The construction of around 300 hydropower plants on the rivers in BiH is planned. Although the economic benefits of these projects are questionable, they are certainly threatening the national legacy, according to the Vice President of the Center for Environment Viktor Bjelic.
He also added that hundreds of wild rivers have a large ecological value and importance for water supply, sustainable agriculture, as well as tourism.
He also noted that BiH is among the countries with the highest biodiversity in Europe and it also represents a home to numerous endemic species. BiH is also one of the very few European countries where wild and natural water flows can still be found.
Hydropower plants have a strong impact on the environment, including the destruction of river canyons due to significant changes in the hydrological regime.
In the year of 2015, BiH recorded one million visits and continued that growth in 2016 when a total of 1,148,530 visits have been recorded. The World Tourism Organization stated that BiH will record the third largest growth rate of tourism at a global level in the period between 1995 and 2020. According to the world economic forum, international tourism is achieving revenues of a total of 660 million USD and creating more than 21,000 workplaces. On the other hand, the development of hydropower is strongly subsidized, while the number of workplaces is questionable,” said Bjelic.
He also added that our country has significant resources for the production of renewable energy, but hydropower plants represent the main source of energy today, while other renewable sources are unused.
(Source: akta.ba)
