OUR mission

We drive positive change in the hydropower sector by building knowledge, promoting accountability, empowering people and embedding sustainable practices. 

OUR vision

Our vision is to enable a world where all hydropower projects foster healthy ecosystems, prosperous communities, resilient infrastructure, and good governance.

OUR PRIORITY AREAS

Advancing sustainability in the
hydropower sector

Building a knowledge hub for
sustainability in hydropower

Contributing to a regenerative and
nature positive future

OUR STORY

  • University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections

    Early to mid-1900s

    Our journey begins in the early 1900s when hydropower emerges as a beacon of progress, offering a cost-effective and reliable solution to meet the world's energy demands. At this time, sustainability concerns take a back seat to development aspirations, and the sustainability performance of hydropower projects goes largely unquestioned.

  • 1980s

    The 1980s mark a turning point as global environmental, social, and governance activism gains momentum. Alarmed by the potential adverse impacts of hydropower projects, projects around the world face delays and cancellations due to mounting concerns. This sparks a reevaluation of hydropower's role in development and a push for a deeper understanding of its environmental and social ramifications.

  • 2000s

    A defining moment emerges with the unveiling of the World Commission on Dams Report in 2000. This revolutionary report illuminates the intricate impacts of dams, encompassing hydropower, and unfolds a path towards sustainability. The strategic priorities outlined in the report would go on to shape the foundation of our very own Theory of Change.

  • 2004

    The International Hydropower Association releases a set of sustainability guidelines, aligning with the strategic priorities outlined by the World Commission on Dams report. Two years later, an assessment protocol takes shape, designed to evaluate performance against these guidelines.

  • 2010

    The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol is unveiled. Since its launch, it has been embraced by over 25 countries, guiding hydropower developers worldwide in adopting improved practices to enhance sustainability. In 2018, we introduce additional resources: an ESG gap analysis tool and a set of good practice guidelines, both aligned with the environmental and social standards of the World Bank Group.

  • 2020

    A 90-day global consultation commences in November 2020, aimed at elevating the Hydropower Sustainability Tools to a global standard for sustainable hydropower. The outcome of the consultation leads to the birth of the Standard, formally launched by the Hydropower Sustainability Council in September 2021. The vision is clear: to make sustainable hydropower the new norm.

  • 2023

    Building on this momentum, the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance comes into being as a non-profit umbrella organization. By uniting diverse groups under a single banner, the alliance aims to accelerate progress and collaboration, forging a future where hydropower stands as a beacon of sustainable energy for generations to come.

Sustainability is a journey of continuous improvement to good, better and best practice; for hydropower, this Theory of Change is the roadmap. It outlines the plan to work towards and ultimately seek to achieve the vision of a sustainable hydropower sector. It defines desired impacts and then maps out the pathways needed to achieve these impacts. The Theory of Change also provides a guiding framework to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard. It allows understanding of the causal relationships between activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts.

Theory of change

monitoring & evaluation

Impacts are long-term changes in the key sustainability areas that the HS Certification scheme aims to address. Measuring against these impacts helps to understand and demonstrate whether the HS Certification scheme is driving the change it sets out to – a world where sustainable hydropower is the norm.

healthy ecosystems

  • Projects protect forests, rivers and other critical habitats from degradation

  • Projects support biodiversity conservation and preservation

  • Projects maintain local ecosystem services and values

  • Projects manage impacts to ecosystems, such as erosion and sedimentation, responsibly

Resilient infrastructure

  • Projects demonstrate their ability to respond to the effects of climate change

  • Projects take into account regional water needs and availability

  • Projects contribute to wider adaptation strategies and flexible grid operations

  • Projects protect communities and the environment from the consequences of dam failure and other infrastructure safety risks

Prosperous communities

  • Projects engage in good faith with affected communities

  • Projects respect the dignity and human rights of affected communities

  • Projects improve the livelihoods and living standards of affected communities

  • Projects share their benefits with affected communities

Good governance

  • Projects are governed by sound corporate business structures

  • Projects implement ethical and transparent policies and practices

  • Projects treat their workers fairly and respectfully

  • Projects contribute to wider development strategies and national planning

The HS Monitoring and Evaluation System allows the HS Secretariat to assess the impact of the HS Certification scheme over time. It seeks to measure short and medium term changes in order to understand how these can contribute to long-term impacts, and ultimately identify ways how the HS Certification scheme can be improved to achieve its vision.

The Monitoring and Evaluation System uses the HS Theory of Change as its guiding framework to monitor and evaluate short- and long-term outcomes and impacts of the HS Certification Scheme. The Monitoring and Evaluation System will also assess the take up and use of the HS Standard and the effectiveness of the Assurance System (e.g. use of the appeals mechanism, feedback from Assurance System Monitoring and evaluation 52 public comment period, etc.). It will include monitoring of the effectiveness of the HS Secretariat, including periodic audits and