Environmental Groups Challenge EIB Financing for Rogun Dam in Tajikistan
A coalition of international environmental and human rights organizations has called on the European Investment Bank (EIB) Board of Directors to review plans for financing the Rogun Hydropower Plant in Tajikistan. The European institution is expected to allocate $550 million toward the project as part of an investor group led by the World Bank. Environmentalists maintain that the project in its current form violates the EIB’s standards regarding biodiversity protection and human rights.
The construction of the Rogun Dam involves the creation of the largest reservoir in the Aral Sea basin, requiring the relocation of approximately 60,000 people. This figure represents a record for the modern history of hydropower in Central Asia. A recent analysis of resettlement plans indicated a shortage of water supplies, arable land, and pastures at the new locations. The proportion of households engaged in irrigated agriculture is projected to fall from 44% to 6%, likely forcing local residents to seek income through labor migration, including outside of Tajikistan. Human rights advocates describe the proposed compensation as insufficient to restore basic living conditions for the displaced population.
The completion of the Rogun project will also affect neighboring states. The Vakhsh River provides one-quarter of the water volume for the Amu Darya, upon which the ecosystems and agriculture of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan depend. The project introduces unforeseen risks of water shortages during the reservoir filling period and threats in the event of a hypothetical dam failure. Experts assert that the transboundary impact assessment was conducted with significant flaws, and potentially affected residents downstream were entirely excluded from the consultation process. Meaningful public consultation is a critical requirement for projects funded under the European Union’s Global Gateway program.
Environmental consequences also raise concerns among independent experts. The creation of the Rogun reservoir threatens to reduce populations of rare flora and fauna, including endemic fish species and the Central Asian otter, yet no mitigation or compensation measures have been established. Project documentation further overlooks potential impacts on the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Ramsar wetlands in the Amu Darya delta.
EIB standards require the redesign of projects if they cause irreversible damage to the habitats of protected species. Environmentalists have proposed alternative options for the Rogun Dam, including a lower dam height and a smaller reservoir volume. The organizations initiating the appeal – including CEE Bankwatch Network, Rivers without Boundaries, Urgewald, and several other specialized groups – are demanding that the European Investment Bank withhold financing for the Rogun project until it is brought into compliance with European regulations.