A special event on the opening day of Congress brought together two former Prime Ministers, both of whom played a pivotal role in putting climate change high on the national and global political agenda.

Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997-2007) and Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of Australia (2015-2018) outlined some of the critical considerations needed to advance sustainable hydropower; from how to avoid the risk of future blackouts through to how net zero can be achieved without a compromise to continued global growth.

China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) is the world’s biggest investor in hydropower and also has an impressive solar and wind portfolio. It has taken a major step to expand China’s use of renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions with the opening of the Baihetan hydropower plant in June 2021.

Baihetan, in southwest China on the Jinsha River (a tributary of the Yangtze), has 16 generators with a capacity of 1 million kilowatts each. It is expected to be fully online by the end of 2022, and it is estimated that it will reduce carbon emissions by 51.6 million tonnes annually.

The San José Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower, issued at the conclusion of the World Hydropower Congress, outlines a vision for hydropower’s contribution to meeting global climate and development goals.

The Declaration was presented at COP26 and identified a set of principles, recommendations and commitments to guide new developments and enhance the sector’s contribution to the energy transition. 

At the 2021 Congress, hydropower companies and international organisations declared their support for a new sustainability certification scheme for hydropower.

The Hydropower Sustainability Standard will help to ensure that hydropower projects across the world are recognised and certified for their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.