Part I : The Facilitator's Sense of the Meeting

The third and final meeting of the WCD Forum was held at the Spier Village outside Cape Town, South Africa, 25-27 February 2001, to discuss responses to Dams and Development: A New Framework for Decision-Making, the final report of the World Commission on Dams (WCD). Participants included 50 members of the global multi-stakeholder Forum, 28 observers and the former Chairman and some members of the Commission.

While there was not consensus on all aspects of the WCD report, the Forum praised the Commission for its extensive work. Many commended it for a path-breaking report that takes decision-making on water and energy resources development into a new generation. Founded on widely accepted core values of equity, efficiency, participatory decision-making, sustainability and accountability, the report offers a new way forward, out of difficult conflicts and towards the promise of sustainable development. When implemented in differing country contexts, the WCD report has the potential to ensure that society’s needs for water and energy are met while advancing social equity and sustainable use of environmental resources. It was agreed the Commission’s recommendations for a decision-making framework based on the assessment of rights and risks are an important contribution. The results of the Commission cannot be ignored.

In reviewing the report in the opening session major concerns were expressed about four issues. First, the assessment of development effectiveness was judged by some stakeholders not to have given adequate consideration to the benefits of building dams and the need for new dams. Second, the 26 recommended “Guidelines for Good Practice” were interpreted by a number of participants as going beyond guidance suggestions to indicate specific regulations. Third, the recommendations for involving stakeholders from the beginning to the end of the dam planning and decision-making processes were felt by some not to be the best use of resources and to threaten the sovereignty of elected decision makers. Finally, some thought the assessment of alternative options to dams was unrealistic and incomplete.

Others felt that the report overstated the benefits of dams but formed a basis for going forward. These groups believed that the report should be implemented by all involved in water and energy resources decision-making, and that until its recommendations are implemented in policy there should be a moratorium on further construction of ongoing and new dams.

After extended discussions in the ensuing two days, members of the Forum agreed in the final session to work through their diverse governmental, private sector and civil society organisations and affiliations:

• To ensure widespread dissemination and understanding of the report, its findings and recommendations, in particular within countries from the national to local level and among all sectors. Further translations of the report will be promoted. A cover letter will explain that the Guidelines are not intended as a set of rules and indicate the Forum does not unanimously endorse the whole report.
  
  

• To promote testing, refinement and adaptation in implementing the Commission’s proposed guidelines in the varied practical contexts world-wide, for example concerning the assessment of options and the practicality of the WCD recommendations.
  
  

• To promote dialogue, information exchange and networking in working with the WCD report.
  

Given that the Commission has completed its mandate and consequently the WCD Secretariat will be closed and the role of the Forum in advising the Commission has come to an end, the Spier meeting mandated the Forum Liaison Group (FLG) to take the lead in establishing new arrangements for the dissemination and implementation of the WCD report. (The FLG is comprised of individuals from Harza Engineering, International Rivers Network, IUCN, Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, Namada Bachao Andolan, and the World Bank). The Liaison Group, in consultation with members of the Forum and assisted by the WCD Secretariat, should advance discussions towards reaching agreements by March 31, 2001 that would provide for:

• A Dams and Development Forum (DDF) to be formed out of the existing membership of the WCD Forum and by adding a number of other key stakeholders, including greater representation of national governments, while keeping the Forum balanced in composition and to an effective and efficient size.
  
  

• A Dams and Development Governance Group (DDGG) to be formed from the WCD Forum Liaison Group with the addition of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
  
  

• The Dams and Development Unit (DDU), a small office to be established by July 1, 2001, that would be charged with facilitating the exchange of information among all stakeholders about initiatives and outcomes relating to dams and development in an impartial way, and to co-ordinate future meetings of the DDF and the DDGG. The DDU will have a mandate to operate for two years.

In addition, the DDU should be hosted by an international organisation that could provide basic financial and administrative services while remaining independent in terms of policy, work plan and finances. The DDU would have balanced governance and clear accountability and ideally would be located in a country of the South. Subject to further discussions, UNEP has indicated its interest in serving as the host.

In closing, it was agreed that the DDF should meet at the call of the DDGG within one year of the establishment of the DDU and that the existing WCD Secretariat will facilitate the transition to the DDU.