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DAM-L WWF Hague Statement on Hydro and Climate Change/LS (fwd)
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Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 15:23:46 -0800
To: irn-safrica@netvista.net
From: Lori Pottinger <lori@irn.org>
Subject: WWF Hague Statement on Hydro and Climate Change/LS
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MEDIA BACKGROUNDER
18 November 2000
Hydroelectricity: A Dirty Development Mechanism
Plans to develop massive hydropower plants on rivers around the world
are quickly becoming obsolete, but could be revived if subsidies to
dam construction are made available through the "Clean Development
Mechanism"of the U.N. Convention on Climate Change.
Modern electricity systems increasingly purchase their power from
small-scale, locally abundant sources including combined cycle
natural gas plants, solar panels, windmills, fuel cells and
geothermal sources. These sources are beginning to outcompete the
centralized, large-scale energy plants of the last century because
they are more cost-effective and reliable. The increasing
competitiveness of smaller-scale energy sources relative to older
technologies such as hydropower dams is also a result of public
opposition to the huge social and environmental costs of the latter.
Inclusion of hydropower plants in the CDM would provide a subsidy to
dam construction that is not justified by the science. The World
Commission on Dams, in a June 10 press release, stated that, "*the
science on the issue [of greenhouse gas emissions from hydropower
plants] is still young, and additional research is needed before any
proposed new hydro plants could be definitely classified as 'cleaner'
in terms of GHGs than their thermal equivalents and therefore
eligible for carbon credits." The report released by the WCD earlier
this week demonstrated that GHG emissions from hydropower reservoirs
can greatly exceed emissions from thermal plants of similar capacity.
"The inclusion of hydropower, particularly large-scale plants, as a
CDM under the Climate Change convention would represent a massive
step backwards from current global trends in river conservation and
sustainable development." says Constance Hunt, Senior Advisor to
WWF's Living Waters Campaign. "It would constitute a slap in the face
to the millions of people around the world who have been displaced by
dam construction or who rely on intact river ecosystems for their
livelihoods."
Hunt offers as an example the Mekong River in Indochina, which is
home to more aquatic species than any other river in the world except
for the Amazon. The fish from this river system provide the major
source of protein for the 60 million people who live in the lower
basin and have an annual market value of nearly US$1 billion. Yet
this globally outstanding river system is threatened by plans to
build hundreds of dams on the mainstem and tributaries. The purpose
of the dams: to provide hydroelectricity for the Thai energy market.
But Thailand is increasing its investments in natural gas and energy
conservation even as it moves towards a decentralized system that
will allow more small-scale producers to sell energy to a national
power grid.
"The innovations in the Thai energy system are symptomatic of a
global trend towards increased efficiency, cost-effectiveness,
diversity, and reliability," according to Liam Salter of WWF's
Climate Campaign. At a time when the world is facing ecological
disaster on so many fronts, we can ill afford to subsidize
destructive technologies while younger, sustainable technologies
still face entrance barriers in the global market place."
Contacts: Liam Salter, WWF Climate Campaign +32 496 126 805
Constance Hunt, WWF Living Waters Campaign +31 629 535 947
--
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
and Editor, World Rivers Review
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
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