World Commission on Dams

It’s Extreme Not to Be Green

Thursday, April 7, 2005
The recently released Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a UN–sponsored analysis of the overall health of the planet, reveals the extent to which humanity’s destruction of the natural world is threatening our ability to thrive on the planet. The report – the largest–ever assessment of environmental changes and their impacts on human well–being – reveals the rapid and accelerating degradation to ecosystems that are essential to life on Earth. While some of these environmental changes are "invisible" to the average person, others are more obvious – such as worsening floods, droughts

Submission to WCD on Lesotho Dams

Friday, November 12, 1999
Presented at the Southern African Hearings for Communities Affected by Large Dams Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Anna Moepi. I come from Lesotho. I am a representative of the community from Matala, who initially came from Molikaliko. We thank you happily for inviting us here to get our side of the story and are hoping you will support us. Here is our position before the Lesotho Highlands Water project came. We were living in peace and harmony. Our life was a simple undisturbed life. Our mode of transport was ourselves – we were travelling on foot, also using donkeys and

Second NGO Letter to German Environment Minister Jürgen Tritten

Tuesday, February 1, 2005
To: Minister Jürgen TrittenFederal Minister for Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety Dear Minister Tritten, Many thanks for your letter of 13 December explaining the position of the Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) on the application of WCD recommendations within the CDM, and in particular with regards to the La Esperanza hydropower project in Honduras. First we would like to note our strong appreciation for your statements on the importance of the WCD and the implementation of its recommendations. We especially appreciate your support for the requirement within the EU Linking

EBRD Reply on Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund

Tuesday, August 2, 2005
European Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopmentPeter ReinigerBusiness Group DirectorEnergy and Telecommunication Ann Kathrin SchneiderInternational RiversBerlin OfficeReichenbergerstr.8110999 BerlinGermany Dear Mrs. Schneider, Thank you for your letter of 5 August 2005 in which you express an interest in the Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund ("MCCF") envisaged to be established and its relation to large hydropower projects. I have been asked to respond on Mr. Lemierre’s behalf. The Founders of the MCCF will consider mandating the Fund to source carbon credits for the account of its participan

World Bank Replies on WCD and Carbon Fund for Europe

Monday, September 5, 2005
Dear Ms. Schneider, Thank you for your note of July 28 and the attached letter concerning the WB EIB Carbon Fund for Europe and hydro power projects. I refer you to the frequently asked questions on our website: www.carbonfinance.org, and the World Bank’s position on the report of the WCD at: www.worldbank.org, which should provide the information you are seeking. Sincerely, Odin KnudsenSenior ManagerCarbon Finance Businessoknudsen@worldbank.org Dear Ms. Schneider, I am responding to your email of 09/05/05 on behalf of Odin Knudsen. Here is the specific link to the Q&A on the website tha

European Public Banks Accept World Commission on Dams Recommendations

Thursday, October 6, 2005
Berkeley, California – The two biggest public banks in Europe, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), have announced that they will take into account the international standards for dam-building set by the World Commission on Dams (WCD). "We welcome the decision of the two biggest public banks in Europe to join the growing number of institutions worldwide that take seriously the World Commission on Dams‚ recommendations," says Ann Kathrin Schneider, Policy Analyst for International Rivers. The EIB has told International Rivers th

Letter to World Bank on Linking Directive & Carbon Fund for Europe

Thursday, July 28, 2005
Mr. Odin KnudsenSenior Manager, World Bank Carbon FinanceThe World BankWashington, DC Dear Mr. Knudsen We note with interest your decision to develop a World Bank–European Investment Bank Carbon Fund for Europe. We are certain that you are aware of the adoption of the Linking Directive by the European Union in 2004, regulating the admission of CDM credits into the EU’s emissions trading scheme (EU ETS). The directive stipulates that credits from hydropower projects exceeding 20 MW can only enter the EU ETS if the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams final report are respected du

Narmada Bachao Andolan, India Berne Declaration, Switzerland

Tuesday, April 15, 1997
Independent Commission to Review World’s Dams Dam critics and proponents have agreed to work together to establish a top–level commission to review the social, economic and environmental costs and benefits of the world’s dams, recommend international standards on dam construction and assess sustainable and equitable methods of land and water management and energy production. The review will also make recommendations on repairing the environmental damage done by existing dams and on reparations for people whose livelihoods have suffered because of dams. The need for an independent

International Rivers Welcomes New Water Policy from Major International Bank

Friday, May 27, 2005
HSBC, one of the world’s largest banks, announced a new freshwater policy at their Annual General Meeting in London today. The policy prohibits lending for dams that do not comply with the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams. "HSBC’s announcement is excellent news for everyone who wants to see socially just and ecologically sustainable solutions to the world’s water and energy needs. Now its time for other financial institutions to step up to the plate and follow HSBC’s example," says Patrick McCully, Executive Director of International Rivers. The World Commission on Dams

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