| Sustainable hydropower
Urges all actors to implement policies that support decarbonisation by advancing sustainable hydropower projects. Asks the International Financing Institutions and Sustainable Development Funds to support renewable energy infrastructure projects. Supports efforts to ensure appropriate grid infrastructure
Expects all companies planning, constructing and operating hydropower projects in Africa to do so in accordance with international good practice as defined by the Hydropower Sustainability Standard, and governments should support this by expediating project certified under this standard.
MoU
Meanwhile in China, to help raise awareness of hydropower operations in sustainable river basin management, the IHA recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Changjiang Institute of Survey, Planning, Design and Research (CISPDR) Corporation. Drawing on CISPDR’s expertise on the topic, the MoU will also look to facilitate the implementation of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard and certification.
An IHA member, CISPDR led on the surveying,
planning and design for the Three Gorges project and the South-to-North Water Diversion project – two of the most important hydraulic projects in China.
Gender diversity Nepal’s hydropower sector is driving sustainability and
innovation through gender diversity, as documented in a report published by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Back in September 2020, IFC launched the Powered
by Women (PbW) Nepal initiative. With support from the Australian, Norwegian and Japanese governments, its aim was to help hydropower firms realise the benefits of having more women in the workplace. The programme concluded in June 2023 with the results being analysed in an end of programme report called “Powered by Women: Driving Sustainability And Innovation Through Gender Diversity In Nepal’s Hydropower Sector”. There are considered to be various benefits of having a higher representation of women in the workplace. These include that gender-diverse firms earn considerably higher returns on equity, with improved reputation, productivity, and sustainability. Gender-diverse leadership is also positively linked to a company’s environmental, social, and governance outcomes, which in turn boost the company’s financial performance. A positive correlation has also been observed between the presence of women on boards and a firm’s value, profitability, ethical and social compliance, community engagement, and ultimately sustainability in the marketplace. As a country, Nepal is dependent on hydropower and still has considerable potential to fulfil, which it hopes can be used to graduate to middle-income status by 2030. Although installed hydropower capacity has doubled in less than three years to 2577MW (March 2023), this is still a relatively low figure for a population of 30 million, and plans are underway to expand installed capacity by 2030, with over 3200MW of hydropower capacity currently under
construction and expected to be completed by 2025. The Powered by Women report states that as the
hydro sector expands there will be considerable potential for both men and women to be employed within it. However, the industry has been experiencing a shortfall in workers mainly due to a continuous outflow of migrant workers and a lack of female talent to fill the gap. With women making up more than half of the country’s population, the report adds it’s in their own interest to seize the opportunity to become central to the hydropower sector, supporting the country’s economic development. Nepal falls in the bottom 50 countries in the world when it comes to gender disparity and inequality. Only a third of girls complete secondary education, a small number of women enter the STEM field, and a gender pay gap persists with women earning a third less than men across all sectors, regardless of their education. Unsurprisingly, the hydropower sector is described as being male dominated with women occupying few leadership and technical positions. Such a situation currently, the report states, “has the potential to inhibit the development of a sector crucial for Nepal’s growing energy needs”. The IFC says that gender and environmental, social and governance principles and practices are strongly linked, but that gender mainstreaming by private or public companies remaining largely non-existent within the country’s renewable energy sector. This is where the Powered by Women Nepal initiative provided an opportunity to raise awareness of the fact that “ESG performance is enhanced when addressing gender equality and diversity at the corporate, project, and community levels”. Overall the Powered by Women Nepal initiative was described as being a resounding success within the hydropower sector and helped to break down barriers and shift perspectives on gender. IFC gave the success stories of two of its clients.
The Nepal Water & Energy Development Company, which is responsible for the 216MW Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower Project, implemented measures through the programme and now has women at a senior level and in non-traditional roles. A woman was also recently appointed as the Director for the Environmental and Social Department. As Joo Nam, IFC Investment Officer for the hydropower project noted, the Powered by Women Nepal initiative has led to “more equal opportunity, with the company’s reputation and productivity improving.” Urja Developers has three hydropower projects
totalling 90MW at the construction and operational stages and four hydropower projects totalling 294MW at the pre-construction stage. The company was described as being very positive and recognised the value of the initiative, with enthusiasm manifesting within the team, and equal opportunity at the senior level for both genders.
Other successes include Butwal Power Company, a leader in the hydropower sector in Nepal, which said it wanted to break free from the tradition of male-dominated boardrooms and executives and was committed to promoting women to leadership roles. Other member companies also reported that shifts in company culture created more respectful and safe workplaces leading to more gender-aware interactions with outside stakeholders, particularly
www.waterpowermagazine.com | July 2024 | 9
Above: Sustainable development across the industry offers both opportunity and complexity
Below: A recent initiative by the International Finance Corporation in Nepal has shown how sustainability within the hydropower sector can be driven by gender diversity © monticello /
Shutterstock.com
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