By: Bruce Shoemaker, Klamath Project Liaison After decades of controversy and campaigning by Indigenous and environmental groups, the largest dam removal project to date world-wide is moving forward in far-northern California and southern Oregon of the United States. Four large hydropower dams on the Klamath River are to be removed, restoring hundreds of miles of habitat…
Read MoreIndigenous Activists: In the Crosshairs of Development
By: Peter Bosshard, former Executive Director This commentary first appeared in Mongabay When we learned that Berta Cáceres, a leader of the indigenous Lenca people, was murdered in Honduras, we were shocked but not surprised. A violent death is the all-too-frequent fate of indigenous activists who defend their rivers and lands against dams, logging and other forms of…
Read MoreHuman Rights Must Come First
By: Zachary Hurwitz In some countries, dams are being built without the basic protection of human rights. In Sarawak, Malaysia, the Murum Dam was built before even its environmental impact assessment was published or discussed with affected communities. In Brazil, the Belo Monte Dam was approved by the government in 2005 even before an EIA had been written in 2008;…
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