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dam-l LS: WCD East & South-East Asia Consultation - Call For Submissions

The World Commission on Dams has put out the following call for submissions
for their East and South-East Asia Regional Consultation to be held next
February, location to be decided. A two-page summary of the submission is
due by November 15, 1999. From these summaries the WCD will choose and fund
a number of people to go to the public hearing and present their case. The
proposed presentation can be on any relevant aspect of large dams,
including social and environmental impacts, energy issues including
alternative energy, water conservation, legal aspects, river basin
management, economics, process issues, gender issues etc. 


http://www.dams.org/consult_region_esea_subcall.asp

Call For Submissions

Large Dams and their alternatives in East and South-East Asia
Experiences and Lessons Learned


Fourth Regional Consultation of the World Commission on Dams


Introduction:

The World Commission on Dams has held to date two successful public
consultations as part of its mandate to receive inputs that inform its work
programme. Consultations are one element of a comprehensive research
programme and aim to provide the Commission with an open forum for
listening to all interested parties in the debate. The first South Asia
consultation was held in Sri Lanka in December 1998, the second
consultation on Latin America, in Brazil in August 1999. Both drew large
numbers of participants comprising presenters, observers and the media. In
all, four regional consultations are planned during the life of the
Commission. The third consultation is planned for December 1999 in Cairo,
Egypt. WCD's fourth and last consultation will focus on the experiences and
lessons learnt with dams, water and energy development across East and
South East Asia. It is scheduled to be held on February 25-26, 2000; the
WCD is in discussion on potential locations.

The World Commission on Dams (WCD) is an independent, international
commission constituted under the auspices of a wide array of
representatives from governments, civil society, the private sector and
international organizations. 

Professor Kader Asmal, Minister of Education for the Republic of South
Africa, is the appointed chair of the WCD and is joined by eleven other
distinguished individuals from across the globe.

The WCD's key objectives are to conduct a global review of the development
effectiveness of large dams; formulate an options assessments and decision
making framework for the sustainable management of water and energy
resources; and propose a set of internationally acceptable criteria and
guidelines for the planning, appraisal, design, construction, operation,
monitoring and decommissioning of large dams. The guiding principles of the
WCD are openness, transparency, inclusiveness and accessibility. 

The Regional Consultation: The Regional Consultation for East and South
East Asia is being convened to assist the Commission in fulfilling its
mandate by achieving the following goals: 

invite a broad range of interested parties to participate in and inform the
WCD's work 
facilitate the public exchange of ideas and views among various
constituencies in the region 
provide the Commissioners with an opportunity to develop a shared knowledge
base.

The composition of panels and presentations at the consultation aims to
achieve diversity in regional representation as well as from the various
interested groups involved in the debate over large dams and sustainable
water and energy management. Given the neutral and independent nature of
the Commission, the WCD will welcome presentations from government, private
sector and civil society sectors reflecting a diversity of interests,
perspectives and experiences.

Invitations for Presentations: The WCD invites all interested persons to
submit proposals for presentations related to the key objectives outlined
above, focusing on the experiences and lessons learnt locally, nationally,
or regionally across East and South East Asia. The following themes are
proposed as a preliminary framework for developing submissions; however
flexibility will be maintained in receiving submissions that do not fall
within these themes:

1. Large Dams in East & South East Asia: 
A Review of Benefits and Impacts 

2. Decision-making and the Planning Process: 
Responding to Competing Needs 

3. Changing Institutional and Policy Frameworks: 
Their Influence on Current Practice 

4. Dams and Water Resource Management: 
Reviewing Options 

The Commission welcomes papers that specifically focus on providing the WCD
with a learning perspective on: past experience in large dams (economic,
environmental and social), multi-criteria approaches in planning,
participation, tools for implementation, regulatory structures and
incentive frameworks, and examples of best practice in all of the above. In
addition to thematic panels, one or two country panels may be constituted
based on the submissions received.

A two-page summary of the proposed presentation, preferably in English, is
requested for no later than November 15, 1999. Selection for presentations
will be based on the relevance of the topic, quality of submission and
experience/expertise of presenter. Those selected will be invited to make
their presentations during proceedings that are designed as a formal
dialogue between presenters and members of the Commission. Full papers for
those selected should be sent to the Commission by January 15, 2000. 

Invitation for General Submissions:

In addition to proposals for presentation at the consultation, submissions
(not for presentation at the consultation) of materials documenting the
experiences and lessons learnt are also encouraged. These submissions can
be prepared in written, audio, video or other format.

For further information:

Please contact Saneeya Hussain at phone: ++27 21 426 4000, fax: ++27 21 426
0036, or email: shussain@dams.org;
Submissions may be sent directly to submission@dams.org. 
For general enquiries on the Commission e-mail: info@dams.org. 

Interested parties can also visit the WCD web-site, http://www.dams.org/ or
write to the Commission Secretariat at:

World Commission on Dams
5th Floor Hycastle House
58, Loop Street
PO Box: 16002, 
Vlaeberg, 8018
Cape Town
SOUTH AFRICA