11/10/2025
14:00 - 15:30
Conference Hall A: Session Room 6
, Hybrid
Session with interpretation
Why attend
Increasing demands for water security and renewable energy will promote future dam projects; hence this session welcomes IUCN’s Members and partners to bring expertise across ecological, social, cultural, and legislative fields that can inform governments, funders and the private sector for best practices and alternatives for future dam development.
Session Description
Dams are a major driver of the freshwater biodiversity crisis and freshwater ecosystem degradation. Dams and their reservoirs have displaced tens of millions of people and compromised the livelihoods of hundreds of millions. But dams also generate benefits to people. We will review these issues through plenary discussions, with case studies, and breakout group discussions focusing on topics such as: system flexibility and adaptive planning; climate change; alternate technologies; governance and decision-making. Discussions will review how to build upon existing guidance, such as the 2000 World Commission on Dams (WCD) report. This report provided important, strategic priorities and policy principles for dam development, but the report’s principles have not been routinely integrated into decision making or implementation. Partners for the session include Synchronicity Earth, IUCN Water & Wetlands, Wetlands International, Low Impact Hydropower Institute, International Rivers, Global Youth Biodiversity Network, IUCN WCEL Ethics Specialist Group, and IUCN Climate Crisis Commission.Organised by
Species Survival Commission
Partners
Headquarters
Speaker
Moderator
