|
June 1-4, 2004
in Bonn, Germany |
|
|
 |
IRN
Press Release "Bonn Renewables Conference Results Weakened by Big Hydro
Lobby" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
International Rivers Network(IRN)
Press
Release
Bonn Renewables Conference Results Weakened by Big Hydro Lobby
(Bonn, Germany) The Political Declaration of the International Conference
on Renewable Energies has failed to exclude large hydropower from its
definition of renewable energy. At the opening of the conference 260
citizens' groups from 61 countries had called for large hydro to be
excluded from renewables initiatives and targets.(*1)
Lobbying pressure from a number of energy ministers, in particular from
Brazil and Uganda, succeeded in ensuring that the Political Declaration,
approved by 154 countries, did not set explicit limits on the inclusion of
hydropower within renewables programmes.
Brazil and Uganda plan to build large hydro projects that are strongly
opposed by civil society groups within their countries due to their social
and environmental impacts, high economic costs, and inability to provide
affordable energy to the poor.
"The big hydro lobby is hijacking concern over poverty and climate change
to promote their destructive technology," says Patrick McCully, Campaigns
Director of International Rivers Network. "If big hydro projects are
included in renewables programs this will crowd out funds for new
renewables, increase vulnerability to climate change, further degrade
rivers, and lead to more forced evictions of riverine people." Creating
more large reservoirs in the tropics would also increase emissions of
greenhouse gases.
Governments at the conference recognized the benefits of new renewable
energies, although they failed to approve ambitious or binding measures for
their promotion. (*2)
"Critics of large dams will continue to push the adoption of new renewables
and strive to ensure that the big hydro lobby does not hinder their
implementation," says Patrick McCully.
Ends
(*1) "Renewables Yes! Big Hydro No!" www.irn.org
(*2) CURES - Citizen's Network for Renewable Energy and Sustainability defines
"new renewables" as including modern biomass, geothermal, wind, solar,
marine energy, and small hydro (10 MW or less) compliant with the
recommendations of the World Commission on Dams.
www.cures-network.org
|
|
|
|
|
