Events
- 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Hydropower Development in the Himalayas - 20-21 November 2025
- DAMS & SUSTAINABILITY ICOLD Webinars
- International Conference on “Climate-Resilient Dams and Hydropower Infrastructure: Integrating Environmental Sustainability in Planning and Development” - 29,30 January 2026
- ICOLD 2026 Annual Meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico, from 21 to 29 May 2026
DAMS & SUSTAINABILITY ICOLD Webinars

Dams and Sustainability
Committee T of ICOLD has planned a series of webinars dedicated to the sustainability of dams in their full life cycle. The first webinar aimed to define the content and what should be addressed in the development of future work. The video of this Webinar#1 is now available here.
DAMS & SUSTAINABILITY ICOLD Webinar #1 - 29/05/2024
PROGRAM
- Webinar presentation Michel Lino (President of ICOLD)
- Introduction. Objectives & Purpose Luc Deroo (ICOLD TC-T) Francisco Ortega (ICOLD TC-P)
- The framework: SDGs Francisco Ortega (ICOLD TC-P)
- Dams and the environment (social and ecological aspects beyond CHG) Peter Amos (ICOLD TC-G)
- The sustainability of concrete dams Marco Conrad (ICOLD TC-D)
- The LCA method. An example Joachim Verdier (Lhoist Group)
- Accounting externalities and short/long term analysis Lamis Aljounaidi (PIA)
- Various levels of ambition, perimeters and metrics Luc Deroo (ICOLD TC-T)
- Q&A Session
- Moderation Steve Usher (HP&D)
Webinar #2 just released - 07 May 2025
This second Webinar is intended to introduce the general principles of a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) methodology. The LCSA comprises not only environmental LCA, but also social and economic life cycle cost assessment. ICOLD has invited a distinguished group of experts to present the key components of the LCSA and examples of how it is applied in other sectors, with the aim of adapting it to dams and reservoirs.
The webinar features the following presentations:
- Webinar presentation - Luc Deroo & Francisco Ortega (TC-T of ICOLD)
- General introduction to LCSA with a focus on dam-specific aspects - Sonia Valdivia (World Resources Forum)
- Sustainability criteria from the perspective of funding institutions - Nicholas Zmijewski (World Bank)
- Tools and methods of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS) that are applicable to dams and reservoirs - Kimberly Lyon (World Bank / HSA Council Chair)
- Sustainability framework for earthworks - Jean-Pierre Magnan (EU Working Group on Sustainable Earthworks)
- Life cycle cost assessment of dams - Alena Raymond (AmSpec)
- Biodiversity footprint and LCA: Case studies and analyses - Bonaventure Fontanier (EDF)
- Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA): An example from the mining sector - Isabel Wolf (Technical University of Berlin)
!! NEW !! Webinar #3- GHG Emissions from Dams & Reservoirs
November 20, 2025 1pm - 3pm (CET) Free event
This Webinar #3 will focus on calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout the life cycle of dams. GHG emissions are the main cause of global climate change. Researching and calculating GHG emissions is essential to identifying potential areas for emissions reduction in all human activities, including dams. ICOLD has invited a distinguished group of speakers to present this important topic, beginning with a general introduction and then moving on to more specific aspects related to GHG emissions associated with dams and reservoirs.
View the flyer
NEW December 2025>>> REPLAY OF THIS WEBINAR IS NOW ONLINE
Program
• Introduction Devendra Sharma (President of ICOLD)
• Webinar presentation Francisco Ortega (Fosce, ICOLD TC-T)
• GHG emissions and climate change Steve Usher (Aqua-Media Int., ICOLD TC-D)
• GHG Protocol and the LSR Standard Alejandra Bosch (GHG Protocol)
• Life-cycle GHG emissions of dams Marco Conrad (Afry, ICOLD TC-D)
• Collecting data of GHG emissions from reservoirs: how relevant it is and how efficient it can be! Maud Demarty (Aqua-Consult, ICOLD TC-Y)
• G-res tool: current methodology and future development Yves Prairie (Université du Québec à Montréal)
• Methodology for accounting GHG emissions in the construction of dams Francisco Ortega (Fosce, ICOLD TC-T)
• From wastewater to reservoirs: Unlocking the potential of methane capture Eliana Bohórquez-Bedoya (Bluemethane)
• Decision-making system for calculating the life cycle carbon footprint of dams in China Chunna Liu (IWHR)
• Q&A Session Moderation by Steve Usher (HP&D)
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