International Rivers Blog RSS Feed

China's Environmental Footprint in Africa

Peter Bosshard — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:27:09 -0700

A new report written by your blogger discusses China’s environmental footprint in Africa. Are Chinese investors Africa's new colonizers? Are they simply following the mold of Western investment? Or does China's investment offer new opportunities of South-South cooperation? This is a hot topic, and my report has already triggered controversial reactions.

Marina: The Unkindest Cut

Glenn Switkes — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:27:33 -0700

former Brazilian environment minister, Marina Silva (Roosewelt Pinheiro/ABr)

Marina Silva´s resignation yesterday as environment minister has shredded the last guise of any environmental credibility in the Brazilian government. It´s not that Marina´s tenure was so incredibly successful - her opposition to GMOs resulted only in getting two companies to put a tiny "T" symbol on their soy oil, and we´ll never be able to forgive Marina, as good soldier dismantling the environmental protection agency Ibama, and pulling the switch executing the Madeira River at Lula´s orders.

Last Descent of the Great Bend of the Yangtze - Part III

Colin Carpenter — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:40:15 -0700

(This is part 3 in a 3 part series. Read part I: Take Me to the River)

Dust in the Wind: Ahai Dam Barrels Ahead

Raft Approaching the Ahai Dam Site

If the 160-meter-high Ahai Dam is completed, its designers will be able to proudly say that their concrete work erased a thousand years of lovingly crafted Great Bend terraces in just a few years of reservoir filling. The legacy they are focusing on is surely a more positive one: increased distribution of eletricity to a power-hungry China, and increased efficiency for the Three Gorges Dam. According to the engineers, the main purpose of this eight-dam cascade will be regulating flows and sediment for the world's largest hydroelectric power station downstream. Whether or not all eight dams are actually required to make this work, and what that says about the design of Three Gorges itself, are all unknowns in China's disordered grand plan.

Last Descent of the Great Bend of the Yangtze - Part II

Colin Carpenter — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:35:53 -0700

(This is part 2 in a 3 part series. Read part I: Take Me to the River)

Meeting the Golden Sands

Just Another Day on the Jinsha

I awoke at 7am to the sound of tent poles being dismantled - a luxury after the previous day's pre-dawn start. If we were going to do the full 120 miles we needed to be ready to go by 10am. On a weekend backpacking trip that would be a piece of cake - but for 28 people to pack tents, cook and eat breakfast, and load the aforementioned two tons of gear back onto the boats in two groggy hours, it would be quite a challenge.

Last Descent of the Great Bend of the Yangtze - Part I

Colin Carpenter — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:30:17 -0700

Click image to enlarge

In my short tenure at International Rivers, I've come to expect dams in every corner of every country around the globe. Still, I was shocked by the ubiquitous nature of these concrete beasts as we flew above China. On the three-hour flight south from Beijing to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, I counted over 70 dams.

Rafting on the Yangtze

Colin Carpenter — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:45:57 -0700

The Xingu Alive Forever: When life is cheap

Glenn Switkes — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:41:31 -0700

Dorothy Stang, murdered American nun (archive)

Seeing him waving the "V' for victory sign yesterday, and hearing him thank divine justice for his acquittal on appeal after initially being convicted and sentenced to 30 years, rancher Vitalmiro de Moura Bastos, or "Bida" reminded me of the killers of civil rights workers in the South who smirked when were absolved for their crimes. But, this is the Amazon, not the South, and it´s 2008. And, the murder Bida was absolved of was that of an American nun, Dorothy Stang, rather than a Black youth who dared to assert his rights.

Northeast Activists Quest to Save Forests in Danger

Colin Carpenter — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:04:14 -0700

India campaigner Ann-Kathrin Schneider brought to my attention this great video about dam-development in India:

Hydro Equality

Glenn Switkes — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:29:06 -0700

Fernando Lugo, new Paraguayan president (Antônio Cruz, ABr)

The victory by Fernando Lugo last Sunday in Paraguay´s presidential elections has sent ripples through the energy ministries of Brazil and Argentina, based upon his assertion that the Itaipu and Yacyretá Dam treaties must be re-negotiated to guarantee a fair deal for his country.

World Bank tells Brazil: "fast-track Amazon dams"

Glenn Switkes — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:46:35 -0700

There was a time when Brazil´s groundbreaking environmental laws, based upon its
constitution (article 225) which guarantees its citizens the right to a healthy environment were considered a global model. Not anymore.

World Bank behind the curve on renewable energy

Peter Bosshard — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A new report shows that investment in wind and solar energy surpassed support for large hydro projects in 2007. The World Bank has missed the trend on emerging renewable technologies, and continues to focus its support on large dams.

Will the Ilisu Dam Drown Out Western Credibility?

Peter Bosshard — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:23:35 -0700

The ancient town of Hasankeyf will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam (peevishsoul)

Governments and financial institutions have come under increasing pressure not to fund environmentally and socially destructive projects. In the case of the Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipeline, the Nam Theun 2 Dam in Laos and the Ilisu Dam in Turkey, the World Bank and Western governments have resorted to approving financial support under strict conditions. This approach has so far not worked because funders were not serious about enforcing their conditions. The Ilisu Dam is now facing a crunch. It may salvage the remaining credibility of Western donors – or drown it out completely. (Updated)

Upcoming Weekend of Events in Honor of the Day of Action

International Day of Action for Rivers — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:35:38 -0700

April Fools!

Glenn Switkes — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:29:12 -0700

April Fools!

Angikar Bangladesh Foundation Day of Action events are successful!

International Day of Action for Rivers — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:03:13 -0700

The Teesta Youth Parliament asked participants to raise their voices in protest of the continuing dam projects in the Teesta Basin at an event held on March 28th at the National Press Club in Dhaka. Supporters of their cause were asked to send letters of solidarity to the Youth Parliament at angikarbd [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Queen Bob, Approximately

Glenn Switkes — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:39:26 -0700

News item: "The legendary American musician Bob Dylan went bicycle riding disguised as a woman at Punta del Este, Uruguay, where he closed out his Latin America tour."

Still More Day of Action 2008 Events on the Way!

International Day of Action for Rivers — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:49:49 -0700

Demonstrators at the Estreito Dam in Brazil Leave Peacefully

International Day of Action for Rivers — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:00:16 -0700

After nine days of protest, demonstrators at the Estreito Dam were offered an agreement which maintains that organs under the the Brazilian presidency will convene meetings to discuss the ongoing social and environmental concerns that the dam project presents.

Money for Nothing (Or How Corruption Fuels Dam Building in Nigeria)

Peter Bosshard — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Nigeria is being rocked by a huge corruption scandal. As President Yar’Adua recently revealed, the administration of his predecessor spent $16 billion on the power sector, but appears to have diverted much of the money. The ongoing investigation has unearthed interesting details about how corruption works in practice. The story involves dam builders from Germany, China and other countries and senior World Bank officials.

MAB's Occupation of Estreito Dam Enters 8th Day

International Day of Action for Rivers — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:55:53 -0700

MAB's occupation of the Estreito Dam worksite continues in its eighth day - MAB says it will remain until a Permanent Forum, involving MAB, government, companies to discuss pending issues on environment, compensation and indigenous peoples is established. The police have been mobilized near the site.

Iceland, Togo, and Thailand Join In the Action

International Day of Action for Rivers — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:35:17 -0700

Iceland: Keeping Dams out of the Beautiful Scenery
In solidarity with farmers in Pjorsa, the group Saving Iceland took action to protect a beautiful, fertile region of the country that is threatened by heavy industry plans to place a new dam on a waterfall in order to power new aluminum smelters and other industries. They built a small "dam" in front of the Landsvirkjuns office entrance so the workers had to either to step over the dam to get inside or use a different entrance. With this peaceful demonstration, Saving Iceland wanted to protest the development of three dams that Landsvirkjun, the national energy company, hopes to build on the Pjorsa. They also held a movie/discussion evening at a local cafe with the theme of the global impact of heavy industry and big dams. Between movies there were discussions about potential actions against the dam.

News of More Events!

International Day of Action for Rivers — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:00:17 -0700

Burma: Looking Out For Burma's Natural Resources
The Kuki Students Democratic Front (KSDF) and Burma Rivers Network(BRN) staged a mass rally. Participants criticized and protested against the military regime's misuse and mismanagement of Burma's natural resources by the building of destructive mega dams across the rivers. Ethnic Karen people living along Burma’s Salween River gathered in colorful traditional dress to pray to the spirits of the river and the land around it for protection against the planned construction of the Hut Gyi Dam, which threatens to devastate the area’s fragile ecosystem. Over 250 villagers from over 18 villages in the area affected by the proposed dam took part in the ceremony, and were joined by Burmese opposition politicians, environmentalists and student activists.

International Day of Action for Rivers Highlights

International Day of Action for Rivers — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:49:15 -0700

Canada: Creative Ways to Ensure that our Rivers are Protected!
Free Flowing Rivers Environmental Society, a non-profit that is based out of Vancouver, planned two exciting events to celebrate the Day of Action. On the 14th, they sent as many letters as they possibly could to the provinical government in protest of the construction of a private run-of-river power project and transmission line on the Upper Pitt River that would cut across pristine wilderness.

Farewell, Seven Falls

Glenn Switkes — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 03:27:58 -0700

Sete Quedas Waterfall flooded by Itaipu reservoir (archive)

25 years ago, in October 1982, the planet´s greatest waterfall was drowned, a victim of the filling of Itaipu Reservoir (Brazil/Paraguay). The so-called "Seven Falls of Guaíra", or "Sete Quedas", in reality a series of 18 waterfalls, were at 114 meters in height not the world´s tallest falls, but they were easily the most powerful in volume, with more than double the flow of Niagara Falls and 12 times the flow over Victoria Falls.

Day of Action Berkeley Event

International Day of Action for Rivers — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:31:14 -0700

Berkeley, California: Saving Patagonia's Pristine Rivers
In Berkeley, California, International Rivers hosted an evening that highlighted the powerful and lasting effects that damming the Baker and Pascua rivers will create. A slideshow of a recent exepdition to the Pascua River was shared. Environmental activist/ folk musician and Bay Area-based Chilean band, Los Materos performed! Event was FREE and was held at La Peña Cultural Center at 3105 Shattuck Avenue. Over 100 guests were in attendance.