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Chinese Overseas Hydropower Dams and Social Sustainability: The Bui Dam in Ghana and the Kamchay Dam in Cambodia

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  • Frauke Urban
  • Johan Nordensvard
  • Giuseppina Siciliano
  • Bingqin Li

Abstract

There is a shortage of empirical studies on the relationship between Chinese hydropower dams and social sustainability. Comparative research on Chinese-funded and Chinese-built hydropower projects is rare. This article aims to fill parts of this gap by discussing these issues in relation to Chinese overseas hydropower dams in Ghana (Bui Dam) and Cambodia (Kamchay Dam). Both projects are built by Sinohydro and financed by ExIm Bank. This article draws on in-depths interviews and focus group discussions with local communities affected by the dams, institutional actors in Ghana and Cambodia, Chinese actors, and dam builders. The article uses an environmental justice perspective as an analytical framework. The article concludes that the dam projects could improve their social sustainability framework in practice and theory; social benchmarking should be introduced and social policies need to be improved to be in line with international social standards on hydropower projects.

Suggested Citation

  • Frauke Urban & Johan Nordensvard & Giuseppina Siciliano & Bingqin Li, 2015. "Chinese Overseas Hydropower Dams and Social Sustainability: The Bui Dam in Ghana and the Kamchay Dam in Cambodia," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 2(3), pages 573-589, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:asiaps:v:2:y:2015:i:3:p:573-589
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Frauke Urban & Johan Nordensvärd & Deepika Khatri & Yu Wang, 2013. "An analysis of China’s investment in the hydropower sector in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 301-324, April.
    2. Mirumachi, Naho & Torriti, Jacopo, 2012. "The use of public participation and economic appraisal for public involvement in large-scale hydropower projects: Case study of the Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Project," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 125-132.
    3. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    4. Oliver Hensengerth, 2013. "Chinese hydropower companies and environmental norms in countries of the global South: the involvement of Sinohydro in Ghana’s Bui Dam," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 285-300, April.
    5. Hensengerth, Oliver, 2011. "Interaction of Chinese institutions with host governments in dam construction: the Bui dam in Ghana," IDOS Discussion Papers 3/2011, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Yunnan & Landry, David, 2018. "Capturing the rains: Comparing Chinese and World Bank hydropower projects in Cameroon and pathways for South-South and North South technology transfer," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 561-571.
    2. Tom Ogwang & Frank Vanclay, 2021. "Resource-Financed Infrastructure: Thoughts on Four Chinese-Financed Projects in Uganda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-22, March.
    3. Hensengerth, Oliver, 2018. "South-South technology transfer: Who benefits? A case study of the Chinese-built Bui dam in Ghana," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 499-507.
    4. Kwadwo Owusu & Paul W. K. Yankson & Alex B. Asiedu & Peter B. Obour, 2017. "Resource utilization conflict in downstream non‐resettled communities of the Bui Dam in Ghana," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(4), pages 234-243, November.
    5. Fadzilah Majid Cooke & Johan Nordensvard & Gusni Bin Saat & Frauke Urban & Giuseppina Siciliano, 2017. "The Limits of Social Protection: The Case of Hydropower Dams and Indigenous Peoples' Land," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(3), pages 437-450, September.
    6. Taitiya Kenneth Yuguda & Sunday Adiyoh Imanche & Tian Ze & Tosin Yinka Akintunde & Bobby Shekarau Luka, 2023. "Hydropower development, policy and partnership in the 21st century: A China-Nigeria outlook," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(4), pages 1170-1204, June.
    7. Joao J. M. Ferreira & Cristina Fernandes & Vanessa Ratten, 2019. "The effects of technology transfers and institutional factors on economic growth: evidence from Europe and Oceania," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(5), pages 1505-1528, October.
    8. Andrea Schapper & Frauke Urban, 2021. "Large dams, norms and Indigenous Peoples," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 39(S1), pages 61-80, August.
    9. Tang, Keyi & Shen, Yingjiao, 2020. "Do China-financed dams in Sub-Saharan Africa improve the region's social welfare? A case study of the impacts of Ghana's Bui Dam," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    10. Kwabena Asiama & Monica Lengoiboni & Paul Van der Molen, 2017. "In the Land of the Dammed: Assessing Governance in Resettlement of Ghana’s Bui Dam Project," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-24, November.
    11. Castro-Diaz, Laura & García, María Alejandra & Villamayor-Tomas, Sergio & Lopez, Maria Claudia, 2023. "Impacts of hydropower development on locals’ livelihoods in the Global South," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    12. Mayeda, A.M. & Boyd, A.D., 2020. "Factors influencing public perceptions of hydropower projects: A systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    13. Kirchherr, Julian & Matthews, Nathanial, 2018. "Technology transfer in the hydropower industry: An analysis of Chinese dam developers’ undertakings in Europe and Latin America," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 546-558.
    14. Siciliano, Giuseppina & Urban, Frauke, 2017. "Equity-based Natural Resource Allocation for Infrastructure Development: Evidence From Large Hydropower Dams in Africa and Asia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 130-139.
    15. Andrea Schapper & Christine Unrau & Sarah Killoh, 2020. "Social mobilization against large hydroelectric dams: A comparison of Ethiopia, Brazil, and Panama," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(2), pages 413-423, March.
    16. Kirchherr, Julian & Matthews, Nathanial & Charles, Katrina J. & Walton, Matthew J., 2017. "“Learning it the Hard Way”: Social safeguards norms in Chinese-led dam projects in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 529-539.

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