Doce razones para excluir a las grandes represas hidroeléctricas de las iniciativas renovables

This report by Friends of the Earth International and the International Rivers Network (IRN) argues that large hydroelectric dams should be excluded from renewable energy initiatives. It contends that large-scale hydro projects fail to support sustainable development, harm ecosystems and people, and undermine energy security, whereas decentralized renewable energy technologies provide a more effective path toward poverty eradication and climate mitigation.

• Large hydroelectric projects do not contribute to poverty eradication and are unsuitable for rural areas due to their capital-intensive, centralized nature and reliance on large demand centers. In contrast, decentralized renewable energy—such as wind, solar, and small hydro (under 10 MW)—can be built near users, reducing transmission costs and supporting local economic development. The report cites examples where countries with massive dams still have high rates of energy poverty, such as Ghana, where 70% of the population lacks electricity despite having the world's largest reservoir by area.
• Including large dams in renewable energy initiatives diverts critical funding away from new, cleaner technologies. For example, a single proposed project in Mozambique, the 1,300 MW Mphanda Nkuwa dam, could absorb between $441 million and $735 million in carbon credits over 21 years under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The report estimates that the credits generated by this one dam could have instead supported 206 new renewable energy projects.
• Promoters of large dams consistently underestimate costs and overestimate benefits, making economically unviable projects appear attractive. A World Bank study from 1996 found that 66 hydro projects had an average inflation-adjusted cost overrun of 27%, while multi-purpose dams showed an average overrun of 63%. Additionally, the World Commission on Dams (WCD) found that 35 out of 63 reviewed large dams generated less energy than announced, and 11 of 20 evaluated by development banks failed to meet their economic objectives.
• Large dams increase vulnerability to climate change because they rely on historical hydrological data that cannot accurately predict future extremes. The report notes that promoters often ignore climate change in their planning; accounting for extreme droughts and floods would increase costs and reduce economic viability. Furthermore, depending on hydro energy during droughts can lead to energy shortages exactly when food production and exports are already suffering.
• Large hydroelectric projects cause severe social and environmental damage, including the forced displacement of 40 to 80 million people across 48,000 large dams. Indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities suffer disproportionately. Environmentally, dams fragment river systems—with 60% of the world's largest river system being moderately to highly fragmented—contributing to the extinction or vulnerability of up to 35% of freshwater fish species.
• Large reservoirs can emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases due to the decomposition of flooded organic matter. In tropical regions, some hydroelectric plants may have a greater impact on global warming than natural gas plants producing the same amount of electricity. While emissions are lower outside the tropics compared to fossil fuels, they are not as insignificant as previously assumed.
• Large hydro is characterized by slow, inflexible, and increasing costs. Construction often takes much longer than estimated; a World Bank study of 49 projects showed an average delay of five years and eight months. Unlike modular renewables, large dams inject massive capacity into grids suddenly, which can lead to excess capacity if demand is overestimated. Additionally, the cost of hydro construction is increasing by 3.5% to 4% annually due to the exhaustion of the best available sites.
• Large hydroelectricity is not truly renewable due to sedimentation, which reduces reservoir storage capacity. The World Bank estimates an annual loss of 0.5-1% of total reservoir capacity to sediment. To maintain global reserve capacity, 240 to 480 new large dams would need to be built every year. This process is exacerbated by climate change, which increases the frequency and intensity of floods that transport sediment.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2003). Doce razones para excluir a las grandes represas hidroeléctricas de las iniciativas renovables. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12Reasons_esp.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Doce razones para excluir a las grandes represas hidroeléctricas de las iniciativas renovables. 2003. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12Reasons_esp.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Doce razones para excluir a las grandes represas hidroeléctricas de las iniciativas renovables |date=November 2003 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12Reasons_esp.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2003doce, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Doce razones para excluir a las grandes represas hidroeléctricas de las iniciativas renovables}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2003}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12Reasons_esp.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }