Finance in Common Summit shows reality is not meeting rhetoric when it comes to support for human rights and civic space

Finance in Common Summit shows reality is not meeting rhetoric when it comes to support for human rights and civic space

By: Josh Klemm, Co-Executive Director of International Rivers Earlier this month, I had the chance to attend the fourth annual Finance in Common (FIC) Summit in Cartagena, Colombia. A relatively new phenomenon, the Summit brought together over 500 public development banks from all over the world who together represent tens of billions of dollars in…

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PRESS RELEASE | Anchicayá Dam: Colombian Constitutional Court decides in favor of justice for Anchicaya Communities after 22 Years

PRESS RELEASE | Anchicayá Dam: Colombian Constitutional Court decides in favor of justice for Anchicaya Communities after 22 Years

After conducting an extensive study, Colombian Constitutional Court ruled to protect the fundamental rights of Anchichayá Dam affected communties Final judgment will be released no later than September 2023. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 21, 2023 MEDIA CONTACTS:  Silvano Caicedo, President of la Organizacion Etnico-territorial ONUIRA silvanocaicedo1966@outlook.es  (Spanish)  Benjamin Mosquera, Consejo Comunitario Mayor of the Anchicayá River, bmr1173@gmail.com (Spanish)…

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A ticking time bomb: Tomorrow’s hearing can decide the fate of companies responsible for dangerously built dam that threatens more than 3,400 families in Ecuador.

A ticking time bomb: Tomorrow’s hearing can decide the fate of companies responsible for dangerously built dam that threatens more than 3,400 families in Ecuador.

Powered by Canadian, Ecuadorian, Spanish and Swiss investors, the São José del Tambo dam (Hidrotambo S.A.) is considered a rudimentary and dangerously built hydro project and has been threatening the lives and livelihoods of over 140 communities along Dulcepamba River. On February 1st, an appeals hearing will be held in the Provincial Court of Tungurahua…

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International Rivers Congratulates Communities from Temacapulin, Palmarejo and Acasico

International Rivers Congratulates Communities from Temacapulin, Palmarejo and Acasico

After 16 years of a fight led mainly by women activists, Mexican communities halted the Zapotillo Dam System, stopping the project of flooding their ancestral lands.  For the past 16 years, three small Mexican communities – Temacapulin, Palmarejo and Acasico in Jalisco State- have been struggling against construction of the Zapotillo Dam System, a megaproject…

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Advancing Pico / Micro Hydropower in the Ganga, Meghna, Brahmaputra, and Salween River Basins

Advancing Pico / Micro Hydropower in the Ganga, Meghna, Brahmaputra, and Salween River Basins

By Hydro Empowerment Network (HPNET) Originally published on HPNet’s website The river basins of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Salween (GBMS) Rivers are endowed with rich natural resources, exceptional biodiversity, and vibrant indigenous cultures.  Yet social and environmental well-being continue to be undermined by large hydro development, as decision makers seek economic prosperity and economic…

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Press Release | Civil Society Groups Across Asia demand the ADB recalibrate its Draft Energy Policy in line with climate and community realities

Press Release | Civil Society Groups Across Asia demand the ADB recalibrate its Draft Energy Policy in line with climate and community realities

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Manila, Philippines –Civil society groups across South, Southeast and Central Asia are raising the alarm as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) gears up to announce a new Energy Policy that — unless recalibrated — will fail to reflect the realities of climate science and local peoples’ burning concerns. On September 6th, the…

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PRESS RELEASE | The ASEAN We Want: An Open Statement to ASEAN Leaders

PRESS RELEASE | The ASEAN We Want: An Open Statement to ASEAN Leaders

In an open statement to ASEAN leaders as they gather in Bangkok for the 34th ASEAN Summit, 110 community and civil society organisations and networks have urged ASEAN to respect people’s rights and livelihoods.  Noting that ASEAN economic integration has prioritised the interests of investors with little regard to the negative impacts on people’s territories, livelihoods…

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Thai Investments Must Recognize Local Rights

Thai Investments Must Recognize Local Rights

By: Pianporn Deetes, Thailand and Myanmar Campaigns Director This article originally appeared in The Bangkok Post. A year ago, the cabinet issued a resolution recognising an obligation to protect human rights in Thai outbound investments. With Thai companies increasing their operations in neighbouring countries in sectors that carry significant risks for human rights and the environment, further…

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The Surprising Success of Micro Hydro

The Surprising Success of Micro Hydro

By: Sarah Bardeen, former Communications Director Dipti Vaghela is passionate about micro hydro. To be fair, she’s also obsessed with other mini-grids, including biomass gasifiers and small-scale solar. But since 2006, Vaghela has been deep in the weeds on this subject, working as both a researcher and a practitioner to develop community-based micro-hydro in South…

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