SRC Participants hand over letter of concern to Anton Mattle
Participants of the Students for Rivers Camp Ötztal visited the opening of the Tumpen Habichen hydropower plant, the first and only hydropower plant on the Ötztaler Ache, which is therefore no longer free-flowing. This event coincidently took place on the last day of the camp, where 25 students from 9 countries gathered to turn knowledge into action for the protection of rivers worldwide. They decided that this event was an opportunity to share their concerns about the future of the Ötztaler Ache, as well as other rivers affected by hydropower plants.
After the priest blessed the hydropower plant, the participants handed over a letter to Anton Mattle that they had written together. Anton Mattle is a candidate for the upcoming elections of the regional government. He is part of the ÖPV, the conservative party, and was invited to the opening of the Tumpen Habichen hydropower plant along with the former governor Günther Platter.
“Such an intensive use of hydropower, as found in Tyrol for energy generation, no longer seems appropriate to us. In the face of climate change, it is important to find solutions that aim at social life in harmony with biodiversity conservation and the needs of the local population. After all, climate protection can only succeed in combination with the preservation of biodiversity.”
The full letter can be downloaded below.
The photos below were taken by Jürgen Karvak
