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World Commission on Dams suggests 7-point strategy for dam building The Business Recorder, Pakistan - 19 November 2000 World Commission on Dams suggests 7-point strategy for dam buildingRECORDER REPORT ISLAMABAD (November 19) : The World Commission on Dams (WCD) in its report released here on Saturday has unveiled a new direction for future water and energy policy decision-making which seeks to turn costly controversies into clear and productive consensus. ..........Former South African President, Nelson Mandela, speaking at a launch before 300 global representatives from governments, private sector and civil society, praised the constructive nature of the independent Commission, comparing its work to his own experience. "It is one thing to find fault with an existing system. It is another thing, altogether a more difficult task, to replace it with an approach that is better," he remarked. ..........The Commission's assessment is that dams have made an important and significant contribution to human development but, in too many cases, the social and environmental costs have been unacceptable and often unnecessary. That a new framework is needed for decision-making beyond simple cost-benefit trade-offs including rights and risks approach which recognises all stakeholders in negotiating development choices ..........The report provides the most comprehensive, global and independent review of dams to date. The WCD's global review examines the technical, financial and economic performance of dams as well as their environmental and social performance. Together with its assessment of potential alternatives to dams and the study of decision making processes, it offers unique insights into one of the most controversial development debates of the present time. ..........The WCD Chairman and Minister of Education in South Africa, Kader Asmal, while launching the report in London on November 16, remarked "It is nothing to build billion-dollar dams if your monuments alienate the weak. It means nothing to stop all dams if your protests only entrench poverty. But show me a clear and sustainable way to provide food, energy, stability and running water to those who need it--that means something. And that we have done." ..........The Commission found that dams deliver significant services in more than 140 countries. On a global scale hydro-power dams account for 19 percent of electricity generated and for an estimated 12 to 16 percent of global food production, 12 percent of large dams supply domestic and industrial water and large dams provide flood control services in more than 70 countries; large dams display a high degree of variability in delivering predicted water and electricity services and related social benefits with a considerable portion falling short of physical and economic targets which others continue to generate benefits after 30 to 40 years. ..........The Commission further found that large dams have demonstrated a marked tendency towards schedule delays and cost overruns; they have led to the loss of forests and wildlife and the loss of aquatic bio-diversity of upstream and downstream fisheries. It found that efforts to counter the eco-system impact of large dams had met with limited success. It has further found that some 40 to 80 million people have been displaced by dams world-wide while the livelihoods of many more living downstream were affected but not recognised. Mitigation, compensation or resettlement programmes were often inadequate. ..........The Commission examined the alternatives for meeting energy, water and food needs and found that while there is far greater scope for utilising these no universal formula applies as local and national conditions are central to determining viable options. It noted that a number of environmentally and economically viable supply options are emerging, including wind and solar energy, recycling and local water management. However, obstacles such as market, institutional , intellectual and financial barriers limit the adoption rate of alternatives. ..........Suggesting guidelines for the future, the Commission's report argues that it is not necessary to trade off one person's gain against another's loss. Rather, by negotiating outcomes the development effectiveness of water and energy projects will be improved, unfavourable projects will be eliminated at an early stage and the options chosen will be what key stakeholders agree best meets the needs in question. ..........The report recommended among other things a 'rights and risks' approach for identifying all legitimate stakeholders in negotiating development choices and agreements, seven strategy priorities for water and energy resources development: Gaining public acceptance, comprehensive option assessment, addressing existing dams, sustaining rivers and livelihoods, recognising entitlements and sharing benefits, ensuring compliance and sharing rivers for peace, development and security. ..........The WCD report concludes with a range of proposals as to how different groups and institutions can utilise the report for follow-up action. ..........The Commission also carried out a study on the Indus Basin which has been severely criticised by the NGO 'Pakistan Network of Rivers Dams and People' and informed the Commission in writing that "we are deeply disappointed with the process, analysis and findings of the final draft report of Tarbela Dam and related aspects of the Indus Basin and therefore strongly reject it". ..........According to the Commission's report on Tarbela Dam, the water benefits up to 1998 were around Rs 126,685 million. However, on the basis of water supplies actually reaching the farm area, the actual benefits in terms of productivity value would be markedly low than projected. For example, about 104 MAF of water is diverted at the canal heads, of which only 43 MAF reaches the farms. One-quarter of the total water diverted between the canal-heads and the watercourses heads is lost. Another 34 percent disappears within the watercourses and a further 11.5 percent is lost within the farmers' fields. Thus, only 30 percent of the total diverted water supplies actually reaches the farm area. Similarly, total power supplies of Tarbela would come down substantially if system losses in power supplies were taken into consideration. Given these system losses, water and power benefits of Tarbela computed by Wapda needs revision and further justification.
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