On Wednesday 10 September, the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR) and the International Hydropower Association (IHA) agreed to unite their efforts to accelerate the implementation and maintenance of sustainable hydropower.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by IAHR Executive Director Tom Soo and IHA CEO Eddie Rich at the International Pumped Hydro Forum, held at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 9-10 September. 

The MoU promises to strengthen the international framework for cooperation on lifting the voice of sustainable hydropower and advocating for enabling policies and practice, knowledge exchange, innovation, technical synergy, and networking. 

The signing of this MoU comes at a critical time, recognising the vital role of water within the global energy transition as well as within climate change adaptation and mitigation. The goal is to leverage their collective credibility and capabilities, and their global membership bases, to create new opportunities and to increase visibility and impact for sustainable hydropower. 

IAHR Executive Director Tom Soo said, “Together with IHA—and in the context of climate change mitigation and striving for net zero—we are responding to the demand from our members and other stakeholders in the hydropower sector for innovation, advocacy, and technical cooperation.”

“As the global association for technical innovations, solutions and research covering the entire water cycle, our members look forward to working with IHA to help to achieve a ‘system-wide’ approach to sustainable hydropower.”

IHA CEO Eddie Rich said, “IHA’s comparative advantage is its voice and convening power. IAHR’s is its technical expertise on water. We are a natural complementarity. Together we can provide power evidence-based advocacy for better policies and practices for sustainable hydropower. ”

Sustainable hydropower is critical to meet global demand for secure, reliable, renewable energy.  Developing hydropower using a considered, system-wide approach means the socio-economic benefits can be much broader whilst providing environmental sustainability and security related to floods, water scarcity, food production and industry.  

The signing of this MoU reflects the shared values of both organisations and marks the start of a partnership that will amplify their collective impact for communities and the climate.