The Case Against Dams

The Collapse of Libyan Dams and the Urgent Need for Sustainable Development Goals

The collapse of two Libyan dams earlier this month is likely to herald a grim new dam era, in which the decline of dam building accelerates and deadly dam failures become more and more common. The consequences could be catastrophic for millions of people.

Triggered by intense rainfall from a climate-change-supercharged Mediterranean cyclone, the Libyan dam collapses released floodwater that deposited a portion of the city of Derna in the Mediterranean Sea, drowned thousands of people, displaced tens of thousands more, and has left nearly 300,000 children at increased risk of disease and malnutrition. Just as unprecedented fires, floods, and storms this year have introduced many people to the dangers of climate change, the immensity of the Derna tragedy has focused attention on the unappreciated risks that dams pose.

Decline of Dam Building and the Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

The dam-building industry was already in decline long before the Derna disaster. “Peak dams,” the moment when dam-building began to ebb, is now believed to have occurred at least a decade ago. A 2021 United Nations University study found that global construction of large dams fell from about 1,500 a year in the late 1970s to about 50 a year in 2020. In Africa, the continent with the highest remaining hydropower potential, a study published in Science last month concluded that the decreasing cost of wind and solar energy will make hydroelectric dams non-competitive by 2030.

The increasing danger of dams stems in part from a simple fact: they are aging. Most of the world’s dams were built before 1985 and are either approaching or have passed the point when they need substantial repair, which is about 50 years old. Yet few are being repaired. In the U.S., where the average dam is 65 years old, the dangers have been well-documented for decades yet barely heeded. In 2021, the American Society of Civil Engineers issued an infrastructure “report card” on which U.S. dams were given a grade of “D”—the same grade dams have received in every ASCE report card since the first in 1998.

The Urgent Need for Dam Maintenance and Removal

A February 2023 study by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials estimated that rehabilitating 65,000 of the U.S.’s large- and medium-sized dams would cost $157.5 billion—a price tag that will continue to mount as repair work is deferred. And a 2022 Associated Press analysis identified 2,200 U.S. dams that need repairs and would threaten downstream populations if they fail. State and federal funding for repairs has been increasing but nowhere near the amount needed to ensure safety.

In other countries, where government budgets are far more strained than in the U.S., the situation is much worse. In Libya, the failing dams’ weaknesses were well-known. A study of the two dams published last year presciently warned that “immediate measures must be taken for regular maintenance… because in the event of a huge flood, the result will be disastrous” for downstream residents. One reason repairs didn’t take place is that Libya is still reeling from the 2014-2020 civil war and is plagued by two rival administrations.

The Role of Climate Change in Dam Collapse

Climate change also makes dam collapse more likely. The design of virtually all the world’s large dams was based on hydrological records that were often insufficient to begin with and certainly didn’t take climate change into account. Now, not only are those records out-of-date, but the huge variability that climate change has introduced into precipitation levels complicates all dam planning. By making both extended droughts and unprecedented floods more frequent, climate change has forced reductions and even stoppages of hydropower generation of some dams, while also subjecting many to floods bigger than they were designed to withstand.

The Importance of Sustainable Development Goals in Dam Management

The risk that dams pose to humans can be partially offset by more carefully monitoring weather forecasts, releasing water behind dams if necessary, and installing warning systems that alert imperiled people of the need to evacuate.

But the best way to eliminate the danger is to remove dams entirely. This is especially true for older dams, whose reservoirs become filled with sediment that displaces water and reduces their effectiveness as electricity generators and water storers—and removal often costs less than repairs. Yet dam removal is still in its infancy. Out of the U.S.’s several million dams of all sizes, about 2,000 mostly small dams have been dismantled. Still, the movement is gaining momentum in the U.S. and Europe.

The Environmental Benefits of Dam Removal

Removal’s greatest benefit is environmental: in returning rivers to free-flowing conditions, it reunites rivers with their floodplains, restores riparian habitat, improves water quality, and re-enables circulation of migrating fish.

Removal also

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 15: Life on Land

The article discusses the collapse of dams and its consequences, which are connected to several SDGs. SDG 6 addresses the issue of clean water and sanitation, as the collapse of dams can lead to water contamination and scarcity. SDG 9 focuses on infrastructure, and the article highlights the aging and need for repair of dams worldwide. SDG 11 relates to the impact on communities and cities due to dam failures. SDG 13 addresses the role of climate change in increasing the likelihood of dam collapses. Finally, SDG 15 is relevant as it pertains to the preservation of life on land, including the impact on ecosystems caused by dam failures.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity.
• SDG 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
• SDG 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
• SDG 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
• SDG 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.

Based on the article’s content, these specific targets are relevant to the issues discussed. They highlight the need to address water scarcity, develop resilient infrastructure, reduce the impact of disasters, strengthen resilience to climate-related hazards, and ensure the conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 6.4: Water-use efficiency across sectors and freshwater withdrawals.
• Indicator for SDG 9.1: Access to reliable and resilient infrastructure.
• Indicator for SDG 11.5: Number of deaths, people affected, and economic losses caused by water-related disasters.
• Indicator for SDG 13.1: Resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
• Indicator for SDG 15.1: Conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems.

While the article does not explicitly mention these indicators, they can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These indicators focus on measuring water-use efficiency, access to reliable infrastructure, the impact of water-related disasters, resilience to climate-related hazards, and the conservation of ecosystems.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: time.com

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