heavy toll on affected communities…

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Heavy toll on affected communities…Heavy toll on affected communities…

• estimated 40-80 million physically displaced estimated 40-80 million physically displaced

• significant number of othersignificant number of otherss affected affected

• failure to adequately failure to adequately recognise recognise && respond to respond to those affectedthose affected

• negative impacts fall negative impacts fall disproportionately on disproportionately on disadvantageddisadvantaged

• inequity inequity is is not not addressedaddressed inin ‘balance sheet’ ‘balance sheet’ approachapproach


Alternatives often exist…Alternatives often exist…

• reduce demand by increasingreduce demand by increasing end-use efficiency end-use efficiency

• defer new supply by enhancing supply defer new supply by enhancing supply && conveyance efficiencyconveyance efficiency

• extend life and performance through improved extend life and performance through improved land land && water water managementmanagement

• promote alternative supply options, including promote alternative supply options, including small-scale small-scale && locally appropriate approaches locally appropriate approaches

Dams and Dams and DDevelopmentevelopment - - R Report of the eport of the WWorld orld CCommisommisssion on ion on DDamsams


Lack of compliance…Lack of compliance…

• wweak regulatory frameworks eak regulatory frameworks && lack lack of enforcementof enforcement

• llittle public participation ittle public participation && scrutiny scrutiny

• ttop down decision-making, often op down decision-making, often politically motivatedpolitically motivated

• ppast conflicts remain unresolved with no ast conflicts remain unresolved with no legal recourselegal recourse

• vvested interests in favour of large infrastructureested interests in favour of large infrastructure

• nno incentives or sanctionso incentives or sanctions


Summary findings…Summary findings…

• lack of systematic evaluation of dam projects lack of systematic evaluation of dam projects

• considerable scope to improve performance considerable scope to improve performance

• economic profitability is elusive economic profitability is elusive – – many externalitiesmany externalities

• all too often impacts on people all too often impacts on people && ecosystems are ecosystems are unacceptableunacceptable and and avoidable avoidable

• alternatives to dams exist that are acceptable alternatives to dams exist that are acceptable && viable viable – – depend dependss on location on location

• the means to improve development outcomes exists the means to improve development outcomes exists but but are are not not yetyet common practice common practice


To improve developmentTo improve development outcomes, the Commission outcomes, the Commission presents a new framework for presents a new framework for decision-making based on decision-making based on recognising rights recognising rights andand assessing assessing risksrisks of all of all interested partiesinterested parties

The way forwardThe way forward ––New framework for decision-makingNew framework for decision-making


The Way ForwardThe Way Forward

• Move beyond the simple Move beyond the simple “balance –sheet approach”“balance –sheet approach”……

……to sto shared values, objectives hared values, objectives andand goals goals

• InternationalInternationallyly accepted norms are basis accepted norms are basis for WCD recommendationsfor WCD recommendations

• Adopt a rights Adopt a rights andand risks approach risks approach

• Define whose rights Define whose rights andand what risks what risks


Move beyond the simple “balance-sheet” Move beyond the simple “balance-sheet” approach that…approach that…

• trades off losses trades off losses andand gains between groups gains between groups

• impoverishes impoverishes some some people people

• excludes people and limitexcludes people and limitss awareness awareness

• overlooks sustainability aspectsoverlooks sustainability aspects

• induces conflict induces conflict andand higher costs higher costs



Towards shared values, objectives & goals…Towards shared values, objectives & goals…

• equityequity

• efficiencyefficiency

• participatory decision-makingparticipatory decision-making

• sustainabilitysustainability

• accountabilityaccountability


Internationally accepted norms are basis for Internationally accepted norms are basis for WCD recommendations…WCD recommendations…

• UN Declaration of Human RightsUN Declaration of Human Rights

• Declaration on the Right to DevelopmentDeclaration on the Right to Development

• Rio PrinciplesRio Principles


Adopt a rights & risks approach…Adopt a rights & risks approach…

Future planning Future planning && decision-making decision-making should be should be guided by guided by --

– a recognition of rightsa recognition of rights

– an assessment of risksan assessment of risks

to determine who has a legitimate place to determine who has a legitimate place inin negotiati negotiating outcomesng outcomes


Define whose rights & what risks…Define whose rights & what risks…

RRisksisks

• Move beyond considering voluntary risk takers Move beyond considering voluntary risk takers to include involuntary risk bearers to include involuntary risk bearers

RightsRights

• No party’s rights should extinguish another’sNo party’s rights should extinguish another’s

• Where rights compete – negotiated agreements Where rights compete – negotiated agreements are needed are needed


Turning Conflict Into ConsensusTurning Conflict Into Consensus

• Gain public acceptance Gain public acceptance

• Assess options Assess options

• Address existing damsAddress existing dams

• Sustain rivers and livelihoods Sustain rivers and livelihoods

• Recognise entitlements and share benefits Recognise entitlements and share benefits

• Ensure complianceEnsure compliance

• Share rivers across boundariesShare rivers across boundaries

Seven Strategic prioritiesSeven Strategic priorities


Gaining public acceptanceGaining public acceptance……

• dams affect existing rights dams affect existing rights && create create wide range of riskswide range of risks

• opportunities exist for achieving a highopportunities exist for achieving a higher er level level of equityof equity

• recognise rights of indigenous recognise rights of indigenous && tribal peoples tribal peoples

• achieve outcomes through binding formal agreementsachieve outcomes through binding formal agreements



• failure to adequately define needs failure to adequately define needs & & assess options led to assess options led to disputedispute

• an early and open examination of optionsan early and open examination of options can avoid poor can avoid poor projectsprojects

• raise the significance of social raise the significance of social & & environmental aspects environmental aspects

• increase the effectiveness of existingincrease the effectiveness of existing systems as a priority systems as a priority

Comprehensive options Comprehensive options assessmentassessment……



Address existing damsAddress existing dams……

• most dams that will operate in the 21most dams that will operate in the 21stst century century already existalready exist

• considerable scope exists for improving benefits considerable scope exists for improving benefits

• remedy outstanding social issues remedy outstanding social issues && … …

……enhance mitigation, restoration enhance mitigation, restoration && enhancement enhancement of ecosystems of ecosystems

• use licenuse licencces to formalise operating agreements es to formalise operating agreements


Sustain rivers and livelihoodsSustain rivers and livelihoods……

• rivers support rivers support millions of millions of livelihoods livelihoods

• dams cause significant and often irreversible effects on dams cause significant and often irreversible effects on ecosystems ecosystems

• value value rivers, rivers, ecosystems ecosystems & endangered species& endangered species

• emphasise avoidance emphasise avoidance of impacts of impacts

• maintain ecosystemmaintain ecosystem integrity through integrity through environmental flows environmental flows


Recognise entitlements Recognise entitlements && share benefits share benefits ……

• many many peoplepeople displaced - many more displaced - many more ununrecognised recognised

• including including those those whowho depend on a river’s resources depend on a river’s resources

• recognise rights and assess risks recognise rights and assess risks as a basis for as a basis for negotiationsnegotiations

• agree legally enforceable entitlementsagree legally enforceable entitlements

• adversely adversely affected people affected people becomebecome first among beneficiaries first among beneficiaries


Ensure compliance Ensure compliance ……

• many policies and guidelines exist.. many policies and guidelines exist..

• but often a failure to fulfil obligationsbut often a failure to fulfil obligations

• need a compliance plan covering all commitmentsneed a compliance plan covering all commitments to people and the environment to people and the environment

• introduce initiatives to reduce corruptionintroduce initiatives to reduce corruption

• develop incentive framework for compliancedevelop incentive framework for compliance


Share rivers across boundariesShare rivers across boundaries……

• conflicts over transboundary rivers dueconflicts over transboundary rivers due to to power imbalancepower imbalance

• experience suggests disputes can be resolvedexperience suggests disputes can be resolved

• endorse the UN Convention principlesendorse the UN Convention principles

• go beyond sharing water - to sharing the benefitsgo beyond sharing water - to sharing the benefits

• encourage encourage consistent policies for financing agenciesconsistent policies for financing agencies



Civil SocietyCivil Society

International International AgreementsAgreements

GovernmentGovernment

Private SectorPrivate Sector

International International StandardsStandards

Professional Professional OrganisationsOrganisations

Multilateral & Multilateral & Bilateral Bilateral

OrganisationsOrganisations

The Commission’s Criteria & GuidelinesThe Commission’s Criteria & Guidelines……

……in a wider frameworkin a wider framework


Five key Five key decision decision points points……

Needs assessmentNeeds assessment

Criteria 1Criteria 1

Selecting AlternativesSelecting Alternatives


Policy, programme, projectsPolicy, programme, projects Project PreparationProject Preparation


Project ImplementationProject Implementation


Project OperationProject Operation


Dam OptionsDam Options

Investigative StudiesInvestigative Studies

Criteria 2aCriteria 2a

Non-Dam OptionsNon-Dam Options


Guidelines for good practice…Guidelines for good practice…

EnvironmentalEnvironmental flowflow

Which include:Which include: Stakeholder Stakeholder analysisanalysis

PriorPriorInformedInformedconsentconsent

Multi-criteria Multi-criteria analysisanalysis

Greenhouse Greenhouse gas gas

emissionsemissions

PerformancePerformance bondsbonds

Project Project benefit-sharingbenefit-sharing

Compliance Compliance planplan


Dams in the pipeline - generalDams in the pipeline - general

• Establish a stakeholder forum based on rights and risks Establish a stakeholder forum based on rights and risks approachapproach

• Undertake distribution analysisUndertake distribution analysis

• Promote development opportunities and benefit sharingPromote development opportunities and benefit sharing

• Provide for an environmental flowProvide for an environmental flow

• Include recourse and compliance mechanismsInclude recourse and compliance mechanisms


Dams in the pipeline - it’s not too late Dams in the pipeline - it’s not too late

FeasibilityFeasibility - assess all options - assess all options

- gain public acceptance- gain public acceptance

DesignDesign - prepare Compliance Plan - prepare Compliance Plan

- contractualise benefit sharing- contractualise benefit sharing

- determine environmental flow- determine environmental flow

ConstructionConstruction - - fformalise commitmentsormalise commitments



Improve Development outcomesImprove Development outcomes

Using the WCD’s Using the WCD’s

framework will reduce framework will reduce

cost, save time cost, save time andand

avoid conflicts while avoid conflicts while

achieving more equitable achieving more equitable

outcomesoutcomes

heavy toll on affected communities…

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