The global dialogue on dams and development, which was a major element of the DDP work programme, was primarily taken place at the Dams and Development Forum meetings and the issues-based workshops. However, opportunities were taken by the DDP to carry the dialogue into the international arena through organisations of events in relevant international conferences. During Phase 1, DDP convened the two following sessions:
- "Dams and Development: Promoting dialogue for improved decision-making” at the Third World Water Forum, Kyoto, Japan, on March 20, 2003. This session was organized in the context of the Dams and Sustainable Development Theme, co-coordinated by the World Water Council President and UNEP Executive Director. The theme included opening and wrap up plenary sessions in addition to 9 independent sessions during March 20 and 21st, 2003. The DDP session was one of a set of independent sessions convened by various organizations, WWC, WWF, UNEP-DDP, University of Tokyo and several NGOs among them. It was chaired by the then UNEP Executive Director, Dr. Klaus Toepfer. The first part comprised a panel discussion on promoting dialogue for improved decision-making. Mr. W. Hao (Director IWHR, China ), Ms. J. Carling (Cordillera People's Alliance, Philippines ), Mr. K. Abdullah (Director General DRI, Malaysia ), Mr. P. McCully (Campaign Director, IRN) and Mr. H. Schiffer (Managing Director, HEA) were the invited panelists. The second part was devoted to presentation of case studies promoting dialogue through national/regional multi-stakeholder processes. The cases of South Africa , SADC Regional initiative, Vietnam , Nepal and Thailand were presented. Feedback from the audience and discussion included a brief presentation from Mr. Prasad, India.
- “Is the WCD a suitable tool for assessing the sustainability of hydropower?” International Conference on Renewable Energies Bonn 2004, June 2 2004, Bonn Germany. The International Conference for Renewable Energies Bonn 2004 was organized by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany. The Conference comprised several components: multi-stakeholder dialogue (plenary session I to III), the best practice examples and lessons learnt (plenary sessions IV and V), the ministerial segment (keynote speeches, roundtables, panels and discussions). DDP organised a side-event and made a presentation in Session V. The theme had been decided at the 6 th SC meeting on April 20-21 2004 in London, following a lively discussion and reflecting the tensions surrounding the concepts of renewable energies, large and small hydro and sustainable dams. Over 80 participants attended the meeting. The DDP Coordinator started the session making a brief presentation of WCD outcomes, the Final Report, the reactions and the core values and strategic priorities, the establishment of DDP and the goals and objectives of the project. Dr. Uschi Eid, Permanent Secretary, BMZ chaired the session. Mr. David Grey, The World Bank; Mr. Patrick Mc Cully, International Rivers Network; Mr. Bikash Pandey, Winrock International; Mr. Richard Taylor, International Hydropower Association and Honourable Mr. George Mpombo, Minister of Water and Energy, Republic of Zambia were members of the panel. The panellists presented their diverse views on the subject and the Chair opened the floor for the participants at the meeting to give additional reactions and comments.
During Phase 2, DDP organized: - "Improving decision-making on dams to meet the MDGs" at the African Ministerial Conference on Hydropower and Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, RSA 6-9 March 2006. DDP jointly with African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) convened a side-event on the need to improve decision-making on dams to meet the MDGs. It was attended by 8 Ministers and 80 participants of diverse background thus truly maintaining the multi-stakeholder approach promoted by DDP. All the Ministers made comments on dams and development issues related to their national development objectives. Their overarching message was the urgent need for infrastructure development to meet the water and energy needs of their population. The tensions between the long-term actions required to improve regulatory frameworks and the short-term need of developing infrastructure, fuelled the discussions. The main outcome of the side-event was the agreement on the need to properly incorporate the emerging social and environmental issues in the planning and management of dams, through improving and effectively implementing the regulatory frameworks, at the same time that building the capacity of decision-makers to take such issues duly into account, including the sharing of good practices on dams and development. Such messages were included in the Conference Declaration and Action Plan of the Ministerial conference here >>
- "Ensuring dams are a platform for growth and sustainable development" at the 4th WWF, Mexico, 16-22 March 2006. DDP jointly with International Committee on Large Dams (ICOLD), International River Networks Association (IRN), US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE/IWR) and WWF brought together various speakers and audience that hold different often opposing views on the roles that dams play in development. The main issues addressed in the panel discussions were the role of dams in poverty alleviation and the proper way of addressing environmental and social impacts of dams. Both views, one supporting the small off-grid options to meet the needs of the rural poor and another recognising the role of large-scale approaches to manage significant amount of water to meet the needs of the poor as well as of growth and development were tabled. Agreement was reached that either approach should be based on a comprehensive assessment of needs and options. Regarding the second issue, it was agreed that in all cases careful planning and participatory decision making processes were needed to achieve solutions that involve minimum acceptable environmental and social impacts. With the regard the latter topic, stakeholders’ participation was hailed as the fundamental component that enables addressing the trade-offs, risks and uncertainties and resolving the inherent conflicts surrounding dams’ projects. Such measures should find their place in strengthened policy and regulatory frameworks that together with enhanced capacity building will provide a platform for sound-decision making.
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