Throughout the world, the benefits of large dams are being called into question. Most notably, the World Commission on Dams has highlighted the social, environmental and economic problems that such schemes can bring. New research from Vietnam has added more fuel to this debate and shown how the environmental costs of hydro-electric schemes can significantly affect their economic viability. The study argues that incorporating these costs into electricity charges can both generate funds for environmental rehabilitation and community compensation, and reduce demand for environmentally-damaging power generation.

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