WWF collaborates with partner groups and communities on the ground, in the business sector, and in the halls of government to improve planning for infrastructure projects that impact rivers in priority landscapes around the world, protecting freshwater systems and restoring healthy waterways. WWF is undertaking a four-part strategy:
Keeping the Luangwa Free-Flowing
The Luangwa River—one of the last long free-flowing rivers in Zambia and one of the largest unaltered river systems in southern Africa—is an essential water source for people and wildlife. WWF worked with the Government of Zambia, village chiefs, communities, and the tourism sector to stop the Ndevu Dam project on the Luangwa River. This dam would have jeopardized livelihoods and some of the country’s iconic wildlife, highlighting the ripple effects that dams have on the free-flowing status of rivers like this one and the life they support.
Shifts in agriculture and its expansion, wood collection, livestock grazing, and wildlife poaching continue to threaten Luangwa. WWF is building on our work with communities and the government to propose a water resource protected area in the headwaters, improve small farmer agricultural practices, and designate community forests to reduce land degradation and biodiversity loss.
What’s more, we have developed the technical foundation to identify sustainable, low-carbon alternatives to hydropower. As part of this work, we have engaged with decision makers to guide energy planning and development toward effective alternatives through the country’s national infrastructure development plans, aiming to ensure long-term freshwater protections that also meet infrastructure needs.
SUSTAINABLE WATER AND ENERGY PLANNING
Strategic planning and choices made at the outset of water management and energy projects hold immense power to safeguard rivers. WWF advocates for natural and nature-based water storage solutions like floodplain reconnection and aquifer recharge, prioritizing ecosystem-based adaptation and green infrastructure. Furthermore, WWF works with stakeholders to facilitate the development of science-based, sustainable plans for energy and water storage and management.
WWF is supporting uptake of new development pathways, financial tools, and other incentives to shift development planning in ways that maximize economic benefits while minimizing negative impacts on people and nature. These efforts can be seen in the research performed by WWF and partners in Nepal to assess and model Nepal’s energy options. The outputs of this research can help the Government of Nepal identify a suite of projects that have lower impact on rivers for the same energy output, benefitting both the people and nature.
WWF also works closely with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMECS) on producing River Basin Report Cards. This process includes developing, packaging, and sharing a process that helps stakeholders create science-based “report cards” in their own basins with local input and global credibility, so they can better manage resources for the protection of the freshwater source they depend upon.
POLICY PROTECTIONS AND GOVERNANCE
River Restoration
We can neither bend the curve on freshwater biodiversity loss nor meet the water security needs of a growing population without restoring degraded river systems. Fortunately, we have the science and tools to restore rivers and build their resilience to a changing climate. WWF and partners are working to reconnect streams and rivers with their floodplains to refill groundwater stores, manage flooding, and create, maintain, and expand wetlands. For example, Recharge Pakistan, a seven-year initiative to restore riparian forests, streams, and wetlands in the Indus Basin will provide flood protection to 680,000 residents while also enhancing the habitat for migratory birds. River restoration breathes new life into degraded waterways, revitalizing ecosystems, and forging a path toward a more sustainable future.
PROMOTING RESILIENCE
WWF promotes river resilience through a multifaceted approach.
By leveraging scientific expertise and thought leadership, we develop innovative methodologies to guide conservation efforts and share best practices.
A few examples of the cutting-edge scientific work that WWF has led include:
Our public advocacy and communication campaigns have stopped damaging dams, changed public perception on the value of science, and raised awareness about the detrimental impacts of unsustainable infrastructure and the potential of alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar energy as well as natural solutions for rivers. Furthermore, WWF’s engagement with multilateral organizations, investors, and government agencies influences water and energy planning processes, driving the protection of free-flowing rivers and the incorporation of nature-based solutions into adaptation plans.
WWF's efforts extend to influencing financing mechanisms to incentivize sustainable practices, partnering with governments to stimulate investment in nature-based solutions, and encouraging private sector entities to adopt stringent standards and support alternative energy options. Through these comprehensive strategies, WWF endeavors to halt the construction of damaging dams, shift public perception toward sustainable river management, and raise global awareness about the importance of healthy rivers.
