The World Commission on Dams is eminently relevant at 25!

Hydropower and the legacy of the World Commission on Dams. Source - SANDRP.

June 18, 2025SANDRP

2025 marks the 25 years of the publication of the World Commission on Dams Report in Nov 2000, the report and its recommendation are as eminently relevant as they were ever earlier including in 2000.

On June 16, 2025, GegenStrömung and International Rivers published “Rivers – Rights – Resistance: Hydropower and the Legacy of the World Commission on Dams”. As the World Bank returns to financing megadams and governments worldwide falsely tout hydropower as a climate solution, Rivers, Rights, Resistance highlights lessons learned from the World Commission on Dams. As policy experts and climate advocates gather in Germany for the Bonn Climate Change Conference, this report highlights a major threat to our climate future: large-scale hydropower.

The report takes stock of the current global hydropower debate. As the climate crisis continues to escalate, the publication brings together critical voices from around the globe to

challenge the ongoing deployment of dams as a “green” energy solution.

Three key takeaways:

– Hydropower still destroys rivers and lives. It continues to displace communities, threaten biodiversity, fuel the climate crisis, and spark conflict over scarce water resources.

– Twenty-five years after the WCD report, implementation of the recommendations is still lacking– decision-makers need to act urgently to prevent further harm.

– A true energy transition must center justice for communities. That means moving away from centralized, top-down approaches to rights-based, community-led, and decentralized solutions.

25 years of WCD report The year 2025 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the publication of the final report of the World Commission on Dams. Rivers are lifelines for people and nature. But all too often they are only used as an economic resource, with little regard for the consequences. Numerous large hydropower projects around the world, which have catastrophic effects, make this clear. Those affected who oppose the destruction are often silenced, threatened or even killed.

There have long been conflicts over the ecological, social and economic impact of dams. The escalating climate crisis is exacerbating these conflicts, as it is also a water crisis and has a significant impact on natural water cycles.

In 1998, the World Commission on Dams was established in response to the fierce controversies surrounding large dams, particularly in the Global South, in order to bring together different perspectives on hydropower and develop recommendations. It published its final report in Nov 2000. This is taking the 25th anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the Commission’s report and developments since then – but above all to look ahead. Because despite all the damage, numerous new dams are still being planned, which are touted as effective climate protection measures. Why should these plans be critically scrutinized? What does hydropower have to do with the climate crisis? What alternatives are there? These questions are explored in the anniversary publication. The Social Media kit is available here.

On this page, one can find links to further resources & sources mentioned in the publication.

- SANDRP