Dirty Hydro: Dams and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Hydropower is often believed to be an inherently "climate-friendly" technology. But scientific studies indicate that the rotting of organic matter in reservoirs produces significant amounts of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. The warming impact of tropical reservoirs can be much higher than even the dirtiest fossil-fuel power plants.

Download the factsheet to learn more about the different types of greenhouse gases that are being emitted, how reservoirs produce them, and how key regions and hydropower projects are contributing to global warming. Read the Spanish version here.