DSU news  
 

Sustainability Advice Programme
 

For Dutch embassies and DGIS departments
 

Newsletter nr 5, July 2015

 

Limited DSU capacity during the summer holidays

During the summer months, the capacity of the DSU is temporarily reduced due to staff holidays. From 27 July until 14 August, Reinoud Post will be filling in for DSU coordinator Sibout Nooteboom. Please contact the DSU secretary Vanda Fortes for more information.

 
  sounda

Advisory reports on hydropower projects in Congo and Pakistan

Recently, DGIS requested the DSU to advise on the sustainability of two proposed dams: Sounda Gorge Hydropower project in the Republic of Congo and Gulpur Hydropower project in Azad Jammu and Kashmir state, Pakistan.

  • For Sounda Gorge, most of the project information was absent. Therefore, the DSU proposed 14 ‘sustainability factors’ in its advice which can be used to assess the sustainability when more information on this dam becomes available. These 14 factors can also be used for other hydropower projects in the future.  
  • In its advice on the Gulpur project, the DSU focused on the quality of the impact assessment work done, and on specific concerns of DGIS. In addition, the DSU applied the above mentioned 14 sustainability factors.

For more information, see our case on EIA, SEA and the role of the NCEA in hydropower development.

 
  overstroming tanzania middel groot

DSU contribution to climate change e-course 2015

The DGIS climate cluster asked the DSU to make a global plan for the 2015 edition of an e-course on climate change. Implementation will be coordinated by ENNU Online, with support from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN). The 2014 course, which had about 70 participants, will be updated and improved, with more attention to finance and the private sector. The course will take place during three weeks in November 2015 and is intended to be permanently available thereafter.

 
  village bangladesh

New climate change country profiles

In 2014, the DSU together with Kadi Warner (DGIS), CDI, and NWP developed country profiles on climate change and food security/water for Dutch embassies in partner countries. These profiles are now updated and elaborated. New information is added on national policies and strategies and climate finance. The new profiles will soon become available for the respective embassies.

 
  Mining Katanga

Rio markers for climate contribution of private sector development programmes

DGIS/DDE asked the DSU to analyse the portfolio of private sector development (PSD) programmes and to advise on Rio Marker scores for each programme. The DSU analysed 23 PSD programmes. It advised to count one of them as making a 'principal' contribution to climate change adaptation/mitigation, and eleven as making a 'significant' contribution.

 
 

 

 

For tailor-made advice on climate change issues, Dutch embassies can refer to the DGIS climate helpdesk: climatehelpdesk@minbuza.nl

 

 

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