Water and Energy Abstracts
Year : 2004, Volume : 14, Issue : 1
First page : ( 17) Last page : ( 18)
Print ISSN : 0021-1672.

39. The Sustainable Development Imperative

Scanlon A., Davies R.

(Proceedings, Hydro 2003, Vol. I, Croatia, pp. 49–57).

Abstract

Hydropower can play an increasingly important role in enabling communities around the world to meet sustainability objectives. Current patterns of energy use are unsustainable. The world's energy systems are substantially based on fossil fuels and account for more than half the greenhouse gasses responsible for climate change and global warming. Hydropower has significant advantages over thermal power stations in relation to reduction of greenhouse gases and other atmospheric pollutants. Recent estimates also suggest that climate change will account for about a 20% increase in global water scarcity. At the same time, unless there is a concerted effort, 3.5 billion people (close to 50% of the world's population) will be facing water shortages by 2025. Against this background of increasing need for energy services and likelihood of water shortages hydropower has a contribution to make to reducing global poverty. To become more accepted as a key contributor to sustainable energy systems new and existing schemes need to be built and operated in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner. In particular, resettlement issues and the biodiversity impacts of large-scale hydro projects need to be appropriately managed. Adopting and implementing the principles outlined by the International Hydropower Association Sustainability Guidelines will do much to address many of the negative issues raised by hydropower opponents and highlighted in the World Commission on Dams Report, Dams and Development: a new framework for decision-making, and the recent WWF publication Dam Right !

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Keywords

Hydropower, Sustainability objectives, Energy systems, Fossil fuels, Greenhouse gasses, Global warming, Atmospheric pollutants, Sustainability guidelines.

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