69
to 1.4 billion people who still remain disconnected from electricity supply. Large
dams will primarily provide energy for industry and the mining sector, while the
establishment of a extensive grid network would be required to serve rural human
communities. Therefore, small, decentralised systems might probably be more
effective to close the electricity gap.
Water management has historically emphasised services that depend on infrastructure such as navigation, irrigation, and hydropower (Auerbach et al. 2014 ).
However, infrastructure projects create trade-offs and affect the services provided
by natural ecosystems such as fi shery yield, fl oodplain agriculture, cultural aspects,
and the intrinsic values of biodiversity (ibid.). Indeed, one needs to be very careful
in considering the trade-offs of maximising only a particular set of services. Today,
navigation or hydropower production are considered as ecosystem services,
although they impose major trade-offs with the service provided by a healthy ecosystem, e.g. a free-fl owing river (Auerbach et al. 2014 ). Therefore, evaluating the
benefi ts and trade-offs of large water infrastructure projects needs to consider both
the ecosystem services provided by free-fl owing rivers as well as the services
provided by technical and engineered structures.
Mitigation of the impacts of large dams and other infrastructure projects may
be very expensive. Because most future large dams will be constructed in developing countries and emerging economies, it will be particularly diffi cult to
cover the associated costs. The question is not, however, if we should build new
dams or not. The questions are where to build dams, how to construct them, and
how to operate them. Therefore, there is an urgent need to further develop existing standards such as the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol
(International Hydropower Association 2010 ), which must consider the economic, social, and ecological consequences of future dams. Furthermore, present dams are primarily evaluated individually, while ignoring the cumulative
effects of multiple dams.
5.3 Making Ecosystem Services and Distributional Concerns
Visible and Incorporating Them into Decision Making
5.3.1 The Concept of Total Economic Value
Although water resources are vital for the functioning of any economy, they continue to be
depleted and degraded at an unsustainable rate (Birol et al. 2006 , p. 106).
With a rising world population, the demand for water, food, and energy increases.
The so-called “water-food-energy nexus” is a fundamental and increasing challenge
for society (Russi et al. 2013 ). Water is a source of life for humans and nature.
Without drinking water humans cannot survive. Without water any production of
food or biomass becomes impossible. It is a resource that can be used for multiple
purposes such as health and sanitation, agriculture and aquaculture, renewable
energy generation and storage, among others.
5 Neglected Values of Major Water Engineering Projects…
to 1.4 billion people who still remain disconnected from electricity supply. Large
dams will primarily provide energy for industry and the mining sector, while the
establishment of a extensive grid network would be required to serve rural human
communities. Therefore, small, decentralised systems might probably be more
effective to close the electricity gap.
Water management has historically emphasised services that depend on infrastructure such as navigation, irrigation, and hydropower (Auerbach et al. 2014 ).
However, infrastructure projects create trade-offs and affect the services provided
by natural ecosystems such as fi shery yield, fl oodplain agriculture, cultural aspects,
and the intrinsic values of biodiversity (ibid.). Indeed, one needs to be very careful
in considering the trade-offs of maximising only a particular set of services. Today,
navigation or hydropower production are considered as ecosystem services,
although they impose major trade-offs with the service provided by a healthy ecosystem, e.g. a free-fl owing river (Auerbach et al. 2014 ). Therefore, evaluating the
benefi ts and trade-offs of large water infrastructure projects needs to consider both
the ecosystem services provided by free-fl owing rivers as well as the services
provided by technical and engineered structures.
Mitigation of the impacts of large dams and other infrastructure projects may
be very expensive. Because most future large dams will be constructed in developing countries and emerging economies, it will be particularly diffi cult to
cover the associated costs. The question is not, however, if we should build new
dams or not. The questions are where to build dams, how to construct them, and
how to operate them. Therefore, there is an urgent need to further develop existing standards such as the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol
(International Hydropower Association 2010 ), which must consider the economic, social, and ecological consequences of future dams. Furthermore, present dams are primarily evaluated individually, while ignoring the cumulative
effects of multiple dams.
5.3 Making Ecosystem Services and Distributional Concerns
Visible and Incorporating Them into Decision Making
5.3.1 The Concept of Total Economic Value
Although water resources are vital for the functioning of any economy, they continue to be
depleted and degraded at an unsustainable rate (Birol et al. 2006 , p. 106).
With a rising world population, the demand for water, food, and energy increases.
The so-called “water-food-energy nexus” is a fundamental and increasing challenge
for society (Russi et al. 2013 ). Water is a source of life for humans and nature.
Without drinking water humans cannot survive. Without water any production of
food or biomass becomes impossible. It is a resource that can be used for multiple
purposes such as health and sanitation, agriculture and aquaculture, renewable
energy generation and storage, among others.
5 Neglected Values of Major Water Engineering Projects…