BONN--Klaus
Töpfer of The United Nations Environmental
Programme (UNEP) announced that sustainable management
of reservoirs would take a central role in its
new project at the International Conference on
Freshwater, here today. The Dams and Development
Project (DDP) intends to support and promote dialogue
on a national and global level to achieve sustainable
development in the water and energy sectors.
While
addressing a press conference today, Töpfer, Executive
Director of UNEP said, "The issue of dams can
arose strong passions on both sides... What we are
talking about here is the state and fate of the existing
stock of dams and reservoirs on whose waters billions
of people depend for not only irrigation and drinking
water, but also for industry and the production of
hydroelectricity." He stressed the importance
of maintaining dams in a sustainable way. If this is
ignored he said that more pressure would be placed
on natural areas with water, such as underground aquifers
and wetlands, causing the deterioration of the environment.
This would also lead to the endangering of wildlife
and habitats.
Töpfer said his
organization is acting
to "reduce the
loss of forests and
to re-afforest cleared
areas as a part of
a comprehensive strategy
of watershed management
of the world's river
systems." He acknowledged
that there will always
be a level of natural
erosion which would
lead to the loss of
water storage capabilities.
Hence he appealed to
engineers to devise
technical solutions
to extending the lives
of reservoirs.
The DDP was started
following the World
Commission on Dam's
(WCD) final report
last year. After the
launch of its report
in 2000, the WCD was
disbanded and decisions
were left up to individual
societies and organizations.
The Project consists
of multi-stakeholders
who work together with
the aims of supporting
country-level, regional
and global dialogues;
strengthening interaction
and networking among
parties engaged in
debates about dams;
and to facilitating
the spread of information
and advice related
to initiatives suggested
in the WCD report.
The DDP hopes to achieve
their goals by distributing
the WCD report and
information about it.
They also intend to
have the report translated
into different languages
in order to reach a
wider audience. The
project hopes to support
dialogue and help finance
multi-stakeholding
processes.
Despite all their
good intentions DDP
faces challenges. Even
though the DDP estimates
that 30 to 40 percent
of irrigated land world-wide
relies on dams and
reservoirs to support
12 to 16 percent of
global food production,
they also estimate
that between 40 and
80 million people were
displaced by dam projects.
Environmental impacts
from dams are often
irreversible. These
are some of the reasons
why opposition has
grown towards dam projects.
Toepfer
was however optimistic
and enthusiastic
about the DDP. He said
if a stabalization
mechanism is found
then it would be a "win
win situation."
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