[Newsletter Contents]

Independent Assessment Puts WCD Under the Microscope
Groups study an experiment in global public policy-making

Turnabout is fair play: Sometimes the student gets studied, and the scientific observer becomes the scientifically observed.

So it is that the World Resources Institute (WRI, Washington, D.C.) , Lokayan (Delhi) and Lawyers' Environmental Action Team (LEAT, Dar Es Salaam) has undertaken an intensive and independent assessment of the World Commission on Dams' process from January 2000-February 2001, to coincide with the final period of public consultations, preparation and release of the report, and initial reaction to the report's recommendations.

According to the three groups: "The central aim of our research is to assess the World Commission on Dams' experience as an example of global public policy-making at the contentious intersection of environment and development. We are examining the recent evolution of global public policy-making, including the experience of other global processes that emerged during and after the Rio Earth Summit.

"Within this broader context, we are asking: How successful has the World Commission on Dams been in putting into practice its guiding principles: independence, transparency, inclusivity, and consensus-driven process? What have been the challenges to doing so?

"Finally, we will assess the likely impact of the Commission's experience on future attempts to create global, multi-stakeholder processes around contentious environment and development issues? What will be the Commission's legacy when governments and non-governmental groups look to create new, global rules for biotechnology development? For trade and environment linkages? For other forms of large infrastructure or extractive industry?"

For more information about the assessment, please contact the team coordinators:
Mairi Dupar, Navroz Dubash WRI, mairid@wri.org, navrozd@wri.org
Smitu Kothari at Lokayan smitu@usa.net
Tundu Lissu LEAT leat@twiga.com