ETIP HYDROPOWER members took part in the 28th Congress and 93rd Annual Meeting of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), held in Chengdu, China. The event brought together experts, policymakers, and institutional stakeholders from across the globe to discuss the role of dams and hydropower in addressing key global challenges, including energy transition and climate change adaptation.

Denis Aelbrecht, Chair of the ETIP HYDROPOWER Governing Board; Sera Lazaridou, Member of the Governing Board; and Anton Schleiss, Secretariat and Scientific Coordinator, participated to the ICOLD General Assembly as Chairman of French National Committee, Chair of EURCOLD and Chair of ICOLD Technical Committee as well as Honorary ICOLD President to the 28th ICOLD Congress and 93the Annual Meeting in Chengdu, China. 

A significant outcome of the Congress was the endorsement of the World Declaration on “Dams and Reservoirs for Energy Transition and Adaptation to Climate Change.” The declaration was jointly signed by several leading international organizations, including ICOLD, the International Hydropower Association (IHA), IEA HYDRO, the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID-CIID), the World Water Council, and IME.

As part of the official programme, Anton Schleiss presented an overview of the recent progress and achievements of ETIP HYDROPOWER during the meetings of the EURCOLD Board and the ICOLD General Assembly. 

ETIP HYDROPOWER’s active participation at this high-level event underscores its ongoing commitment to unifying the hydropower sector and fostering the Research and Innovation Agenda.