The 28th ICOLD Congress and 93rd Annual Meeting, jointly hosted by China’s Ministry of Water Resources, the Sichuan Provincial Government, and the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), recently concluded successfully in Chengdu, China. Government officials, experts, and scholars from over 80 countries engaged in dam and reservoir development participated. Attendees jointly signed the ‘World Declaration of Chengdu to promote global collaboration in dam engineering’ and exchanged professional insights on major water infrastructure successes.
The 720MW Karot Hydropower Project, located at the border of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, was presented as a notable case study. Its demonstration of Chinese-supported hydropower’s regional economic impact significantly impressed delegates. Moaaz Awan, Senior Manager at China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Ltd., presented the Karot case, stating: “The Karot Hydropower Project is quite unique both in terms of its design and its strategic geographical location, being near major urban centers like Islamabad and Rawalpindi. What makes it even more exceptional is its financing model—where Chinese financial institutions partnered with international lenders under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).”
Awan elaborated: “It represents a truly multilateral effort. Karot is also the first large-scale hydropower project to be completed and operational under BRI, marking a major milestone and serving as a powerful example of how BRI and CPEC projects are helping Global South countries meet their development and climate goals.” The Karot Hydropower Project generates approximately 3,206 GWh of clean, renewable energy annually, reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 3.5 million tons of CO₂ yearly. It implements a comprehensive Environmental and Social Management Plan to ensure sustainability.
Further detailing community initiatives, Awan noted: “HPP has carried out extensive community development programs throughout both the construction and operational phases. The project introduced a range of community-centered interventions that have significantly improved local quality of life. At the same time, we’ve also implemented a detailed Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP), aimed at achieving ‘no net loss’ of flora and fauna in the region. These initiatives take time to yield full results, but we’re already seeing promising outcomes.”
The triennial ICOLD Congress represents the world’s most influential academic gathering in dam engineering. Reflecting on the event, Moaaz Awan stated: “It was a true honor to participate. I believe the Chinese National Committee on Large Dams (CHINCOLD) and the Sichuan Provincial Government did a phenomenal job organizing such a world-class event. I was amazed to see nearly 3,000 professionals gathered under one roof. Most academic events don’t attract this level of global attention, but it shows just how seriously the world takes water resource conservation and sustainable development. China has developed multiple world-class dams, including the Three Gorges Dam, Baihetan, and Wudongde projects. Many of our international colleagues expressed great interest in learning from China’s outstanding experience in this field.”
