Dam removal blind spots: debating the importance of community engagement in dam decommissioning projects
This article calls for social justice within the transition from dam building to decommissioning. Dam decommissioning is escalating in the global north, and sooner than later, the tied will spread to the global south. Though dam removal is an essential strategy for riverine landscape restoration, it...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Water |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2023.1286128/full |
| _version_ | 1797391205473976320 |
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| author | Joshua Matanzima Teboho Mosuoe-Tsietsi |
| author_facet | Joshua Matanzima Teboho Mosuoe-Tsietsi |
| author_sort | Joshua Matanzima |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article calls for social justice within the transition from dam building to decommissioning. Dam decommissioning is escalating in the global north, and sooner than later, the tied will spread to the global south. Though dam removal is an essential strategy for riverine landscape restoration, it may yield negative social outcomes for communities living along dams. Ecological restoration must not be achieved at the expense of local communities. Decisions on dam removal are predominantly made by experts and government agencies, often to the exclusion of local communities. For this reason, the decisions to remove several dams in the global north have been opposed by local communities leading to suspension or, in worst-case scenarios, reversal of such decisions. By referring to cases from Europe, USA, and Canada where dam removals have been opposed, this article argues for better incorporation of local communities in decision-making. Community consultations and consent are key in achieving successful decommissioning with minimal harm on communities. Yet, they have not received sufficient attention in dam removal conversations. The socio-economic issues are also not sufficiently interrogated in the literature on dam removal. We underscore this gap and provides recommendations for best social performance in dam removals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:29:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f22badf9f2641ecb51382979cb6264f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:29:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f22badf9f2641ecb51382979cb6264f2023-12-14T15:47:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Water2624-93752023-12-01510.3389/frwa.2023.12861281286128Dam removal blind spots: debating the importance of community engagement in dam decommissioning projectsJoshua Matanzima0Teboho Mosuoe-Tsietsi1Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining (CSRM), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaSynergy Global Consulting, Johannesburg, South AfricaThis article calls for social justice within the transition from dam building to decommissioning. Dam decommissioning is escalating in the global north, and sooner than later, the tied will spread to the global south. Though dam removal is an essential strategy for riverine landscape restoration, it may yield negative social outcomes for communities living along dams. Ecological restoration must not be achieved at the expense of local communities. Decisions on dam removal are predominantly made by experts and government agencies, often to the exclusion of local communities. For this reason, the decisions to remove several dams in the global north have been opposed by local communities leading to suspension or, in worst-case scenarios, reversal of such decisions. By referring to cases from Europe, USA, and Canada where dam removals have been opposed, this article argues for better incorporation of local communities in decision-making. Community consultations and consent are key in achieving successful decommissioning with minimal harm on communities. Yet, they have not received sufficient attention in dam removal conversations. The socio-economic issues are also not sufficiently interrogated in the literature on dam removal. We underscore this gap and provides recommendations for best social performance in dam removals.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2023.1286128/fullcommunitiesindigenous peopleFPIClivelihoodsdam removalculture |
| spellingShingle | Joshua Matanzima Teboho Mosuoe-Tsietsi Dam removal blind spots: debating the importance of community engagement in dam decommissioning projects Frontiers in Water communities indigenous people FPIC livelihoods dam removal culture |
| title | Dam removal blind spots: debating the importance of community engagement in dam decommissioning projects |
| title_full | Dam removal blind spots: debating the importance of community engagement in dam decommissioning projects |
| title_fullStr | Dam removal blind spots: debating the importance of community engagement in dam decommissioning projects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dam removal blind spots: debating the importance of community engagement in dam decommissioning projects |
| title_short | Dam removal blind spots: debating the importance of community engagement in dam decommissioning projects |
| title_sort | dam removal blind spots debating the importance of community engagement in dam decommissioning projects |
| topic | communities indigenous people FPIC livelihoods dam removal culture |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2023.1286128/full |
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