Response to the Final Report:

UNEP

UNEP chief welcomes new report on impacts of dams as major contribution to future energy and water resource policy-making
UNEP News Release 00/129

New York/Nairobi, 17 November 2000 - With some 45,000 dams already in operation, the construction of new large dams has become an issue of serious public concern with opposition arising from their impacts on people, river basins and ecosystems and economies. "It is an issue that calls for new directions in energy and water resource policy-making", said Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "That is why I welcome the new report of the World Commission on Dams for its significant contribution to the ongoing discussion and for its unique insights for future policy decisions".

After two years of intensive consultations with a cross-section of the global community including governments, businesses, NGOs and, not least, the people affected by the consequences of dam building, the World Commission on Dams (WCD) has completed its final report entitled "Dams and Development - A New Framework for Decision-Making". The report, which had its global launch yesterday in London, will be presented by WCD Chairman, Prof. Kader Asmal, the Minister of Education of South Africa, to representatives of United Nations Member States and senior UN officials in New York at a UNEP-hosted briefing today. A copy of the report will also be presented to United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan by Prof. Asmal and Mr. Toepfer.

Mr. Toepfer noted "the controversy centring around the construction and operation of dams shows that, although the concept of sustainable development aims at balancing socio-economic development and environmental management, the international community is yet to develop an appropriate policy framework for reaching the goals of sustainable development. Equity, governance, efficiency, transparency and accountability based on open dialogue among all stakeholders can only be furthered by a serious consideration of the Commission's findings by all policy-makers."

The Commission faced an immense challenge in preparation of the report. It was guided by two objectives: review of the development effectiveness of large dams and assessment of alternatives for water resources and energy development; and the development of internationally acceptable criteria, guidelines and standards, appropriate for the planning, design appraisal, construction, operation, monitoring and decommissioning of dams.

"I believe the lessons learned from this report can help us to meet the serious challenges the global community must face in the 21st Century - sustainable water management and energy resource development. Large dam construction, hydroelectric power and irrigation practices, all needed a careful examination", Mr. Toepfer added. "This report will force us all to approach these issues from a more informed perspective. I congratulate the Commission for making such a meaningful contribution to the goals of sustainable development."

UNEP has forged a partnership with WCD under a project financed by the UN Foundation through the UN Fund for International Partnerships. It has also contributed to WCD's work programme in preparation of the overview of ecosystem impacts of large dams, and linkages of dams' issues with multilateral environmental conventions.

The report, which includes important elements based on UNEP's contribution, could also prove beneficial for other United Nations agencies in the preparation of their work programmes. In that connection, UNEP plans to organize, in February 2001, a workshop to explore how the United Nations system might follow-up and implement the Commission's recommendations.

Takehiro Nakamura
Programme Officer
UNEP Division of Environmental Policy Implementation
Nairobi
tel.: (254 2) 623886
fax 624249
email: takehiro.nakamura@unep.org
or
Tore J. Brevik
UNEP Spokesman/ Director of Communications and Public Information
tel.: 62 3292
fax 62 3692
email: cpiinfo@unep.org.