Dynamic Drivers of Dams and Transboundary Cooperation Selected Cases in the Global South

Abstract

Hydroelectric dam building in the global south has become a way for countries to shift away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources that utilize the natural resources that they have at hand. Rapid dam construction is not without consequences, though, both for the people and the environment. The Mekong River Basin, with numerous dams and reservoirs, has been an example of the economic and political risks of large dams, as well as issues of food and water security. Other countries in the global south have followed suit, with the promise of international funding for dam construction, the ability to meet clean energy goals, and the potential for an economically secure future being drivers of many major dam projects. This report aims to summarize and analyze: ● Factors that are driving the rapid construction of hydropower projects, on both a national and international level ● The role of transboundary organizations on water management and dam construction in river basins that contain hydropower projects ● The environmental and social impacts of dam construction We conclude that some areas that have been rapidly constructing dams are now slowing the pace of hydropower projects as they transition to other alternative energy sources, but other countries have only just begun and still have many projects in the works. Transboundary organizations on the river basins we examined, which focus on International Water Resource Management (IWRM), organize cooperative projects for sustainable development, but tend to have limited power over dam construction. The countries themselves still have the power to determine whether or not they want to continue with hydropower projects. And, finally, countries often emphasize the importance of sustainability and renewable energy, but ultimately environmental concerns may not be valued over promising economic opportunities.