| Spotlight
“The Hydropower Sustainability Standard has not only gained the support of industry but also of governments, international organisations, finance institutions and NGOs. Projects that go through the independent assessment process and pass certification will earn the right to be labelled as ‘certified sustainable’ in line with internationally agreed performance criteria.”
Hydropower is at the heart of the
energy transition The International Hydropower Association (IHA) said it would expect its members to certify new projects under the Hydropower Sustainability Standard, in line with the organisation’s updated membership charter. Achieving certification will help demonstrate alignment with the green bond requirements of the Climate Bonds Initiative and the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Investment, as well as with World Bank and IFC performance standards. IHA Chief Executive Eddie Rich said: “Hydropower is at the heart of the energy transition alongside wind and solar. The Hydropower Sustainability Standard is a clear and simple system to certify and assure hydropower projects as meeting minimum environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance expectations. It will address any confusion about whether a new hydropower project is sustainable and will, crucially, help to unblock green investment and licensing decisions.” At the opening plenary of the World Hydropower
Congress, IEA Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol backed the Hydropower Sustainability Standard, saying: “We welcome the work done on [the] Hydropower Sustainability Standard by the Hydropower Sustainability Council and IHA in assembling a multi-
www.waterpowermagazine.com | October 2021 | 11
stakeholder group and creating tools which set out best practices for the sector.” “While there is a strong potential for hydropower
projects to grow, and I hope it will grow, it is important that new hydropower projects are in line with sustainability standards and this is in my view critical for the next years to come,” Dr Birol added. At the opening session, Tony Blair, former Prime
Minister of the United Kingdom and Executive Chairman of the Institute for Global Change, said: “The [Hydropower] Sustainability Standard will be a really important innovation and, most importantly, it will allow the international community to invest in hydro projects.”
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull added: “There will be no excuse for any hydropower developer to fall short of international good practice. If governments play their part and the private sector f
Above: Hydropower projects will have to meet strict ESG performance criteria to be awarded a new Certified Sustainable Hydropower label
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