Viewpoint - Better Management of Hydropower in an Era of Climate Change
Date
2010
Authors
Pittock, James
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Volume Title
Publisher
Water Alternatives Association
Abstract
Ten years ago the World Commission on Dams (WCD) report established new standards for the sustainable development of water infrastructure, but the hopes many of us had then for a new era of more thoughtful development have been attenuated by the resilience of the hydraulic bureaucracy and the emergence of new influences on the hydropower debate. Particularly important is the impact of climate change as a driver of government policies in favour of hydropower, water storage and inter-basin water transfers. As a former Director of Freshwater for WWF International and now as a researcher on the water-energy nexus, I spent much of the past decade seeking to influence the direction of water infrastructure development, and in this viewpoint I have been asked to reflect on the changes that have occurred, and the opportunities in an era of climate change to reduce the environmental and social impacts of hydropower development while maximising the benefits. Better outcomes are more likely with a renewed focus on limiting the perverse impacts of climate change policies, implementing standards for certification of more sustainable hydropower, building capacities within developing countries, and enhancing management of existing dams.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: basin management; biodiversity; bureaucracy; climate change; dam; developing world; hydroelectric power; social impact; standard (reference); sustainable development; water storage Biodiversity; Climate change; Dams; Hydropower; Standards
Citation
Collections
Source
Water Alternatives
Type
Journal article
Book Title
Entity type
Access Statement
Open Access