16 November 2011 – Bonn

Hydropower’s role in the water, energy and food security nexus emphasised in Bonn Dialogues

Following introductions by HRH the Prince of Orange, the Head of the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development, and the German Government (BMU), the International Hydropower Association (IHA) was yesterday represented in a thought-leaders panel to debate the challenges that the world faces to achieve water, energy and food security.

Richard Taylor, IHA Executive Director, emphasised the important role hydropower is playing in managing water for energy and food, while at the same time mitigating and adapting to climate change:

“Hydropower lies at the heart of the water, energy and food security nexus. Within the family of renewables, it offers huge potential, provided its multiple benefits are identified and distributed within the context of sustainability – this is why the hydro sector has committed to the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol.”

Within the context of assessing the impacts of energy on water, Taylor warned that there was a danger of over simplification through a ‘footprinting’ approach:

“We should take note of the advice of HRH the Prince of Orange and recognize the diversity of local realities. The impacts of energy, being both quantitative and qualitative, are far too complex to be captured in a single number.”

Taylor added that an evaluation framework for the impacts of energy on water was being developed as a target within the World Water Forum process. He urged interested parties to engage in this initiative.

Joining Mr Taylor on the panel, facilitated by Mr Peter Hille, Redakteur beim Programmdirektor, Deutsche Welle, were: Ms Robynne Anderson, representative to the United Nations World Farmers Organization (WFO), Ms Margaret Catley-Carlson of the United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB), Dr Fritz Holzwarth, Deputy Director General Water Management of the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and Dr Alexander Müller, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).

The 10th Bonn Dialogues symposium formed a pre-conference event of the international Bonn 2011 Conference “The Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus. Solutions for the Green Economy”, scheduled for 16-18 November.

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