Peter Bosshard's blog

Fishing gear typically used in the seasonally flooded wetlands of Laos (Bruce Shoemaker, Ian and Monsiri Baird)

An estimated 472 million people have likely been negatively impacted by the downstream impacts of large dams. This is the main finding of a scientific study, which was just published by a group of eminent global freshwater experts. The study documents the impacts that dams have had on some of the world's most productive ecosystems, and recommend measures that can prevent the further loss of floodplains that sustain unique ecosystems and millions of people.

John Briscoe, one of the most vocal proponents of aggressive global dam building, argues that the World Bank should take a book from China’s page and step up its support for large hydropower projects. China Dialogue, the Chinese-English internet platform which published John’s commentary, asked me for a response to this opinion piece. In my response, I argue that dams are an outdated technology, and that a smarter approach to energy development is possible – in China and internationally. Here is my commentary for China Dialogue.

(IUCN)Sturgeons can live for up to 100 years, and grow to 5 meters in length. The majestic fish have been around for 250 million years, and are one of the oldest inhabitants of our rivers and lakes. Because sturgeons migrate, dams cut them off from much of their spawning grounds. After they have adapted to dramatic upheavals through the ages, sturgeons are now driven to extinction by a few decades of human intervention. The Chinese Paddlefish has for example most likely been extinct by dam building in the last few years. Overall, sturgeons are the most threatened group of animals on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. Eighty-five percent of them are at risk of extinction, with 63 percent of species listed as critically endangered.

The new Global Biodiversity Outlook, an in-depth review of the planet’s biodiversity, shows that sturgeons stand for a global trend.

Farmers being flooded out by the Merowe Dam (LOHAP)

The Merowe Dam on the Nile in Northern Sudan is one of the largest and most destructive hydropower projects in Africa. Commissioned in 2009, the project affects up to 70,000 people, many of whom were displaced from the fertile Nile Valley to arid desert locations. Thousands of people were flushed out of their houses by raising waters before they were properly resettled. A German NGO and an affected person now filed a criminal complaint over the abuses in the project against the German company that supervised project construction. The complaint breaks new ground in holding transnational corporations accountable for human rights abuses on their projects.

James Cameron meets Kayapo leader (Amazon Watch)

“Huge dams are a 20th century idea in the 21st century: it's a dinosaur's idea. What’s happening in Avatar is happening in Brazil and places like India and China, where traditional villages are displaced by big infrastructure projects.”

It is not International Rivers or Amazon Watch which have just denounced large dams as “an ecological disaster.” It was the director of the Avatar movie, James Cameron himself. With his recent trip to the Amazon, the Hollywood icon left the comfortable perch of his studio and found his own Pandora – a situation, as he said, “where a real-life Avatar confrontation is in progress.”

Will Hasankeyf not be flooded by Chinese dam builders? (peevishsoul)

A few years ago, Chinese dam builders and financiers appeared on the global hydropower market with a bang. China Exim Bank and companies such as Sinohydro started to take on large, destructive projects in countries like Burma and Sudan, which had before been shunned by the international community. Their emergence threatened to roll back progress regarding human rights and the environment which civil society had achieved over many years. However, new evidence suggests that Chinese dam builders and financiers are trying to become good corporate citizens rather than rogue players on the global market. Here is a progress report. 

(Christopher Herwig)If we believe the news headlines, China is propping up dictators, dispensing billions of dollars for shady deals, and destroying whole ecosystems in its quest to extract oil and minerals from Africa. Beijing’s scramble for Africa will establish a new era of resource colonialism, and intensify corruption, human rights abuses and economic dependence on the continent. The Dragon’s Gift, a new book by Deborah Brautigam, looks behind this media hype. It offers surprising insights and challenges us to take a new look at Africa’s development.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s bad luck is to be rich in resources. Foreign investors are pouring billions of dollars into large extractive projects such as mines and hydropower dams. In a classic case of the resource curse, these projects are not promoting the country’s long-term development, but attract short-term profiteers, conflict, and corruption. In the latest example for this trend, the World Bank has just reported huge delays and cost overruns for the rehabilitation of the Inga 1 and 2 hydropower dams. Other projects are being swallowed by the morass of Congo’s resource curse at the same time.

Meles Zenawi and Italy's Foreign Minister inaugurate Gilgel Gibe 2

On Jan. 13, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi inaugurated the Gilgel Gibe 2 scheme, the country's biggest hydropower project. "It is possible to speed up development without polluting the environment," Zenawi proudly declared as he cut the ceremonial ribbon. Yet this was wishful thinking.

Living on Pandora

March 30, 2164. - I have spent a lot of time on Pandora lately. I have explored its verdant valleys, lush rain forests, and floating mountains. I have tried to stay away from the ferocious aynantang and aypalulukan. And I have fallen in love with the mighty rivers and waterfalls, which cascade down sheer cliffs and which you may have admired in the Avatar movie.