Liane Greeff Coordinator EcoDoc Africa South Africa. African Rivers Network Africa

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1 Liane Greeff Coordinator EcoDoc Africa South Africa African Rivers Network Africa

2 Africa and the World Commission on Dams (WCD) Ten Years Later Still Vital World Rivers Review, International Rivers

3 1998 WCD comes to Cape Town The Environmental Monitoring Group was asked by global civil society to liaise between them and the WCD Secretariat also based in Cape Town & to facilitate African input into the WCD

4 Based in Africa Chaired by an African African Researchers African Case Studies

5 Dams and Development: A New Framework for Decision Making What it is: A A Process A A knowledge base A A Product A A map or guide What it is not: A command or law

6 What did the WCD accomplish? The most comprehensive, global, independent and multi-stakeholder review of dams from which it developed recommendations for future decision-making

7 Knowledge driven review experiences from 79 countries & 1000 dams 7 detailed case studies, 3 country studies, 125 cross check dams 17 thematic reviews, 130 contributing papers four regional consultations people 950 submissions Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission ion on Dams

8 What did the Commission find from the knowledge base? Dams have delivered considerable benefits In too many cases the price paid to secure those benefits has been unacceptable and often unnecessary

9 Findings Dams have made a significant contribution A considerable number have fallen below targets Economic and financial under-performance Significant impacts on riverine & downstream ecosystems Heavy toll on affected communities Alternatives often exist Lack of compliance

10 Significant contribution 19 percent of electricity from hydropower - more than 50% in 63 countries Dams support 30-40% of irrigated area & 12-16% of global food production 12% of all dams have a water supply function 75 countries have dams for flood control Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission ion on Dams

11 Significant impacts on riverine & downstream ecosystems loss of riverine & terrestrial biodiversity Impacts often irreversible adverse impacts on livelihoods in floodplains reservoirs emit green-house gases 67% of ecosystem changes in survey are negative poor record of ecosystem mitigation some reservoirs have created habitats for biodiversity

12 Heavy toll on affected communities estimated million physically displaced significant number of others affected failure to adequately recognise & respond to those affected negative impacts fall disproportionately on disadvantaged inequity is not addressed in balance sheet approach

13 60 million displaced equivalent to: Dam Displaced = 1 World Population Not 1% as time factor not included people who have been displaced over time compared to world population in 2000 Recent study puts the number of people adversely affected by dams at 472 million which is almost 10 / 100

14 The way forward New framework for decision-making To improve development outcomes, the Commission presented a new framework for decision-making based on recognising rights and assessing risks of all interested parties

15 Define whose rights & what risks Rights No party s rights should extinguish another s Where rights compete negotiated agreements are needed Risks Move beyond considering voluntary risk takers to include involuntary risk bearers

16 Turning Conflict Into Consensus Seven Strategic priorities Gain public acceptance Assess options Address existing dams Sustain rivers and livelihoods Recognise entitlements & share benefits Ensure compliance Share rivers across boundaries

17 Gaining public acceptance recognise rights of indigenous & tribal peoples achieve outcomes through binding formal agreements Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission ion on Dams

18 Comprehensive options assessment failure to adequately define needs & assess options led to dispute an early and open examination of options can avoid poor projects raise the significance of social & environmental aspects increase the effectiveness of existing systems as a priority Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission ion on Dams

19 Address existing dams considerable scope exists for improving benefits remedy outstanding social issues & enhance mitigation, restoration & enhancement of ecosystems formalise operating agreements

20 Sustain rivers and livelihoods rivers support millions of livelihoods dams cause significant and often irreversible effects on ecosystems value rivers, ecosystems & endangered species emphasise avoidance of impacts maintain ecosystem integrity through environmental flows

21 Recognise entitlements & share benefits many people displaced - many more unrecognised including those who depend on a river s resources recognise rights and assess risks as a basis for negotiations agree legally enforceable entitlements adversely affected people become first among beneficiaries

22 Ensure compliance many policies and guidelines exist.. but often a failure to fulfil obligations need a compliance plan covering all commitments to people and the environment introduce initiatives to reduce corruption develop incentive framework for compliance

23 Share rivers across boundaries conflicts over transboundary rivers due to power imbalance experience suggests disputes can be resolved endorse the UN Convention principles go beyond sharing water - to sharing the benefits encourage consistent policies for financing agencies Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission ion on Dams

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26 African Dams which followed the WCD Guidance Affected communities first in line to get benefits Could negotiate their own resettlement good quality land, the water followed through a canal system Resettlement with development Good leadership and political support Adequate funds made available Focus on ensure environmental flows No controversy

27 Maguga Dam, Swaziland

28 Berg River Project Extensive public participation Extensive review of alternatives Good environmental flows incorporated into the design of the project Limited social impacts as no communities displaced trout farm and old graves

29 WCD Strategic Priorities Options Assessment Chimanimani and Gwanda District, Zimbabwe community based planning process selected decentralised water harvesting Kenya wanted to reduce dependence on hydropower and looking at wind and geothermal power alternatives

30 Independent Review of the Gibe 3 Dam on the Omo River, Ethiopia Reviewed called due to alleged multiple violations of the ADB's Environmental and Social Assessment Procedures / Policies on: Disclosure of Information Gender Poverty Reduction Resettlement Water Resources Management. Photo copyright Alison Jones

31 Fears re downstream impacts on Lake Turkana, Kenya people

32 African Dams which have not followed the WCD process Mphanda Nkuwa Dam Mozambique Hydropower Africa 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa

33 Merowe Dam, Sudan people displaced EIA not done Health impacts neglected Downstream impacts Not enough homes for displaced People say it is impossible to live in the desert Protests linked to brutal force where three people shot and others detained Gross human rights violations

34 Technical report on the first Resettlement project at New Hamdab disastrous Failure of agricultural season; rise in poverty cases, out migration, and rising farmer debt Water pumps and power generation station broken Not enough water resulting in crop failures Compensation payments ended and people cannot make a living

35 2010 we need to increase social and ecosystem resilience The world is a scarier place Tsunamis Earthquakes Volcanoes Hurricanes Human disasters Gulf of Mexico oil spill & conflict and wars AND climate change becoming accepted as a reality which ten years ago it was not We need to live by the Precautionary Principle

36 Don t t plan, build, protest, operate, decommission, propose, oppose or discuss a dam without it