Riverscope is a comprehensive assessment tool which offers a new way to assess the impacts and viability of dams. It was developed to:

• Assess the ESG risks associated with real hydropower investments, based on quantitative and qualitative data;
• Demonstrate the impact of these risks on a project’s viability, as well as their potential broader implications;
• Compare risk-adjusted project financials with the financial case for alternatives;
• Provide a set of recommendations for relevant stakeholders based on the findings.

Key findings:

• Large dams are associated with serious social and environmental impacts, which are often strongly interconnected and typically cumulative.
• ESG risks are difficult or impossible to manage, which contributes to delays and cost overruns that hydropower projects often suffer from...
• Hydropower is often more expensive than alternatives, which are also more effective at delivering social and environmental benefits....