Report of the World Commission on Dams

www.dams.org

Why a World Commission on Dams ?

In response to escalating conflicts

over the role of dams in
development, all constituents
came together to establish
the Commission

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Dam projects increasingly questioned

affected populations
strongly oppose dams
proponents point to urgent
development demands
opponents point to
adverse
impacts
uprisings against
globalization
little space for

constructive dialogue

Purposes of large dams

Hydropower
Irrigation
Water supply
Flood control
Multipurpose

Types of large dams

Reservoir-type storage
impound water behind the dam

for seasonal,annual and, in some

cases, multi-annual storage and
regulation of the river.

Run-of-river dams
weirs and barrages, and

diversion dams create a

hydraulic head in the river to
divert some portion of the river
flows to a canal or power station.

Hydropower
By 1925, falling water generated 40% of electric
power. Today, large dams (15 m +) generate 19%
of electricity.

Hydro production capacity has grown 15 x.

Fossil fuel use has risen so rapidly that currently, hydroelectric
only supplies one-quarter of electrical generation.
One-third of worlds countries rely on hydropower for
more than half their electricity supply.
Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Irrigation: The Aral Sea

Once the 4th largest inland
body of water in the world
A series of dams was built to
irrigate cotton.
Aral Sea reduced to about
25% of its 1960 volume,
quadrupled the salinity of the
lake and wiped out the fishery.
Pollutants became airborne as
dust, causing significant local
health problems.
The environmental damage
caused has been estimated at
$1.25 -$2.5 billion a year.

Water supplies
freshwater withdrawals doubled in 50 years
1 billion lack freshwater &
2 billion lack electricity
competition for water increasing
aquatic ecosystems are declining
& wetlands have been lost

Major investments

Number Of Dams
6 000

45,000 large dams worldwide

4 000

2 dams commissioned
per day in1970s
total investment exceeds
$2 trillion
$40 billion expenditure
per year at peak

2 000

0
1900

estimated 40 80 million people displaced

flow in 60% of worlds rivers affected

1990s

Dam Drawbacks to Human Communities

Human Displacement
Flooding of Cultural Sites
(Archeological and Modern)

Social disruption
Cost overruns
Socio-economic centralization
Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Dam Drawbacks to the Environment

Ecosystem Destruction
Fish Blockage and Wildlife Losses
Large-Scale Flooding Due to Dam Failures
Sedimentation and Salinity
Herbicide and Other Toxic Contamination
Evaporative Losses
Nutrient Flow Retardation
Release of greenhouse gasses
Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Dam Alternatives
Low-Head Hydropower - Extract energy from small
headwater dams.
Run-of-River Flow - Submerged directly in stream
and usually do not require dam or diversion
structure.
Micro-Hydro Generators - Small versions designed
to supply power to single homes.

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

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

downstream

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 on Dams

Considerable number have fallen below targets

irrigation almost half have under-performed

opportunities for efficiency gains

hydropower on average met expectations but

considerable variability
flood control dams have attenuated floods, but some
increased vulnerability
Kariba

physical sustainability safety

improving, but dams are
aging and costs rising
loss of storage, 0.5 to 1.0%
per year

TWh

Predicted vs actual generation

10

Predicted
6

Actual
0

1960

2000

Economic & financial under-performance

average cost overruns of
over 50%
50% in survey with one
year or more delay
cost recovery in
hydropower but not
irrigation
poor economic and
financial results from
irrigation
mixed results for
hydropower

Significant impacts on riverine

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

Heavy toll on affected communities

estimated 40-80 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

Alternatives often exist

reduce demand by increasing end-use efficiency
defer new supply by enhancing supply &
conveyance efficiency
extend life and performance through improved
land & water management
promote alternative supply options, including
small-scale & locally appropriate approaches

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Lack of compliance
weak regulatory frameworks & lack of enforcement
little public participation & scrutiny
top down decision-making, often politically
motivated
past conflicts remain unresolved with no legal
recourse
vested interests in favour of large infrastructure
no incentives or sanctions

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

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Unprecedented response to the controversy

WCD created through unanimous agreement

broad based mandate to review development effectiveness &

assess alternatives

and develop internationally acceptable criteria

and guidelines

address global problems through local understanding

WCDs authority and credibility rests on the diversity of the

Commissioners which was a guiding theme throughout its inclusive,
transparent and participatory work program.

Who was the

Commission ?
Kader Asmal

Lakshmi Chand Jain

Donald Blackmore

Joji Cario

Jan Veltrop

Thayer Scudder

Deborah Moore

Jos Goldemberg

Judy Henderson

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Medha Patkar

Gran Lindahl

Achim Steiner

Inclusive, Participatory & Transparent

full range of perspectives civil society to governments,
private sector to NGOs,

financiers to foundations

outreach through work program and networks

extensive review process
WCD Forum as a reference point
draft studies on website www.dams.org

The Way Forward

Move beyond the simple
balance sheet approach
to shared values, objectives and goals
Internationally accepted norms are basis
for WCD recommendations
Adopt a rights and risks approach
Define whose rights and what risks

Move beyond the simple balance-sheet

approach that
trades off losses and gains between groups
impoverishes some people
excludes people and limits awareness
overlooks sustainability aspects
induces conflict and higher costs

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Towards shared values, objectives & goals

equity
efficiency
participatory decision-making
sustainability
Accountability

Define whose rights & what risks

Rights
No partys rights should extinguish anothers
Where rights compete negotiated agreements
are needed
Risks
Move beyond considering voluntary risk takers
to include involuntary risk bearers

Turning Conflict Into Consensus

Seven Strategic priorities
Gain public acceptance
Assess options
Address existing dams
Sustain rivers and livelihoods
Recognize entitlements and share benefits
Ensure compliance
Share rivers across boundaries

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Gaining public acceptance

dams affect existing rights & create wide range of risks
opportunities exist for achieving a high er level
equity

of

recognise rights of indigenous & tribal peoples

achieve outcomes through binding formal agreements

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

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 on Dams

Address existing dams

most dams that will operate in the
21st century already exist
considerable scope exists for
improving benefits
remedy outstanding social issues
enhance mitigation, restoration &
enhancement of ecosystems
use licenses to formalize
operating agreements

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
environmental flows

integrity through

Recognize entitlements & share benefits

many people displaced - many more unrecognised
including those who depend on a rivers resources
recognise rights and assess risks
negotiations

as a basis for

agree legally enforceable entitlements

adversely affected people become first among beneficiaries

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

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 on Dams

Dams in the pipeline - its not too late

Feasibility - assess all options
- gain public acceptance
Design

- prepare Compliance Plan

- contractualize benefit sharing
- determine environmental flow

Construction - formalize commitments

Dams and Development - Report of the World Commission on Dams

Improved outcomes for nation, affected people &

the environment

Development opportunities for all by..

respecting human rights
meeting development needs for water, food &
energy
sustainable resource use

The WCD has

conducted first comprehensive review of performance
focused on options and compliance
shown that conflict is not inevitable
promoted a rights, risks approach to negotiate outcomes
shown that common ground can be reached

Dont plan,
build,
protest,
operate,
decommission,
propose,
oppose or
discuss a dam
without it

Readings for discussion

(pro and con):
INDIA (Narmada Valley)
CHINA (Three Gorges)
SLOVAKIA (Gabcikovo)