dams and not all hydro power is clean power. Development of criteria for what is a good or bad dam will take place. This raises the question, in Australia, of “will Lake Pedder, in Tasmania, ever see the light of day again?”
4.  Loire and Rhine River NGOs coordinate – Both river basin NGO networks will  hold parallel meetings over the next  6 months to develop new 6 year management plans for the two river catchments. A coordinated vision at National level.
5. AQUANET arrives – ERN is assisting the setting up of a new NGO “Aquanet”, for the implementation of the Water Framework for the European Union (an EU law). It is widely believed that the new law is the best environmental and water law ever to be planned for Europe. It demands of all 27 member states that “their waters should achieve good ecological status by 2015”.  Aquanet will provide an independent monitoring process of the way this law is applied and implemented.
6. The Big Jump bigjump.org 500,000 to 1 million people in 27 countries and 40 river basins (catchments) across Europe will participate in this fun event. Roberto Epple is the  father of this event where at a given time on a given date all the participating people jump in to a river, lake or stream at once. The learning here is “what can they safely jump into”. Not all waters are safe health wise. This is a great way of highlighting the need for cleaning up our waterways. An Australian Big Jump at the same time? How many water bodies in Brisbane could we jump into – unfortunately not our Bulimba Creek (at this time).  We have a way to go!
7. Bike Tour of the Loire River: A yearly 400 kilometer ride along Europe’s most healthy and beautiful River the Loire. The World Heritage listed villages and cities would be something to behold. The tour visits and uncovers the natural and heritage treasures of the Loire and the issues they face at different locations. Get on your bike for this one! The Loire River is 1000 kilometers long overall.
8. An Atlantis not lost – 12 years ago the SOS Loire Vivante group stopped a dam that would have flooded a small heritage village on the river. In 2007 the General Assembly of the Loire will meet in this village where the local government will provide them with a house (a small old mill) to use as an eco tourist and heritage & environmental centre. They will restore and refurbish the mill. There are 25 stone houses in the village that will be completely restored by the government and it will be an historical tourist site for eco tours of the surrounding countryside. Accommodation in the houses for tourists plus hiking visits to the two farmhouses built using sustainable technologies for the future. Congratulations to SOS!    
9. Loire Tributary Rehabilitation – 300m wide and 1 kilometer long this area is flood prone and required to store and slow floodwaters. It has been lowered (engineered) to do this. Rehabilitation will include a wider setback to the waterway and public parkland and greenspace. Innovation = a win-win outcome.
10. This 10 year Fight to Save the Loire River – A fight against unnecessary dams and human threats to the World Heritage River. The outcome set a new way of managing river catchments in Europe. It averted the loss of key historical and environmental treasures and put Europe ahead in the issues of River Basin Management. 12 dams have been found unnecessary to build and three dams have been decommissioned and demolished. Sustainability is the outcome. The Fight to Save the Loire is an inspiration for NGO’s worldwide and brings attention to the best way forward – DEMAND MANAGEMENT!
11. DEMAND MANGEMENT – In 1998 in Spain a plan was hatched to solve water shortages in the south by diverting waters from the north of the country. This was highly controversial and led to a huge fight against the transfer that went from 1998 to 2003. From this process and conflict came the true meaning and worth of “Demand Management” as the key tool in solving water supply problems and seeking also to address the wasteful use of domestic water supplies. It also focused European decision makers on redefining sustainable use and management of natural resources. It can be applied to energy use as well and addresses the excesses of western nations and their over-sized “ecological footprints”. Australia could learn from Europe and its development of Demand Management in both water and energy use. Australia seems transfixed by the need to blindly follow political and business agendas and their reliance on Supply Management – huge and expensive infrastructure “solutions” like dams and diversion ideas and an over dependence on individual aspects of demand management only – like water restrictions. We may have to advance on a broader front with our investments. Our Federal Government’s objective seems to be a “less than transparent” agenda to privatize water supply by building a “big Supply infrastructure” conducive to short-sighted business investment through privatization.
12. Federal Government in France: Research and ground studies are identified and advocated for by NGO’s and local authorities and undertaken by regional and local governments. They are then put to the Federal Government by submission. The Federal Government then decides on providing funding. The funding is in full in many instances. This differs from Australia, where local and State governments exclude NGO’s generally from decision making and public opinion is sought from “consultation”.  Manipulated public opinion can occur.

IN SUMMARY:

• Flooding is the major issue for  water in Northern Europe
• Southern Europe and North African countries (around Mediterranean) have water scarcity issues.
• Middle East has water scarcity issues and the emerging incidence of “using water as a weapon”. Rivers move through different countries and impacts are downstream.
• Demand Management is the key to sustainable energy and water use.
• Australia has an opportunity to learn from the work of the ERN and France on sustainable water and energy management issues.
• Eco Tourism opportunities are derived from ecologically based decision making.

Website references:

www.ern.org  www.rivERNet.org   info@rivERNet.org  www.bulimbacreek.org.au

Information from interview with Roberto Epple (ERN and SOS Loire Vivante) by W. Cameron (Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee Inc. Dec. 2006