Environmental and Social Management in Hydropower

Develop specialist expertise through self-paced online learning to all specialist courses

Online course overview

Environmental and social (E&S) management is critical in ensuring hydropower projects are sustainable, responsible, and enhancing long-term benefits for communities and ecosystems.

In this course, you will gain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the E&S impacts associated with hydropower projects. You will gain practical insights into how to screen and scope projects effectively, mitigate potential impacts, and ensure compliance with international good and best practices in the Hydropower Sustainability Standard.

Whether you are new to the field or have advanced expertise in E&S, this course provides detailed approaches, methodologies and case studies for you to learn from to navigate the challenges of hydropower projects.

The course also includes a brief overview of the assessment process and scoring methodology of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard.

Prerequisite: The Certified User learning pathway must be completed before enrolling in this course.

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Course features

Flexible learning

Engage with our content anytime, anywhere, to suit your busy schedule

Interactive activities

Participate in activities and discussions with trainers and fellow learners to deepen your understanding and apply knowledge effectively

Practical tools and resources

Gain access to case studies, templates and guides that you can immediately implement in your projects

What you will achieve?

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Assess E&S impacts

Understand the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process, how to gather critical data, and assess project impacts to develop effective mitigation strategies for project approval.

Implement management plans

Discover the essential components of a comprehensive Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) and how to implement plans that address identified impacts.

Align with international best practices

Learn about the international good and best practices for E&S management to ensure your projects meet or exceed global benchmarks.

Who should attend?

Environmental and social consultants who support hydropower projects and want to stay updated on best practices

Hydropower project managers and developers responsible for planning and overseeing hydropower projects, who need a thorough understanding of E&S impacts

Sustainability and compliance officers responsible for ensuring projects meet international sustainability and regulatory requirements

Government and regulatory officials involved in the permitting and oversight of hydropower projects, who wish to understand the latest in E&S practices

Course curriculum

1. Hello from your trainers
2. Course outline, objectives and structure
3. How to navigate the platform
1. Lesson 1: E&S impacts in hydropower
2. Activity 1: Identify E&S impacts
3. Lesson 2: Important concepts and definitions
4. Activity 2: Key E&S terms and definitions
5. Lesson 3: ESIA, ESMP and Management Systems
6. Activity 3: Applying the mitigation hierarchy
7. Quiz: Module 1 review
1. Lesson 4: E&S activities in the project life cycle
2. Activity 4: Match E&S activity to the project stage
3. Lesson 5: E&S performance requirements
4. Activity 5: Find the gap
5. Lesson 6: Gap significance
6. Activity 6A: E&S Minimum requirements
7. Activity 6B: E&S Advanced requirements
8. Quiz: Module 2 review
1. Lesson 7: Strategic planning and screening
2. Activity 7: Options Analysis
3. Lesson 8: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)
4. Activity 8: Identifying impacts and their significance
5. Lesson 9: Mitigation measures, ESMPs and Management Systems
6. Activity 9: Identifying mitigation measures and the significance of residual impacts
7. Lesson 10: Monitoring and Adaptive Management
8. Activity 10: Identifying Key Performance Indicators
9. Quiz: Module 3 review
1. Final Quiz: Course review
2. Congratulations and next steps
3. Closing survey