Dams and Development: A New Framework for Decision-making - The Report of the World Commission on DamsRoutledge, 2016 M05 13 - 446 pages By the year 2000, the world had built more than 45,000 large dams to irrigate crops, generate power, control floods in wet times and store water in dry times. Yet, in the last century, large dams also disrupted the ecology of half the world's rivers, displaced tens of millions of people from their homes and left nations burdened with debt. Their impacts have inevitably generated growing controversy and conflicts. Resolving their role in meeting water and energy needs is vital for the future and illustrates the complex development challenges that face our societies. The Report of the World Commission on Dams: - is the product of an unprecedented global public policy effort to bring governments, the private sector and civil society together in one process - provides the first comprehensive global and independent review of the performance and impacts of dams - presents a new framework for water and energy resources development - develops an agenda of seven strategic priorities with corresponding criteria and guidelines for future decision-making. Challenging our assumptions, the Commission sets before us the hard, rigorous and clear-eyed evidence of exactly why nations decide to build dams and how dams can affect human, plant and animal life, for better or for worse. Dams and Development: A New Framework for Decision-Making is vital reading on the future of dams as well as the changing development context where new voices, choices and options leave little room for a business-as-usual scenario. |
Contents
Environmental Performance | |
Downstream Aquatic Ecosystems and Biodiversity | |
Floodplain Ecosystems | |
Ecosystem Enhancement | |
Anticipating and Responding to Ecosystem Impacts | |
Options for Water and Energy Resources Development | |
DecisionMaking Planning and Compliance | |
Strategic Priorities A New Policy Framework for the Development | |
Criteria and Guidelines Applying the Strategic Priorities | |
Beyond the Commission An Agenda for Change | |
List of Tables | |
The Way Forward | |
People and Large Dams Social Performance | |
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Common terms and phrases
affected Africa agencies agreements agricultural alternatives analysis areas Asian Development Bank benefits Brazil Commission Commission’s communities compliance construction Contributing Paper costs criteria and guidelines Cross-Check Survey Cultural Heritage Management decision decision-making displaced downstream economic ecosystem electricity ensure environmental flow environmental impacts equitable evaluation existing dams fish fish pass fisheries floodplains framework global Glomma groups hydropower ICOLD identified impact assessment implementation improve India indigenous and tribal informed consent institutional International irrigation issues large dam projects large dams livelihoods measures mitigation monitoring needs negotiated operation options assessment organisations outcomes Paper for WCD participation performance performance bonds planning programme Rainwater harvesting recognised reservoir resettlement riparian risk river basin sector social and environmental South Africa specific stage stakeholder forum Strategic Priority sustainable water and energy water resources water supply WCD Case Studies WCD Knowledge Base WCD Submission WCD Thematic Review World Bank