Pre-Launch Presentations
Hydro, emissions and displacement WCD presents Two Papers at IHA Conference

BERNE, SWITZERLAND, 2 October 2000 - The WCD secretariat staff presented two papers at the annual IHA meeting, entitled Hydro 2000: Making Hydro more Competitive.

The first paper concerned was on reservoirs and greenhouse gases, written to provide a firm basis for assessing GHG emissions from reservoirs. It was based on the findings of the multi-stakeholder workshop held earlier this year in Montreal, Quebec.

Interest in this issue is strong at IHA, as hydro may well have a competitive advantage if it can be shown to be cleaner than thermal alternatives and therefore provide a strategic response to global climate change.

The second paper looked at global experiences with resettlement and presented data supporting WCD's lower bound estimate of 40 million people displaced worldwide by dams.

Such a figure raised some questions in the audience which may not be surprising as India and China alone account for the bulk of those displaced, and other countries record much lower figures. But it reflects the population density in respective countries.

WCD participated in a panel session that served to clarify the intentions of the Commission with respect to the publication of its report, and reiterated the Commission's decision to respect the mandate given to it by the stakeholders, and not seek to extend or diversify its mission.