Strategic environmental assessment of the hydropower master plan in the context of the power development plan six (Vol. 2) : Final draft report : appendices (English)

This report and the associated appendices and Policy Summary represent the principle documented outputs of a 15 month long process of analysis and consultation. The issue being discussed, the social and environmental consequences of hydropower development...  See More + This report and the associated appendices and Policy Summary represent the principle documented outputs of a 15 month long process of analysis and consultation. The issue being discussed, the social and environmental consequences of hydropower development, is inherently complex and often controversial, in Viet Nam as elsewhere. The nature of this Study, which was looking at hydropower within the context of a long-term strategic national plan, compounds the level of complexity and uncertainty. The goal of the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is to optimize the contribution of sustainable hydropower to national development over the period up to 2025 in Viet Nam. The execution of the SEA followed six phases: (i) scoping, (ii) baseline, (iii) scenarios and alternatives, (iv) risk and impact assessment, (v) weighting and trade-offs analysis and (vi) reporting, including recommendations. The execution of the SEA in this study demonstrates the potential of SEA as a key part of the strategic planning framework for the hydropower sector. The SEA has provided a mechanism to assess and understand the full range of potential risks associated with hydropower for people and the environment, both within the immediate vicinity of hydropower construction and beyond. It also provides a mechanism for identifying and assessing the most effective mitigation and compensation actions, including actions to reduce risks and to fully compensate for negative impacts where they do occur. The SEA provides a framework for the internalization of the costs of social and environmental impacts and mitigation measures into the assessment of the economic feasibility of hydropower schemes.  See Less -