By Doug Smith, Sustainability Specialist, International Hydropower Association
Presented at the Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
December 7-9, 2011
Session 5: Improving hydropower planning and assessment
1. A Tool to Assess
Hydropower
Sustainability
Performance
Doug Smith,
S u s ta i n a b i l i t y
S p e c i a l i st , I H A
8 December 2011
2. Proportion of hydropower developed
75%
~50%
22%
7%
~70%
33%
2008 hydro production: ~ 3200 TWh/y
Realistic potential production: ~ 9000 TWh/y
8 December 2011 Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy
(Sources: EIA 2010 and IHA 2010, CHA, 2011)
3. Hydropower in Sustainable Development
Negative impacts can arise from
environmental changes, including in
Hydropower offers energy, water, cases resettlement and loss of
poverty alleviation, greenhouse gas livelihoods, heritage, biodiversity,
reduction, proven technology, long fisheries…
life span, flexibility, reliability, local
economic stimulation...
8 December 2011 Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy
4. The Protocol
• A framework for assessing the sustainability of
hydropower projects
• Distils hydropower sustainability into over 20
clearly-defined topics
• Consistent, globally-applicable methodology
• Governed by a multistakeholder Council and terms
and conditions
Recognised by leading organisations (including WWF, The
Nature Conservancy, Transparency International) as a
“valuable tool to measure and improve the sustainability
of hydropower projects”
8 December 2011 Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy
5. Evolution
Results from a rigorous and informed multi-stakeholder process,
including WWF, Transparency International, Banks and Governments.
2000 World Commission on Dams Final Report
2003 IHA Sustainability Guidelines
2006 Initial Sustainability Assessment Protocol
2008-10 Multi-stakeholder Forum refines the Hydropower
Sustainability Assessment Protocol
2011 Official launch at the IHA World Congress, and
establishment of the Council
Policies taken into account included: World Commission on Dams’ Criteria
and Guidelines; World Bank Safeguard Policies; IFC Performance Standards;
and Equator Principles .
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6. Protocol topics
Communications and
Financial Viability Cultural Heritage
Consultation
Governance Project Benefits Public Health
Demonstrated Need and Biodiversity and Invasive
Economic Viability
Strategic Fit Species
Siting and Design Procurement Erosion and Sedimentation
Environmental and Social Project Affected Communities
Water Quality
Issues Management and Livelihoods
Integrated Project
Resettlement Waste, noise and air quality
Management
Reservoir Planning and
Hydrological Resource Indigenous Peoples
Management
Labour and Working
Asset reliability and efficiency Downstream Flow Regimes
Conditions
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Infrastructure Safety
7. A Protocol tool for each stage of
development
Background document:
Four methodology documents for four stages of development:
Early stage Preparation Implementation Operation
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8. Quality control
• Governance Committee and IHA are instigating a
controlled system to ensure objective,
comparable results
• A body of accredited assessors will be formed,
and assessors will be required to qualify from a
training course, and be regularly appraised
• Training course will concern auditing best
practice as well as Protocol details
8 December 2011 Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy
9. Quality control using accredited assessor
delivers:
• Evidence-based objective assessment of a project’s
performance (an official assessment)
• A score of 1 to 5 for each topic area, related to
basic good practice and proven best practice
• An assessment report according to a standard
format, automatically saved in IHA’s assessment
database
• Synthesis of information on complex facilities into a
concise and presentable report
• Option to make results public
• Easily communicable spider diagram of results
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10. A Protocol Assessment does not:
• Deliver a ‘certified sustainable’ result for any
project or provide any ‘stamp of approval’
• Replace national or local regulatory
requirements
• Replace an EIA or ESIA that is required to meet
regulations or international lender’s demands
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11. Benefits of using the Protocol
Identification of practical recommendations to improve sustainability performance
Targeting of recommendations on areas of weaker performance
Strengthened understanding of sustainability amongst developers and operators
Assurance to government and non-government on performance
A neutral platform for dialogue between industry and affected parties on specific issues
Informs international lenders and provides key information and recommendations
Assurance to purchasing utilities
A signal to the public of commitment to sustainability
Allows presentation of results for portfolios of facilities as part of corporate reporting
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12. Hydropower Sustainability Assessment
Council
• Established to ensure multi-stakeholder input and confidence in
the Protocol content and application
• Made up of seven representative
chambers:
• Environmental NGOs
• Social/Rights-based NGOs
• Developed country governments
• Developing country governments
• Financial institutions
• Hydropower operators/developers
• Hydropower consultants/suppliers
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13. Governance Committee
Developing Countries Hydropower Sector
P ro fe s s o r G u o q i n g S h i , N a t i o n a l Re s e a rc h D r Re fa a t A b d e l - M a l e k , P r e s i d e n t ,
C e n t r e fo r Re s e tt l e m e n t , H o h a i U n i ve rs i t y, I n te r n a t i o n a l H yd ro p o we r A s s o c i a t i o n
China M s Ka r i n S e e l o s , V i c e - P r e s i d e n t , Po we r
G e n e ra t i o n – I n te r n a t i o n a l A f fa i r s , S tat k ra f t
Developed Countries
M r To r M o r te n S n e v e , S e n i o r A d v i s e r, NGOs - Environmental Aspects
Department of Economic Development, M r D av i d H a r r i s o n , S e n i o r A d v i s o r, G l o b a l
E n e r g y, G e n d e r a n d G o v e r n a n c e , N o ra d , F r e s h wa te r Te a m , T h e N at u re C o n s e r v a n c y
N o r way Dr Joerg Hartmann, WWF Dams Initiative
M s A n a B a c h u ro va , A d v i s e r, G I Z , G e r m a ny L e a d e r, W W F I n te r n a t i o n a l ( C h a i r )
M r F r i e d r i c h H e t ze l , A d v i s e r, B M Z , G e r m a n y M r J i a n h u a M e n g , S u sta i n a b l e H y d ro p o we r,
WWF Germany
Finance Sector
M s C o u r t n e y L o w ra n c e , V i c e P r e s i d e n t , NGOs - Social Aspects
E nv i ro n m e n t a l a n d S o c i a l R i s k M a n a g e m e n t , D r D o n a l O ’ L e a r y, S e n i o r A d v i s o r,
C i t i I n s t i t u t i o n a l C l i e n t s G ro u p Tra n s p a re n c y I n te r n a t i o n a l
M s Gwe n Te r ra s , E nv i ro n m e n t a l S p e c i a l i s t ,
S o c i ét é G é n é ra l e
M r R i ka r d L i d e n , S e n i o r H y d ro p o w e r
S p e c i a l i s t , Wo r l d B a n k ( o b s e r v e r )
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14. Where to from here?
• Call to participate in the Hydropower Sustainability
Assessment Council
• Development of training programmes for the
accreditation of assessors
• Hydro4LIFE
• A European Commission-funded, €1.2 million project to
implement the Protocol within the European Union
• Sustainability Partnerships
• IHA has partnered with 10 leading hydropower organisations
(with more on the way!) to implement the Protocol and
engage stakeholders in training
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15. Sustainability Partners
• IHA has developed a Sustainability
Partner model
• Partners engage with IHA to
commit to applying the Protocol
• Sustainability Partners receive
invaluable experience in the use of
the Protocol, and the option to
disclose sustainability perfor mance
at the earliest opportunity
• Each partnership includes:
training; two Protocol
assessments, one carri ed out by an
accredited assessor; raised profile
as a Sustainability Partner
• Ten partners signed up as of July
2011
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18. International Hydropower Association
• Mission: to advance sustainable hydropower
• Non-profit organisation founded in 1995 under
the auspices of UNESCO
• Central office: London, UK
• National office: China
• Regional office: Brazil
8 December 2011 Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy