Dear Friend,
During challenging times, nature has the power to give us solace and peace of mind. We fight for our rivers so they’ll continue to be here for us when we need them. To learn more about how we do our work, see our latest annual report. Speaking of fighting for rivers, we’re gratified by all the interest in our recently launched strategic plan. For those who haven’t had a chance yet, take a look at "Our Rivers, Our Water Future."
If you're inspired by this work and hope that our small but passionate team can continue defending rivers on the ground, please join us with a gift of support. Donate today to help protect rivers and create a resilient water future.
Hydropower is not a climate-resilient technology, but that message still hasn’t fully penetrated climate financiers. That’s why we raised the alarm again during the climate COP in Bonn last month about the growing dangers of dams in an era of climate change.
As Cambodia’s politics take an anti-democratic turn, the country is mulling another needlessly destructive hydropower project on the Mekong River. We entered the fray, illuminating the project’s issues – and pointing the way towards safer, faster and cheaper-to-deploy options. The country’s leaders may be listening.
We bid farewell, too soon, to the Indian environmental activist Latha Anantha, our friend and fellow river protector who passed away last month. Latha said in an interview with us in 2015: “What drives me is not the politics, or the thrill of taking leadership in something. What drives me is that the river has to flow. A flowing river, for me, is a source of energy, spirit and inspiration to go on.”
In Chile, two energy companies finally gave up water rights to two pristine Patagonian rivers they’d hoped to dam. Next up? Protecting the Baker and Pascua rivers permanently. We’ll keep you updated on our progress!
Myanmar’s energy minister has said that large dams are on the back burner for the country’s new energy plan.
The Thai Supreme Court agreed to hear a case by villagers about how a dam in Laos will harm their lands, waters and livelihoods. We celebrated this important milestone in a potentially precedent-setting campaign, and we are now deploying innovative legal mechanisms to ensure governments are held responsible for the impacts of investments beyond their borders.
Government officials in the DRC reached out to meet with us and our civil society partner groups to discuss implementing a pilot solar project near Kinshasa. This came after the officials attended a workshop about our latest report on renewable energy in the DRC, and shows that the report is continuing to make waves.
Help us continue to hold governments and big business accountable and keep rivers flowing! To support more wins like these, please donate.
Our Executive Director Kate Horner helped tell the story of how dams are not a climate resilient form of energy in an excellent profile of threats facing Albania's last wild river.
• A new study showed that allowing rivers room to expand doesn’t just help with flood control, it boosts biodiversity too.
• Another study found that mega-projects are falling out of favor, as they’re proving too vulnerable to climate change and other factors.
• Tensions are rising between Egypt and Ethiopia, as Ethiopia plans to fill the massive Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. Egypt gets 98% of its water from the Nile.
• Dams are drying up water sources in Himachal, India.
• Cape Town, South Africa is experiencing severe water shortages in its reservoirs.
We’re so pleased to welcome new talent aboard!
Ayesha D'Souza joined us in February as our South Asia Program Coordinator. Prior to joining us, Ayesha worked with the Bank Information Center (BIC)-India and 350.org. She's already brought enthusiasm, dedication and smarts to her role; we’re lucky to have her!
Fidelis Zvomuya has joined our Africa team as the new Communications Officer. Fidelis is a TV, radio and print journalist based in Pretoria, RSA. He specializes in climate change, environment, agriculture, politics and business reporting.
Sabrina Gyorvary joined us in August as our new Mekong Program Coordinator. Sabrina previously worked with Chiang Mai University Women’s Studies Center and EarthRights International's Mekong School, where she taught classes on human rights, environmental justice and the impacts of dams on the Mekong and its tributaries.
In solidarity,
Sarah Bardeen
Photo: Sitting alongside Cambodia's Sesan River. By Sabrina Gyorvary, International Rivers.
International Rivers is an environmental and human rights organization with staff on four continents.
For three decades, we have been at the heart of the global struggle to protect rivers and the rights of communities that depend on them.
Donate
International Rivers
2054 University Ave.
Suite 300
Berkeley, CA 94704
United States
+1 (510) 848-1155 | internationalrivers.org
Twitter | Facebook | Flickr | YouTube
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment