Posted on June, 17 2011

Iguassu, Brazil. Hydropower industry leaders, policy makers, researchers and representatives from the financial sector in over 50 countries have come together at the International Hydropower Association’s World Congress in Iguassu (Brazil) to exchange perspectives, knowledge and experience as a means to Advance Sustainable Hydropower in what is considered “the pivotal event in the world's hydropower calendar”.

Being considered, a relatively green form of energy, during the last 4 decades hydropower has experienced exponential growth worldwide. Just in South America, 65% of the region’s energy mix comes from hydropower. Moreover, in countries such as Brazil, over 75% of its electricity is provided by this source, and further plans are being rapidly advanced to develop more and larger hydropower infrastructure in the region.

Although hydropower emits relatively less carbon than other sources, generating it requires dams to be built, which demands for key issues such as the social, cultural, environmental and economic impacts of related projects to be properly addressed, both individually and cumulatively. “With most of the accessible sites within the region already exhausted, developers are increasingly looking to the Amazon’s potential, with around 140 dams at some stage of planning”, states Pedro Bara Neto, Head of the Free Flowing Rivers & Forest Friendly Roads strategy of WWF’s Living Amazon Initiative.

“While it is clear that expansion of hydropower in the Amazon is a key component of plans to meet projected energy needs, we must acknowledge that the Amazon basin comprise a network of over 100 000 Km of rivers and streams which connects the Amazon ecosystems with one another. If the natural pulse of the rivers is significantly altered, life in the Amazon is disrupted and the system as a whole is imperilled” explains Juan Carlos Riveros, Leading Scientist for WWF’s Living Amazon Initiative. Instead a biome scale vision must be advanced to ensure the ecological functionality of the Amazon, and such spaces as the IHA World Congress are vital to foster the needed commitments, he continues.

A science based approach

WWF has worked for years on identifying conservation priority areas in the Amazon. This has lead to the development of a river basin data base, which brings together hydrological and ecological statistics and figures to characterize the river basins throughout the region. Based on Geographic Information System tools, a decision support system has been conceived: the Hydrological Information System - Amazon River Assessment methodology or HIS / ARA. This new tool provides better opportunities than ever before to dialogue and support better informed decisions based on objective scientific facts.

The IHA protocol for hydropower projects launched today, considers four components: planning, preparation, implementation and operation, and in such cases as the Amazon where there are so many factors and options to consider in choosing a potential site, a tool like the HIS / ARA, might play a critical complementary role to decide which dams should be considered in the planning process.

The aim is to foster a fluent dialogue between the Industry sector, ministries in charge of environment and of energy, among others, to support better negotiations as to ensure a greener development model for the Amazon.

Fostering informed decision making

The construction of the series of dams on the Madeira River in Brazil are a recent example of how, while involving a number of innovative aspects, constructions of this kind still generate controversy related to the need to count on more accurate science based tools as a means for the adequate implementation of social and environmental measures and programs.

Furthermore, in places such as the southern Peruvian Amazon, at least 4 hydropower projects are planned throughout a territory inhabited by indigenous peoples such as the ashaninkas, among others, which has led to strong questionings regarding the underlying technical and social criteria of such initiatives. Also, in the Tapajós river basin in Brazil, 11 out of 13 already planned projects are expected to be built during the next decade within this single and fragile basin.

Without science based and systematic processes to assess the sustainability of hydropower in the Amazon, at a basin-wide scale, endorsed by governments, industry and civil society, it is likely that increasing controversies will continue surrounding the construction of hydropower projects in the region.

“Hydropower expansion in the Amazon is based on national energy plans that emphasise traditional energy sources. There is a need to challenge these, based on solid technical analyses, promoting investment in alternative energy sources and, most importantly, ensuring the necessary commitments by authorities and the hydropower industry for critical Amazon Rivers to be preserved”, Bara Neto finalizes.