Silenced Rivers: The Ecology and Politics of Large Dams - Softcover

McCully, Patrick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1856494365 ISBN 13: 9781856494366

Publisher: Zed Books Ltd, 1996

Synopsis

This study explains the history and politics of dam building worldwide and shows why large dams have become so controversial. It details the ecological and human impacts of large dams and shows how the "national interest" argument is used to legitimize uneconomic and unjust projects which benefit elites while impoverishing others. The technical, safety and economics problems of dam technology are described, along with the structure of the international dam-building industry, and the role played by international banks and aid agencies. The book goes on to tell the story of the rapid growth of the international anti-dam movement, and some of the most important anti-dam campaigns from around the world. It then shows how the dam lobby and governments have reacted to criticism by cosmetic "greening" of the dam-building process, and through state repression. Alternatives to dams are then put forward, with the argument that their replacement by less destructive alternative requires the opening up of the industry's practices to public scrutiny.

About this title

About the Author

Patrick McCully is Campaigns Director of the California-based International Rivers Network. He is also an Associate Editor of The Ecologist and a contributing writer for Multinational Monitor. Previous to that he was Co-editor of The Ecologist and at one time also worked for an environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Uruguay. Since 1992 he has worked with activists in India opposing the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River. He is co-author of two books, Imperilled Planet (1990) and The Road to Rio: An NGO Action Guide to the Earth Summit (1992).

Edition details

• Publisher: Zed Books Ltd
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1856494365
• ISBN 13: 9781856494366
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320