120.000 signatures for Save the Blue Heart Campaign

120.000 signatures for Save the Blue Heart Campaign

Today, June 21, the 120,000 signatures collected by representatives of the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign were handed over to some of the most powerful managers of the European Bank in London to stop hydroelectric investments in the Balkans for projects found in protected areas and rivers of great value, before the last wild rivers of Europe are irreversibly destroyed. Banks have stimulated various projects of hydroelectric investments by commercial banks, including, among others, Erste in Austria and Unicredit in Italy. Commercial banks have financed at least 158 ​​hydroelectric plants. This campaign calls on banks to limit funding and to apply stricter environmental conditions to loans in this sector and instead increase funding for energy efficiency with less impact. Those involved in spreading this campaign are NGOs together with the activist company Patagonia who produced a feature film to stop the construction of more than 3,000 hydroelectric dams on the last wild rivers in Europe. Film that is having a great success not only in Europe, but also in Japan, South America and Australia.

Fidanka McGrath of Bankwatch, NGO, comments: “The delivery of today’s 120,000 signatures to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is the biggest response this institution has ever received on any energy issue. The bank pays attention to the markets movement, so we hope that it takes to heart the request presented by the global public opinion and consequently guide investments following a more diversified mix of renewable sources, also applying strict environmental and social guarantees “.