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Dams and Development E-Paper Contents

p. 11 of 74 BACK | NEXT Home Page of Dams and Development Foreword I. Why an e-paper on dams and development? II. Assessing options What is options assessment? Where does options assessment fit in the project cycle? What do ADB policies say? Sector specific guidance Tools for options assessment Examples and case studies III. Participatory processes IV. Social impacts V. Environmental impacts VI. Benefit distribution VII. Dam safety and sustainability VIII. Existing projects IX. Improving governance X. What other organizations say XI. ADB, Dams, and Development XII. References Contact Us

What is options assessment?

Guidance from International Organizations

The key attributes of options assessment were discussed at a UNEP Dams and Development Project workshop in September 2003. Its definition is:

An options assessment is part of a decision-making process that works towards identifying the most appropriate options to satisfy defined needs.

A summary of the DDP workshop is presented here and more information can be found in the full proceedings. Key questions covered include why is options assessment important, who is responsible for carrying it out, and what are its implications.

Recommendations of the World Commission on Dams on Comprehensive Options Assessment are given in strategic priority 2 in Chapter 8 and summarized here. Examples of good practice are given in Chapter 9, guidelines 4 to 11. ADB's follow up and perspective on the WCD recommendations is summarized in section XI.

As part of their Dams Planning and Management Action Plan, the World Bank prepared a guide, Stakeholder Involvement in Options Assessment: A Sourcebook. A brief outline of the Sourcebook is given here. Read the executive guide.

Options assessment at policy and strategic planning levels is generally considered the responsibility of government. Some of the examples in this section were supported by technical assistance from bilateral and multilateral agencies, including ADB.

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