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Compartir la Riqueza del Agua: Editorial

Compartir la Riqueza del Agua por Patrick McCully Miles de políticos, burócratas a cargo del agua, profesionales del cabildeo corporativo, y activistas de ONGs están convergiendo en la Ciudad de México para el 16 de marzo, cuando se iniciará el cuarto Foro Mundial del Agua. Este magno evento pretende abordar un tema que quizá sea el problema más apremiante del mundo: cómo asegurar que toda persona tenga acceso a suficiente agua limpia para vivir dignamente, a la vez que se asegure suficiente suministro de agua para regar los cultivos y mantener los ecosistemas de agua dulce. La

Fast Facts on Levees, Dams and Floods

Thursday, May 31, 2007
Excerpted from Before the Deluge: Coping with Floods in a Changing ClimateA Flood of Damages Number of people the UN estimates will live in the path of a potential damaging flood by 2050: 2 billion Increase over today’s figures: 100% Annual number of “major floods” worldwide: 1950s to 1970s: 7-9 1980s: 20 1990s: 34 Number of damaging floods in Europe from 1989-2002: 100 Approximate number of people displaced: 500,000 Cost of damages: $30 billion Amount spent by US government on flood-control schemes (mainly dams and levees), 1960-85: $38 billion Average infla

Before the Deluge: Coping with Floods in a Changing Climate

Wednesday, May 30, 2007
International Rivers Network’s second annual "Dams, Rivers & People" report explains the failure of dams and levees to stop rising flood damages and describes better ways to tackle flood management. It also surveys the world of rivers and dams in 2006 and hotspots for 2007. Floods are the most destructive, most frequent and most costly of natural disasters. Flood damages have soared in recent decades, despite hundreds of billions of dollars spent on flood control structures. This is partly because global warming is worsening storms, and partly because of growing populations and economic

Inter-American Development Bank

Father and son displaced by Cana Brava Dam, Brazil
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is the largest regional multilateral development bank in Latin America. Over the past decade, the IDB has approved $69 billion in loans, and has been a major driver of regional infrastructure integration programs, such as the Initiative for the Integration of Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA). The IDB has also been a consistent funder of large dams. The IDB’s environmental and social record is spotty, at best.

Amazônia Viva

Vaupés River, Colombian Amazon
More than 60 large dams are being planned for the Brazilian Amazon, and neighboring countries Peru, Bolivia and Colombia are planning dams of their own. If built, these projects would dramatically affect the Amazon’s fragile web of aquatic and terrestrial life, as well as displacing tens of thousands of indigenous and river bank communities.

Patagonia Sin Represas

The Baker River, in Chilean Patagonia
As a member of the Consejo de Defensa de la Patagonia (CDP, or Patagonia Defense Council) – a broad coalition of citizens, community groups, and national and international NGOs – we support efforts to protect rivers in Chilean Patagonia.

Paraguay-Paraná Basin

Construction of Barra Grande dam, Pelotas River, Brazil
The Paraguay and Paraná Rivers are the principal watercourses of what is termed the La Plata River basin, South America’s second largest after the Amazon (2,800,000 km²), flowing through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. The Paraná is born in highlands in eastern Brazil, while the Paraguay flows from Mato Grosso and the Chaco region. The Paraná flows 4,695 km (nearly 3,000 miles), emptying in the La Plata estuary near Buenos Aires and Montevideo. There are 54 large dams in the La Plata basin in Brazil, and 45 more are planned or in construction, affecting the Paraná and

Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America

River port, Brazilian Amazon
The Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA) is a bold effort by the governments of South America to construct a new infrastructure network for the continent, including roads, waterways, ports, and energy and communications interconnections. IIRSA’s single largest project is the Madeira–Mamoré–Beni–Madre de Dios hydroelectric and hidrovia (channelization) complex in the Amazon. IIRSA’s single largest project is the Madeira–Mamoré–Beni–Madre de Dios hydroelectric and hidrovia (channelization) complex in the Amazon.

Latin America

The rivers of Latin America are a target of dam-builders to be exploited for electricity and irrigation. This vast and ecologically diverse region is known for the power and beauty of its river systems – the Amazon, the world´s largest river basin; the Paraguay and Paraná rivers and their wetland ecosystems; the Usamacinta River flowing through Mayan rainforests; and the crystaline waters of the rivers of Patagonia.

Wild Refuge Under Attack

Thank you to our partners at Campaign for the Reform of the World Bank (in Italian) for permission to use this slideshow.

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