ABSTRACT
This chapter draws on the WCD Knowledge Base to characterise the critical problems encountered in the past, analyse their underlying causes and chronicle recent developments that point the way forward. The chapter groups these topics under three headings: decision-making, planning and compliance. In industrialised countries, alliances between local political interests and powerful, single-interest agencies and utilities responsible for water and power development drove planning and decision-making on large dams. In general project planning and evaluation for large dams has been confined primarily to technical parameters and the narrow application of economic cost-benefit analyses. Dam projects are expected to comply with the legal framework and guidelines of the country and the organisations involved in financing and constructing the dam. It delivers a way forward that can improve planning, decision-making and compliance, capitalising on the options available whether of a technological, policy or institutional nature and providing economically efficient, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable solutions to meet future water and energy needs.
