A new draft of the San José Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower has been published at the opening of the 2021 World Hydropower Congress, as the landmark document enters its final stage of consultation.

The Declaration sets out an ambitious new set of principles and recommendations to guide new hydropower development and advance the sector’s contribution to the clean energy transition.

The International Hydropower Association (IHA) is facilitating a wide-ranging consultation process to shape the Declaration ahead of its launch at the conclusion of the Congress on Friday 24 September.

The final stage of consultation

IHA is now making a final call for public feedback on the Declaration. You can take part in the consultation process throughout the World Hydropower Congress:

● Download the San José Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower Congress Draft

● Complete the consultation form to give your feedback before by the end of Wednesday 22 September

The Declaration will also be reviewed and refined at individual sessions of the Congress, which takes place virtually on 7–24 September. You can still sign up to take part in the event, which is free to attend.

How the Declaration has been shaped so far

Over 100 people from a range of stakeholder backgrounds took part in the previous stage of consultation in July and August 2021.

Participants included representatives from governments, hydropower companies, NGOs, international financial institutions, NGOs, academia and research institutions.

Over 90% of participants in the consultation stated that they either fully agree or mostly agree with the content of the Declaration. Extensive feedback was also provided through the process, which has been incorporated to form the new Congress Draft.

A landmark moment for the hydropower sector

Organisations and individuals with an interest in sustainable hydropower will have a chance to express support for the Declaration when its final version is issued on Friday 24 September.

“The San José Declaration provides an opportunity for the sector to define for governments, for policymakers, for the community, exactly what the sector is prepared to do to ensure hydropower is developed sustainably throughout the 21st century,” said IHA President Roger Gill.

“The San José Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower is going to provide the blueprint for the new generation of hydropower, the construction and delivery of which is so critical if we are going to achieve the cut in emissions that we need, and keep global warming within tolerable constraints,” said Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s 29th Prime Minister.

The final Declaration will be launched and handed over the Alok Sharma, President of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), at the Closing Session of the Congress. Between the World Hydropower Congress and COP26 on 1 November, stakeholders will be invited to express their support on www.hydropower.org/declaration.  The Declaration will underpin IHA’s work programme in 2021–23.

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