World Commission on Dams

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Charitable Organizations & Foundations

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The WCD,s new framework for decision making offers wisdom on the way forward for investment in the energy sector, and the WWF (2003) gives the financial pitfalls to avoid when investing in dams from now on, including: exaggerated projections of benefits; time and cost overruns; inaccurate assessments of displaced peoples and inundated lands; geological instability and dam failure; displaced business spin,off; sovereign risk and corruption; maintenance and decommissioning costs recovery and dam beneficiaries; and inadequate insurance cover.

It is absolutely important that the current dialogue and consensus building up in the arena of dams and development on the one hand, and dams and the environment on the other, will not only be maintained but enhanced further based on the principles of equity, efficiency, participatory decision,making, sustainability and accountability as well as respect for the interests of all stakeholders ,small or big, civic or corporate, government or non,government, and on the recognition that there are always alternatives. Attempts to dismiss some NGOs as saboteurs of the economy or threats to foreign policy are, therefore, negative (e.g., Mallaby, 2004). Indeed it is in this spirit that the WCD process was conceived, maintained and its outcomes recommended to the peoples of the world and actors in the dams and development arena in particular.

The 19th October 2004 International Workshop on "Making WCDGuidelinesWork in Uganda" should be seen as both an educational process and an initiation of a process of application of the WCD Guidelines to decision,making in dams and development in the country. The range of participants in the workshop, including representatives from the government of Uganda, should be seen as an indication that many recognize or want to acquaint themselves with the WCD outcomes and the enormous issues, problems and challenges bogging the arena of dams and development. Intense and wise discussion of how to avoid loopholes and conflicts in our craze for development should now be possible.

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Researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru University discuss findings in political science. Politics & Government Week; 7/2/2009 ...Delhi, India report. "Using a case study of the World Commission on Dams, this article explores how formal global deliberative...Through Global Deliberation? Reflections on the World Commission on Dams Global Governance, 2009;15(2):219-238... ...more

Tipaimukh Dam for hydro-power: An old technology of use of river-waters. UNB - United News of Bangladesh; 7/3/2009 ...interrupting the natural flow of rivers achieved its social, ecological and commercial purpose in the long run? The World Commission on Dams, in its report in 2000, having examined the technical, financial, economic, environmental and social performance... ...more

Critics question usefullness of dams in Lebanon. The Daily Star (Beirut, Lebanon); 10/12/2009 ...management mantra "you cannot manage what you cannot measure" is at the root of many critiques.Aa According to the World Commission on Dams report in the year 2000, dam projects around the world also normally go over budget, and with budgets in the... ...more