Living European Rivers

The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...

Zimbabwe

Rivers are the pumping hearts of our landscapes

They move the water that feeds our fields and satisfies our thirst, they nurture plains and coasts. Rivers and wetlands make life move and much more. They contribute to our quality of life and are essential for our adaptation to climate change. Despite their huge value, in Europe we have been abusing our rivers for centuries, resulting in 60% of them being in bad health, causing huge declines in biodiversity and also in those benefits they provide to people.

Rivers are not pipes. Within the Living European Rivers Initiative, WWF is working to shift how we see and manage rivers to ultimately shift their status. Together with local communities, authorities, scientists, business and investors, WWF will create a movement across Europe that changes the rules of the game. For our rivers, and for you.

Freshwater populations have shrunk 83% since the 70´s

Our Approach

Free Flowing Rivers

More than 30,000 dams and a still unknown number of obstacles in rivers and wetlands. Still, Europe keeps some free flowing rivers and wetland gems for which protection WWF is working, joining forces to reduce threats from poor management and infrastructure development –for hydropower, navigation, agriculture or flood risk management-.

Hydropower in Europe

WWF's 3 of the 10 iconic rivers at risk from hydropower are in Europe

The Isel, the Vistula and the Vjosa has been identified by WWF as the 3 European rivers on the world list of the iconic waterways that are under direct threat from existing hydropower plants and planned development

READ THE STORY

Less (Dams) is More

At WWF we are so convinced that we have enough dams in Europe, that we want to trigger a new era where obsolete and highly impacting dams are removed. We are a partner of Dam Removal Europe to show the feasibility and the ways to make a river flow freely again, and to make this movement unstoppable.

Rivers Unlocked campaign

Nature Knows Best

Rivers have capacity to swell and shrink depending on the weather. By restoring the rivers and wetlands that we have harmed, they can they become allies in adapting to the challenges of Climate Change. Our goal is to implement Nature-based Solutions, actions inspired and supported by nature, including restoring rivers to build resilience against extreme floods.

Nature-based Solutions in Europe

Keep Policy Strong

WWF is working to keep European water policy strong and properly implemented –not all governments are keen to change business as usual and are challenging the Water Framework Directive, a key legal tool-. Together with the Living Rivers Europe, a coalition of European NGOs, we launched the #ProtectWater campaign. It got the support of more than 375,000 people, becoming one of the largest responses to a public consultation in the history of the EU and a strong voice in favour of our rivers.

#ProtectWater Campaign

SHIFT INVESTMENT

Money can be a decisive leverage point. We work gathering economic data, building alliances and proposing Bankable Water Solutions to make nature-based interventions more attractive than traditional grey ones, to make EU funds and private investments shift from harmful infrastructure projects and measures towards sustainable green alternatives.

Bankable Water Solutions

#ProtectWater for future generations

#ProtectWater Campaign

Questions?

Address any further questions to Eva Hernandez, our Living European Rivers initiative lead (ehernandez@wwf.es).