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Rivers, Fish and the Tree of Life

Peter Bosshard — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:35:00 -0800

Tree of Life (http://firstpcalbuquerque.wordpress.com/)

All life on Earth began in the sea some 3.5 billion years ago. Yet there is a twist to this story. New research shows that almost all fish species that inhabit the oceans today moved there from rivers and lakes. This sheds new light on the importance of freshwater ecosystems for life on Earth. And it suggests that by damming and polluting rivers, we may destroy the seed banks of future generations.

Stop Violence Against the Ngöbe Indigenous Peoples

Monti Aguirre — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:57:08 -0800

Ngobe People Protesting- Cortesia de Patria Grande

The heavy weight of a law that would let foreign companies build mines, dams, hotels, and other projects on Ngöbe-Buglé indigenous lands in Panama has the local indigenous people quite worried.

China at the Tipping Point

Grace Mang — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:26:07 -0800

Last week, I sat in Washington in a Senate Hearing Room to give a testimony on the grim situation facing China's rivers. Alongside Elizabeth Economy - a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and Jennifer Turner - Director of the Woodrow Wilson Center's China Environment Forum, we laid out the frightening and significant water challenges that China is facing. Unlike many at the US-China Economic and Security Commission hearing, I left feeling optimistic and inspired, which begged me to ponder what is the basis of my optimism? Do I just have a bad case of blind faith?

Click here to view the full video

Day of Action for Rivers Reflections

Katherine Brousseau — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:26:31 -0800

Past Actions: Creativity, Celebration, and Courage

Something I love that was said to me when I first arrived at International Rivers was, “The Day of Action for Rivers will happen whether or not you’re ‘coordinating’ it.” I love this, because for a moment I can glimpse all the things being planned around the world right now…people getting together and talking, putting their energy into protecting the river-life networks around them. And I appreciate it because I am immediately reminded of the gravity that also accompanies this Day of Action for Rivers – people organize their actions because they have to continue standing up for the protection of rivers, their connected ecosystems, and people. It is an ongoing struggle.

The Global CDM Hydro Hall of Shame

Katy Yan — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:50:18 -0800

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is meant to catalyze climate-friendly and sustainable projects in low-income countries. Instead, it's provided massive subsidies to hydropower developers while increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Through deception and abuse of the system, at least two-thirds of all CDM projects are likely not additional, and more are slipping in each year.

In an attempt to cure its ills during the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, the CDM Executive Board has initiated a year-long policy dialogue. Having failed to reach any decisions about reform at Durban, the CDM policy panel members will examine unresolved issues ranging from stronger rules for public participation to an appeals procedure. Of particular concern to the global movement for rivers is ensuring that the CDM imposes greater limitations on large hydropower projects, which are more likely to create enormous environmental and social problems for local communities than smaller community-driven decentralized projects.

World Bank's Program-For-Results Loan Instrument: Good Intentions?

Zachary Hurwitz — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:19:34 -0800

The World Bank's social and environmental standards face an uncertain future as Bob Zoellick leaves this year.

The World Bank's Board of Directors has approved a new lending instrument called Program-For-Results (P4R). The instrument is supposed to fund programs, not provide project finance, and is meant to work within a borrower's existing regulatory framework – what the Bank calls a country systems approach. However, not all country systems are made equal. Some of today's largest dam financiers operate within a highly unaccountable national policy framework, where human rights, transparency, and civil society participation may take a back seat to the "national interest."

Keep Our Rivers Free on March 14th

Katherine Brousseau — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:17:04 -0800

My name is Katherine, I'm the 2012 Day of Action for Rivers coordinator and will be writing this blog for the next two months. The more I learn about the global events which have taken place over the last fourteen years on this symbolic day, the more amazed I am. There are so many courageous people out there working to protect their river ecosystems and communities from the harmful effects of dams and pollution. The Day of Action for Rivers is a time for people to represent and move forward with their struggles, and also celebrate the beauty and benefits of a local river - and all the world's rivers.

Costa Rica - National Forum Against Dams 2009

What is International River's role in this worldwide time of action for rivers? Our role is to find out what individuals and groups are doing in support of healthy rivers. We want to hear from those at the grassroots level and provide a stage for their voices, to connect people across the world fighting in their many ways for clean and free-flowing rivers, and to celebrate every individual's effort to speak out. As photos and stories come our way, we'll be sharing them here, in the hope that they spread around the world. A saying I recently heard from the Brazilian Landless Workers Movement (MST) is ringing in my ear: "Globalizar la lucha! Globalizar la esperanza! Globalize the struggle! Globalize the hope!"

A Milestone Birthday for Planet Earth

Peter Bosshard — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:45:13 -0800

Milestone birthdays are opportunities to take stock of our family, health and financial situation. So how is Planet Earth doing 20 years after the Earth Summit, the historic UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro? The planet’s economic output has more than doubled since 1992. Some members of the global family are doing extremely well, but the number of hungry people is increasing. And the planet’s health is steadily deteriorating, with vital ecosystems nearing the point of collapse.

No More Catfish in the Madeira?

Zachary Hurwitz — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:43:58 -0800

Fish are dying at an alarming rate because of the Santo Antônio Dam. (Instituto Rio Madeira Vivo)

This blog in Brazil caught our eye recently: catfish are now disappearing at an alarming rate from the Madeira River, thanks to the reservoir of the Santo Antônio Dam.

When the environmental license for the Santo Antônio Dam was approved against the findings of fish experts, Lula controversially claimed that the dams would not be stopped because of "some catfish." Now, the catfish are disappearing. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Xayaburi Dam: What Next?

Kirk Herbertson — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:45:35 -0800

On December 8th, we watched the future of the Mekong River hang by the threads of a single meeting. Government ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam met to decide whether to approve Laos’ controversial Xayaburi Dam, the first of 12 large dams across the Mainstream Mekong River. Scientists warn that the dams would decimate the Mekong River’s fish population and threaten the food security of more than 2 million people, but the projects have crept forward nonetheless.

Belo Monte Construction Shut Down by Protestors

Ian Elwood — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:40:46 -0800

Movimento Xingu Vivo para Sempre stops construction at Belo Monte's Pimental work site

In the first days of the New Year, Brazilian contractors quietly started blockading the Xingu River to allow construction to start on the massive Belo Monte Dam. Often called the "Pandora Dam" by mainstream media because of James Cameron’s support for the struggle against it, the hydroelectric project could become the world’s third largest. While construction had started on roads and associated works several months ago, the building of coffer dams to divert the flow of the river started during the Brazillian new year holiday, presumably to sidestep the scrutiny of civil society, NGOs and regional activists. But escape scrutiny it did not.

Colombia's El Quimbo in Limbo

Monti Aguirre — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:51:32 -0800

Take Action: Support communities in Colombia by signing a letter to the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Sustainable Development, to stop the diversion of the Magdelena River.

(Girls on Magdalena River: Courtesy of Polinizaciones http://polinizaciones.blogspot.com/)The Occupy Movement reached Colombia's Upper Magdalena River on January 3, 2012. Communities affected by the proposed El Quimbo Dam project paralyzed dam construction by blocking a bridge and road access for 15 days. Inhabitants of this area are concerned that flooding 21,000 hectares of fertile lands will wash away the lives of communities that have made these valleys their homes for centuries. Their struggle against Goliath- the project is of a subsidiary of powerful Italian Enel Construction Company- has prevented dam construction from moving forward, and brought new public attention to this problematic project.

Make 2012 the Year For River Advocates

Kate Ross — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:03:57 -0800

My colleague Lori Pottinger recently published an inspiring piece in Al Jazeera entitled "Rivers must flow: The case against big dams." In the conclusion of her article, she reflects that "finding ways to become an advocate for a river near you in 2012 would be a good way to celebrate the new year!"

Lori's comment is the perfect call to action for the March 14 International Day of Action for Rivers, which is not just a day to celebrate the world's rivers, but also to celebrate the world's river advocates. This is the perfect opportunity for all of us to speak out and advocate for our rivers and watersheds.

This March 14, Keep Our Rivers Free

Piñera and the World Bank Support HidroAysén

Berklee Lowrey-Evans — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:57:44 -0800

As I get ready to head up to Nevada City, CA for screenings of Patagonia Rising at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival today, I can't help but reflect on the current state of the campaign to protect Patagonia from the HidroAysén dams and transmission lines.

The Supreme Court of Chile heard the case against HidroAysén on Friday December 23, 2011. A verdict is expected sometime this month, although the court could be sneaky and issue their ruling in February, when everyone in Chile is on vacation (think August in Europe and the US), and the likelihood of mass protests would be at its lowest. Once the court rules, the Council of Ministers will issue their opinion on the matter. Since this is a part of the new legislation from 2010, no one is quite sure what to expect from the Council of Ministers, and what kind of weight their opinion will have in the matter.

HidroAysén has pushed back the date for turning in the transmission line EIA yet again, now saying they will likely submit it in June of 2012.

Crunching the Hydro Numbers: 2011 Second Half CDM Update

Katy Yan — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:58:42 -0800

EU demonstration (knowledge.allianz.com)

Durban is over, the delegates have all either gone home or are enjoying the sunny South African weather, and serious actions to curb rising emissions have again been shunted down the road. (You can read more about the results at Durban on our colleague Payal Parekh's blog.) However, progress is being made on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – albeit slowly – to address some of its most serious flaws, including how to deal with non-additional, "hot air" projects in the world's largest emissions trading scheme, the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).

Will Holland Fuel Carbon-Credit Dam Scam?

Lori Pottinger — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:55:10 -0800

Bujagali Falls

Like most rich nations, the Netherlands has seen its “carbon footprint” rise in recent decades. In an effort to shrink that footprint, the Dutch government has been purchasing “carbon credits” through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The Netherlands now proposes to purchase “offsets” from the Bujagali Dam on the Nile River in Uganda. The CDM board will decide whether to register Bujagali for credits on Dec. 29.

Helping the Poor by Helping the Rich?

Peter Bosshard — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:14:03 -0800

Villagers affected by the Inga Dam

Most of the world’s poorest people lack access to basic services such as clean water and electricity. The World Bank and the Group of 20 are now proposing a new strategy to scale up infrastructure investment in developing countries. They pay lip service to the needs of the poor, and promote subsidies for large private projects such as the proposed Inga Dam on the Congo River. A new report from Christian Aid demonstrates that a more promising approach to reducing poverty and protecting the climate is possible.

Africa Needs Green Energy, Not Grand Inga

Rudo Sanyanga — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:17:58 -0800

Reporting from the COP-17 climate meeting, Durban

Rudo speaking at COP-17 (Photo: Songqiao Yao)

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma launched the COP 17 climate meeting in Durban last week with a speech on the potential for green energy to help build economic growth in South Africa. In a land blessed with huge potential for solar, wind, energy efficiency and other green energy sources, Zuma chose to highlight Africa’s biggest dam, the Grand Inga, on the Congo River. South Africa and DR Congo had signed an agreement to build the massive dam just days prior to the COP meeting.

HidroAysén's Transmission Line Revealed

Berklee Lowrey-Evans — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:56:41 -0800

One of the beautiful lakes in Patagonia along the Carretera Austral, on the way to Cochrane (Berklee Lowrey-Evans, March 2011)

The first official news of the proposed route for the HidroAysén transmission line was released yesterday by Chile's La Tercera. Over the next two weeks, the company will begin meeting with residents of Chaitén and Cochrane to discuss the route and - no doubt - HidroAysen's plans to snatch the lands and/or the rights to build the lines through these areas.

The reported rumors of a change in route are true - the transmission line is indeed planned to go underwater for 160km of the full 1,912 km length of the line, from the mouth of the Río Yelcho near Chaitén to Puerto Montt. This means that the line will not cut through Parque Pumalín, which has been a contentious issue for many years.

Guilty as the Getaway Driver? Thailand and the Xayaburi Dam

Kirk Herbertson — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:40:10 -0800

On December 7-8th, the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam will meet and are likely to decide if the controversial Xayaburi Dam will go forward. The dam would be located in Laos, but would cause significant harm in Cambodia and Vietnam – so who takes the blame? The dam would drastically reduce the number of fish that are able to migrate upstream to their breeding grounds, depriving people in the region of an essential source of food and jobs. It would also prevent nutrients from traveling downstream to farmers who grow rice and other crops in Cambodia and the Mekong River Delta.

Study Adds Urgency to Reform Offsetting Scheme in Durban

Katy Yan — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:32:06 -0800

Increase of credits from large hydro expected by 2020

A new study released in time for the climate negotiations in Durban confirms that over 20% of all carbon credits under the UN's offsetting scheme, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), could come from business-as-usual large hydropower projects. This is not surprising considering that hydropower is heavily supported and subsidized in many countries, especially in China and India, who host a combined 78% of all the registered hydropower projects in the CDM. Large hydro projects are projected to generate 2 billion carbon credits by 2020, which could be a lot of hot air.

Video: Connect the Drops, Dam Building in the Himalayas

Ian Elwood — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:22:46 -0800

Lori Pottinger and I recently spoke with Samir Mehta, South Asia Program Director about the issues facing the region. The video I filmed and edited shows that the Himalayas and the entire region are indeed threatened by dam building and climate change. Samir explains how social movements are adapting to work against dam building, shifting from dam-centric opposition to protecting and conserving entire rivers.

Brazilian Construction Company Cancels Plans for Mega-Dam in Peru

Monti Aguirre — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:29:58 -0800

Ashaninka Baby

Odebrecht is withdrawing from a commitment to develop the Tambo-40 Dam on the Tambo River in the Peruvian Amazon. It is a good day for Ashaninka communities in the Amazon.

In an official letter to the Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mines, Odebrecht stated that after completing preliminary studies and learning of the strong opposition by indigenous communities, the company decided to “respect the opinion of local populations” and withdrew from the project.

How I Learned to Hug a Dam Builder

Peter Bosshard — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:12:21 -0800

Nexus Hug

During the last few days I attended an international conference on the nexus of water, energy and food security in Bonn. The event offered a lot of diplomatic hot air, some promising ideas and engaging discussions. We were even taught a new way of hugging our fellow participants - the "nexus hug" - and practiced working in the embrace of dam builders, UN bureaucrats and government officials.

China: 289 Dam Projects in 70 Countries

Grace Mang — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:50:09 -0700

(Chinese dam builders at work on Three Gorges Dam)We are currently aware of 289 overseas dam projects in which China is involved. For the large part, most of these projects have been proposed and/or built in the past 10 years.

With the help of our fantastic new program assistant, Songqiao Yao, we have updated almost every entry of this dams list to ensure that the information we provide is more accurate and complete. But of course our usual disclaimer applies.