THE WORLD CONSERVATION Union (IUCN) has announced the launch of a two year Dams Development Project (DDP). The project, based in Cape Town, South Africa, is intended to promote the recommendations of last year’s World Commission on Dams (WCD) report, which provided a new framework for improved decision-making for water and energy development.

The new DDP is designed to promote widespread dissemination of the report; support country-level, regional and global dialogues on the issues addressed in the report; strengthen interaction and networking among participants in the dams debate; and facilitate the flow of information and advice concerning initiatives taken by individuals or groups of stakeholders pursuant to the report.

The DDP intends to influence the forthcoming Water Resources Sector Strategy of the World Bank to reflect the WCD recommendations. IUCN says that funding for the DDP is to come from bilateral and multilateral sources, the private sector and NGOs.