| How to Advance this Site
The Sustainable Hydropower Website and the Sustainable Hydropower Foundation are positive measures being initiated to advance sustainability in the hydropower sector. Advancement of these initiatives is dependent upon a number of other requirements. There are many ways one can show their support for the advancement of sustainable practices in the hydropower industry. Check here under What You Can Do.
Who Should be Interested
The Foundation can bring together industry, government and many other interested parties by fostering mutual collaboration. Entities that could be involved include international organizations, financing agencies, hydropower developers, owners and providers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, academia, consultants and members of civil society. The engagement of a wide range of collaborators will ensure credibility, viability, transparency and quality of information. Some thoughts on the pertinent interests, potential contributions and benefits for the different types of interested parties are as follows:
International organizations
- Pertinent interests: Provision of sustainable solutions to meet the world’s water and energy needs; climate change mitigation; advancement of Millennium Development Goals; Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
- Potential contribution: Sustainable Hydropower Foundation partner; Foundation financial supporter and/or endorsing organisation; opinion on information structure and content; expertise in auditing and assessment; awareness raising.
Benefits: Improved outcomes relating to the sustainable provision of water and energy, contribution to capacity building.
Financing agencies
- Pertinent interests: Responsible funding for water and energy services; poverty alleviation through sustainable development.
- Specific contribution: Foundation financial supporter and/or endorsing organisation; expertise in economic analysis and fund management; awareness raising.
- Benefits: Increased awareness of good practice, reducing risk in funding projects; opportunity to highlight involvement in successful schemes.
Hydropower developers, owners and providers
- Pertinent interests: Continuous improvement; corporate responsibility; sustainable practices.
- Specific contribution: Foundation financial supporter and/or endorsing organisation; expertise in technical information; scheme nominations for evaluation; support during scheme assessments; awareness raising.
- Benefits: Demonstration of commitment to sustainable practices and continuous improvement; increased understanding of good practice; improved awareness of hydropower.
Governmental agencies
- Pertinent interests: Meeting needs in accordance with international good practice for resource development and management.
- Specific contribution: Foundation financial supporter and/or endorsing organisation; expertise in regulatory processes, auditing and assessment; scheme nominations for evaluation; support during scheme assessments; awareness raising.
- Potential benefits: Clarification of international good practice; increased investment in, and reduced risk for, sustainable development projects.
Non-governmental organizations
- Pertinent interests: Environmental management; social equity
- Potential contribution: Foundation financial supporter and/or endorsing organisation; opinion on information structure, content and evaluation processes; scheme nominations for evaluation; awareness raising.
- Potential benefits: Demonstrable cross-sector cooperation; influence on international practice.
Measures of Success
It is valuable to establish measures of success of a new initiative at the outset, as it can assist organisations and individuals in considering how they might contribute.
The number and profile of supporting and endorsing organizations is an important initial and ongoing measure of success for this initiative. The amount of money contributed to the Foundation is a further measure, as is successful access to grant and philanthropic funding.
Engagement across the spectrum of stakeholders (type of institution, country base) through means such as financial support, support-in-kind, scheme nominations, auditing support, hosting meetings, promotion etc would be a key goal for the Foundation.
The number of website ‘hits’ and downloads is a measure of interest and the accessibility of the information available. Number of links to and from other associated websites is also a good indication of relevance, co-operation and mutual support.
The number of scheme nominations, and the number of audits undertaken, will indicate engagement by the hydropower industry members. Growth in the number, geographic spread, and calibre of the auditing organizations will indicate the availability and spread of experts in sustainable hydropower across the globe.
The number of successful audits and inclusion of schemes on the website over time is an indicator of success towards the Foundation’s vision.
Realisation of potential Foundation development paths will be a strong indicator of success. These would include the amount of research sponsorship, published materials relevant to sustainability aspects, scholarships, educational packages, etc.
What You Can Do
How can you ensure the most values out of this site:
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