Ensuring dams are a platform for growth and sustainable development

Transcription

1 4 th World Water Forum Mexico Centro Banamex, Mexico DF, Mexico March 2006 Topic Session FT1.25 Ensuring dams are a platform for growth and sustainable development Alberto Calcagno DDP Coordinator atcalcagno@unep.org United Nations Environment Programme Dams and Development Project

2 Dams, reservoirs and development Development of water and energy resources Environmental impacts Social impacts WCD IWRM MDGs WEHAB Security Growth Climate change Dams Construction of dams per decade (WCD) DDP s 60s 70s 80s 90s

3 DDP PHASE 2 ( ) 2006) Goal of the Dams and Development Project Phase 2 ( ) To promote improved decision-making, planning and management of dams and their alternatives building on WCD core values and strategic priorities and other relevant reference materials. DDP Objectives Support multi-stakeholder dialogues at country-level, regional and global levels on improving decision making on dams and their alternatives with the aim of engaging all stakeholders with emphasis on governments. Produce non prescriptive tools drawing on all relevant existing bodies of criteria and guidelines for planning and management of dams and their alternatives, which can help decision makers

4 Widespread concurrence with WCD 5 core values and 7 strategic priorities... World Commision on Dams Gaining Public Acceptance Comprehensive Options Assessment Addressing Existing Dams Sustaining Rivers and Livelihoods Recognising Entitlements and Sharing Benefits Ensuring Compliance Sharing Rivers of Peace, Development and Security

5 Some emerging issues Improved consideration of environmental aspects River basin approach; ecosystem functioning; avoid impacts then mitigate; environmental flows; environmental management plans and their compliance. Improved consideration of social aspects Affected people first among beneficiaries; compensation policies include development strategies for affected, indigenous and vulnerable groups; sound social communication, public participation, resettlement and community development plans and their compliance DDP Improved decision making processes Participatory decision making mechanisms; meaningful stakeholder involvement; comprehensive options assessment at policy, strategic and river basin, and project levels; trade offs and risks.

6 Objectives and Results from Phase 2 Objective 1 Support multi-stakeholder dialogues at national, regional and global level on improving decision-making on dams and their alternatives with involvement of all stakeholders Raised awareness on the need of and wide agreement on how to improve national and international regulatory frameworks effectively taking into account social and environmental aspects and incorporating appropriate participatory approaches into decision-making. Multistakeholder approach

7 Dialogue Initiatives South Africa, Sweden national dialogues processes resulting in recommendations Vietnam, Nepal, Thailand, Uganda partial and ongoing national dialogue processes Argentina, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, Namibia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Zambia - national consultations Pakistan consultative process UK, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Norway - consultation in developed countries DDP SADC, La Plata River Basin - regional activities

8 Objectives and Results from Phase 2 Objective 2 Produce non-prescriptive tools drawing on all relevant existing bodies of criteria and guidelines for planning and management of dams and their alternatives Availability of non-prescriptive broadly accepted practical tools providing information and examples of implementation of normative frameworks and of good practice to assist decision makers in the planning and management of dams and their alternatives. Focus on process

9 Compendium of relevant practices STRATEGIC PRIORITY GAINING PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE PRELIMINARY STRUCTURE OF THE CHECKLIST KEY ISSUE (1 st level) Identification of stakeholders KEY ISSUE (2 nd level) 4th DDForum Meeting (October 2005) Top Priority Issues 1. Benefit sharing 2. Stakeholders participation COMPREHENSIVE OPTIONS ASSESSMENT Access to information Informed participation in decision making processes Rights-and-risks approach Roles Responsibilities Accountability Support mechanisms for disadvantaged groups Interaction between 3. Compliance 4. Compensation policy 5. Outstanding social issues 6. Social impact assessment 7. International policy concerning shared river basins DDP An information tool that provides practical examples from all over the world of how key issues concerning the planning and management of dams and their alternatives are integrated and implemented into national policy/legal/regulatory frameworks and international guidelines. 8. Environmental Management Plan 9. Options assessment COMPENDIUM OF RELEVANT PRACTICES 1st Edition

10 Challenges of Non-Prescriptive Tools Establishing an efficient and transparent bottom up process, Obtaining relevant information on normative/regulatory frameworks and relevant examples from stakeholders, Keeping all stakeholders motivated in & contributing to the processes, Reaching consensus on controversial issues, Remaining factual, avoid being judgmental, Language and other institutional barriers.

11 Build political will Actions required To raise awareness and responsible responses from decisions makers and managers, including corporate social responsibility of the private sector and financiers. To mobilise the necessary resources and time needed to deal with appropriate decision making processes. Strengthen policy, legal and regulatory frameworks To fill current generalised gaps concerning environmental, social, public participation and decision making aspects; To provide institutional and organisational backstop to decision makers and managers in incorporating said issues into the full dam project cycle; To allow for harmonising of regional policies and frameworks dealing with shared water resources) DDP Build managerial capacities (Good practice) To allow decision makers and managers putting in place sound informed and participatory processes through allocating the necessary financial resources, time frames and expertise to deal with environmental, social and public involvement issues

12 DDP Implementation

13 United Nations Environment Programme Dams and Development Project THANK YOU