On a winter weekend from February 20–22, the first Free Rivers Fellowship came together in Innsbruck. Eight fellows — selected from a diverse pool of applicants — met for the first time, bringing with them backgrounds ranging from energy strategy and political ecology to videography and EU-wide campaigning.
The Free Rivers Fellowship was developed as a new entry point for river lovers who want to contribute to the protection of rivers. A short-term, focused framework in which young professionals from different disciplines can turn their expertise into concrete action, widening the circle of who participates in shaping river advocacy.
For this first edition, the fellowship centres on the Kaunertal Hydropower Expansion project in Tyrol. Friday was dedicated to diving deep into the technical, political, and economic dimensions of the case. An invited energy expert unpacked the numbers behind the project and gave a critical insight in the energy-economic rationale.
“I didn’t realise how little TIWAG is open to discussion and alternatives,” one fellow reflected afterwards.
From there, the group worked to place the project in its historical and political context, map out dominant pro- and con-narratives, and begin identifying possible actions. Over the coming two months, they will refine five key messages that articulate why this project deserves broader scrutiny at the EU level. In parallel, they are exploring a collaborative campaign with other NGOs to bring controversial energy transition projects into the spotlight in Brussels.
If you would like to learn more about the fellowship or support this initiative, you can visit the page on WET’s website. The initiative is organised by WET (Wildwasser Erhalten Tirol) in collaboration with the River Collective and the Free Rivers Fund.
