From Simon Tilleard
I question the International Energy Agency’s claim that there are “well-developed procedures” to ensure that major hydroelectric schemes are sustainable (6 July, p 6). Negative environmental and social impacts of large dams often outweigh the economic benefits.
Ensuring better management is hard in developing countries. An example is the poor use of environmental assessments and consultation during the ongoing building of the Xayaburi dam on the Mekong river in Laos.
However, small to medium-sized schemes do provide a way to manage the trade-offs between environmental, social and economic priorities.
Hanoi, Vietnam
International Centre for Environmental Management
