Bern Convention

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats

The complaint was submitted in 2021 by Green Alternative, Nature Conservation Georgia, and CEE Bankwatch concerning the construction plans of the Namakhvani Hydropower Project on the Rioni River in Georgia.

According to the complainant, the project would change the hydrological, sedimentation, and temperature regime of the river and destroy the last spawning habitat of six sturgeon species in Georgia and the Black Sea Basin: beluga (Huso huso), European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio), stellate sturgeon (A. stellatus), Russian sturgeon (A.guldenstaedtii), ship sturgeon (A. nudiventris) as well as endemic Colchic sturgeon (A. colchicus/guldenstaedtii colchicus/persicus colchicus), which are protected under the IUCN Red List and included in the National Red List of Georgia.

The complainant further states that other significant protected natural habitats would be destroyed by flooding, new transmission lines, clear cuts, encroachment, disturbance, and possible accidents due to construction in earthquake and landslide-prone areas. As the Emerald site Kolkheti (GE0000006) is located in the same karst system as the power plant, this site could be affected too.

 Key Timeline

• 2021 - Case registration

 Other countries possibly concerned

• N/A

 Other international organisations involved

• Energy Community Treaty

 Documents

Complaint form

Regular reports to the Bureau and/or Standing Committee

Please note that all reports received by a Party during one calendar year are included in one single report for that year. Some older reports are not available in digital form.

Other information / documents