The International Hydropower Association (IHA) respectfully submits the following text to the First Global Stocktake process of the UNFCCC.

The Key Messages we bring to Parties’ attention are as follows:

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1. Hydropower needs to double by 2050 if we are to meet climate goals

To keep global warming to below 1.5°C, at least 2,500 GW of hydropower capacity is needed, according to modelling done by the International Energy Agency and the International Renewable Energy Agency. This is around twice today’s installed capacity.

Today, hydropower is the largest source of low carbon electricity, and third largest overall, providing more than 15% of the world’s electricity. Through the flexibility and storage services it provides, hydropower plays a key role integrating and accelerating growth in variable renewables such as solar and wind, as well as strengthening overall system resilience. Indeed, according to the IEA and IRENA models, by 2050 hydropower will be the single largest source of flexible electricity generation. Therefore, if we want the most from wind and solar, we need to also increase hydropower.

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2. The world is not on track to meet this goal

Hydropower is not developing fast enough to meet these global targets. There needs to be a step change in the amount of global installed capacity of sustainable hydropower by 2050 in order to support the clean energy transition away from fossil fuels and to tackle climate change.

Hydropower should be growing at an average pace of around 46 GW per year, the equivalent of the combined capacity of Norway and Mexico. The current rate of development is well below these levels. Between 2016 and 2021, hydropower grew at an average rate of 22 GW/year, half the required rate and well below the record 47GW commission in 2012. In 2022, 30 GW were added to the mix which is a slight improvement over the previous five years, but still well below what is required.

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3. Going forward, the only acceptable hydropower is sustainable hydropower

There is no excuse for unsustainable hydropower projects to go ahead. Hydropower developers and operators should demonstrate their commitment to sustainable hydropower in a way that is clear, transparent and verifiable. The preparation, implementation and operation of hydropower should be delivered in accordance with international good practice as defined by the Hydropower Sustainability Standard.

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4. What needs to change for the world to be on track?

Policy recommendations from the IHA:

• Plan for a low carbon future now. Hydropower takes 10-15 years to develop. This includes assessing storage and flexibility needs for the future grid, identifying potential sites and undertaking feasibility studies.
• Establish financial mechanisms that reward flexibility and stability and give investors predictability. Subsidies, grants and capacity markets are some of the mechanisms able to achieve this.
• Streamline license and permitting processes. Currently, too many projects are unable to progress due to extensive delays, which slows down the deployment of essential infrastructure that is vital for tackling climate change.
• Embed the Hydropower Sustainability Standard into processes and regulations.
• Incorporate climate resilience into the planning and operation of hydropower projects by using the IHA’s Climate Resilience Guide.
• Make the most of existing infrastructure. Facilitate modernisation and retrofitting of ageing hydropower plants and incorporate increases in generation capacity through refurbishment projects. Fitting turbines to non-powered dams or adding floating solar to existing reservoirs are other methods of using existing infrastructure, offering low impact added capacity.

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Read the rest of the submission by downloading it from the link above.

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Read by world leaders, high-level experts and decision makers, the inaugural 2023 Outlook sets out a realistic roadmap to enable hydropower and other renewables to deliver against net zero targets.

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Inside you will find key highlights:

• At 34 GW, 2022 marks the first time since 2016 that more than 30 GW of hydropower came online, including 10 GW of pumped storage (PSH).
• Hydropower currently provides over 15% of the world's electricity.
• Current pipeline shows 590 GW of hydropower projects at various stages of development, including 214 GW of PSH.
• To continue momentum and reduce the 700 GW gap between pipeline and net zero pathways, governments must work collaboratively to boost investment, streamline licensing and introduce sustainable practice regulations.

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IHA’s 2022-2023 Annual Report: Momentum grows to ensure all new hydropower is sustainable hydropower.

2022 saw a momentous year for IHA including the launches of the Planning for Climate Commission, the Global Renewables Alliance at COP27, the defining of our five-year strategy and the bedding in of a new values-based membership model. 2023 has begun well with the first certification under the Hydropower Sustainability Standard. These have set the foundations for a successful 2023 which will culminate in the World Hydropower Congress in Bali in October.

Contents:

• Foreword by Roger Gill and Eddie Rich
• Five year strategy to 2027 
• Delivering a values-based membership model 
• The membership year in numbers 
• Sustainable hydropower: the only hydropower 
• Governance and finance

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The Hydropower Status Report 2022 was the last of its kind and has been replaced by the World Hydropower Outlook the first of which launched in June 2023.

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The 2022 Hydropower Status Report finds that:

• Global installed hydropower capacity rose by 26 GW to 1360 GW in 2021
• 4,250 TWh of clean electricity was generated from hydropower, 1 and a half times the entire electricity consumption of the EU
• Around 80% of new hydropower capacity installed in 2021 was in a single country – China
• 4.7 GW of pumped storage hydropower was added to the grid, triple the amount added in 2020.

However, the report finds that this growth is not enough to reach net zero targets.

Read more.

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IHA’s 2021-2022 Annual Report chronicles key achievements from a landmark year

2021 has been a decisive year for IHA with the first ever virtual World Hydropower Congress, the launch of a landmark declaration on sustainable hydropower and the first sustainability standard in the renewables sector.

The report details these achievements as the organisation moves to a values-based model of membership and spearheads a global communications campaign to spotlight hydropower's role in the clean energy transition.

Contents:

-         Foreword by Roger Gill and Eddie Rich

-         A membership model that builds trust

-         Highlights from 2021

-         IHA priorities and programmes

-         Advocacy and communications

-         World Hydropower Congress

-         Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower

-         Hydropower Sustainability Standard

-         Governance and finance

The International Hydropower Association (IHA) has published a new How-to Guide on Hydropower and Indigenous Peoples to help developers and operators to engage with Indigenous Communities in hydropower development.

The guide provides guidance on working with Indigenous Peoples, achieving international good practice when planning and delivering a hydropower project, and obtaining consent for development.

Read the press release.

Learn more about Indigenous Peoples and explore case studies.

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Hydropower infrastructure can have significant implications for public and environmental safety, and it is important to ensure that any opportunities and risks are managed effectively throughout a project’s life cycle.

IHA' new guide on Hydropower Infrastructure Safety can help developers and operators manage the impacts of hydropower development.

Find out more about the guide.

La Declaración de San José sobre energía hidroeléctrica sostenible identifica un nuevo conjunto de recomendaciones de principios para guiar el nuevo desarrollo y mejorar la contribución del sector a la transición energética.
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Se lanzó al final del Congreso Mundial de Energía Hidroeléctrica de 2021 luego de un proceso de consulta pública que involucró a cientos de organizaciones e individuos, incluidos representantes de gobiernos, ONG, la industria hidroeléctrica, instituciones financieras internacionales y el mundo académico.

Lea más sobre la Declaración de San José sobre energía hidroeléctrica sostenible.

Декларация Сан-Хосе об устойчивой гидроэнергетике определяет новый набор принципов, рекомендаций для руководства новым развитием и увеличения вклада сектора в энергетический переход.
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Он был запущен по завершении Всемирного конгресса по гидроэнергетике 2021 года после процесса общественных консультаций, в котором участвовали сотни организаций и отдельных лиц, включая представителей правительств, НПО, гидроэнергетики, международных финансовых институтов и академических кругов.

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Узнайте больше о Декларации Сан-Хосе об устойчивой гидроэнергетике.

La Déclaration de San José sur l'hydroélectricité durable identifie un nouvel ensemble de recommandations de principes pour guider les nouveaux développements et renforcer la contribution du secteur à la transition énergétique.
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Il a été lancé à l'issue du Congrès mondial de l'hydroélectricité de 2021 à la suite d'un processus de consultation publique auquel ont participé des centaines d'organisations et de particuliers, notamment des représentants de gouvernements, d'ONG, de l'industrie hydroélectrique, d'institutions financières internationales et d'universités.

En savoir plus sur la Déclaration de San José sur l'hydroélectricité durable.

A Declaração de San José sobre Energia Hidrelétrica Sustentável identifica um novo conjunto de recomendações de princípios para orientar o novo desenvolvimento e aumentar a contribuição do setor para a transição energética.

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Ele foi lançado na conclusão do Congresso Mundial de Hidreletricidade de 2021 após um processo de consulta pública que envolveu centenas de organizações e indivíduos, incluindo representantes de governos, ONGs, indústria hidrelétrica, instituições financeiras internacionais e acadêmicos.

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Leia mais sobre a Declaração de San José sobre Energia Hidrelétrica Sustentável.

关于可持续水电的圣何塞宣言确定了一套新的原则建议，以指导新的发展并加强该部门对能源转型的贡献。

它是在 2021 年世界水电大会结束时启动的，经过公众咨询过程，涉及数百个组织和个人，包括政府、非政府组织、水电行业、国际金融机构和学术界的代表。

阅读有关可持续水电圣何塞宣言的更多信息。

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An ambitious set of principles and recommendations to guide the future of sustainable hydropower development

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The San José Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower, issued on 24 September 2021 at the conclusion of the World Hydropower Congress, outlines a vision for hydropower’s contribution to meeting global climate and development goals.

The declaration arrives as world leaders seek to identify pathways to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050; a target that cannot be realised without the flexibility and balance that sustainable hydropower provides to clean energy systems.

Public consultation

The San José Declaration provides a framework for enhancing hydropower’s role in the clean energy transition. It has been shaped by a wide-ranging public consultation with participation from hundreds of organisations and individuals, including representatives from hydropower industry, NGOs, international financial institutions, NGOs, academia and research institutions.

At the heart of the Declaration is a recognition that sustainable hydropower is a clean, green, modern and affordable solution to climate change. It says that going forward, the only acceptable hydropower is sustainable hydropower.

The Declaration was presented to world leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November.

Read more about the public consultation

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Statements of support

Expressions of support for the San José Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower were given at the conclusion of the World Hydropower Congress during a high-level stakeholder forum. Watch the videos below to see the full collection of statements by government ministers, industry CEOs and NGO leaders.

Read all statements of support

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Download the San José Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower in your preferred language:

• Chinese
• Spanish
• French
• Portuguese
• Russian

Read the press release: International leaders back bold new blueprint for sustainable hydropower

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In collaboration with conservation groups and the hydropower industry, the International Hydropower Association (IHA) has published guidance for hydropower planners to design and implement projects that carefully co-exist with and support protected conservation areas.

The good practice guide was developed following consultations with a multi-stakeholder Working Group on Protected Areas, which included the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, hydropower developers and operators such as EDF, Renewable Energy Holdings, ICE, as well as IHA.

‍Find out more about the guide

The International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower's Sustainability Working Group released a working paper in 2021 exploring the sustainability of pumped storage hydropower.

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As pumped storage hydropower continues to grow and fulfil its necessary role in the clean energy transition, it is essential that sustainability is at the core of development.

Read more about the Forum's outcomes.

The International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower's Working Group on Capabilities, Costs and Innovation has released a new paper, 'Pumped Storage Hydropower Capabilities and Costs'

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The paper provides more information and recommendations on the financial side of Pumped Storage Hydropower and its capabilities, to ensure it can play its necessary role in the clean energy transition.

Find out more about the International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower

The International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower's Policy and Market Frameworks Working Group has released a new paper, 'Pump it up: Recommendations for urgent investment in pumped storage hydropower to back the clean energy transition.'

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The paper discusses and lends recommendations pertaining to how pumped storage hydropower can galvanise investment in order to fulfill its necesary role in the clean energy transition.

Additionally, the Forum has created several are specific papers to be published alongside this paper:

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EUROPE

USA

SOUTH EAST ASIA

SWITZERLAND

BRAZIL

AUSTRALIA

PORTUGAL

INDIA

ITALY

UK

AUSTRIA

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

AFRICA

CHINA

GREECE

Read the findings from the International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower's Working Group on Costs, Capabilities and Innovations pertaining to 'Innovative Pumped Storage Hydropower Configurations and Uses'.

Download the Guidance note for de-risking pumped storage investments

Read more about the Forum's latest outcomes.