What are the attractions of river travel?
I'm a great believer in river travel. It's a wonderful way to see a country and its people as they really are—and, in much of the world, day-to-day life still revolves around nearby waterways.
Traveling by river is also an exciting way to visit a foreign land. You never know for sure what the next day will hold and I've been very fortunate to have had many memorable moments with my family and friends while on rivers.
On a personal note, there's also something special about river travel that refreshes and rejuvenates the spirit and, after being on the river for several days, it does tend to bring out the child that still resides in most of us.
What are the major threats to rivers around the world?
Rivers are confronted by an array of threats, ranging from pollution and urbanization to the building of dams and the excessive diversion of water. Other examples range from the channelizing of waterways to poorly planned resource extraction activities.
The Riverworld program shows examples of all these, but it does elaborate a bit more on some of the controversial dam projects currently underway on rivers such as the Mekong, Yangtze and White Nile.
I think this is appropriate given that, from a global perspective, there are now about 750,000 dams worldwide—and about 50,000 of these are classified as large dams (which are at least 15 meters high—about 50 feet—or have a reservoir volume of three million cubic meters—nearly four million cubic yards—or more).
It's also important to note that about half the world's rivers have now been impacted by at least one impoundment and it's estimated that 50 million or more people have been displaced by large dams. Consequently, there's no question that the building of dams is a major environmental and social issue that's sparking much debate around the world. And while certain dams may have contributed to development, I also believe that there are many other cases where too high a price was paid to secure those benefits.
Looking back over the years from a personal perspective, what are some of the events that have influenced your interest in, and commitment to, protecting rivers?
Rivers have long been an important part of my life, both professionally and avocationally. I grew up living close to the Los Angeles River, a waterway that has been largely encased (or imprisoned) in a concrete culvert. And while I spent many wonderful days as a child playing along that river, I wasn't very old before I realized the artificial nature of this stream was not the way it was meant to be.
When I was a little older, I also saw the completion of the Glen Canyon dam in Arizona which flooded an incredibly beautiful canyon. This had an impact on me as well and I've since returned to this site on several occasions prior to rafting the Colorado River. We started our trips at the base of this dam and I've often wondered what it might have been like to paddle through Glen Canyon.
Another memorable event occurred when I was a teenager and took my first trip to the Fraser River Canyon in British Columbia. I remember being in awe of the river's power and beauty and it was certainly a dramatic change from the Los Angeles River I knew so well.
And then in the late 1960s, I started rafting, which was a new recreational pursuit at the time. I soon became an avid paddler and started taking as many river trips as possible, first domestically and then internationally.
In a cumulative sense, all of these events had an impact and would influence me from both a professional and recreational perspective. They also helped nurture what has become a lifelong interest in river conservation and travel.
How does Riverworld relate to the International Year of Fresh Water?
The International Year of Fresh Water is a positive initiative aimed at increasing public awareness about water-related issues. This is consistent with the purpose of Riverworld which focuses on the need to properly care for all freshwater resources. To put things in perspective, it's important to note that, while 80 percent of the Earth is covered with water, 97 percent of that water is saline and 2 percent is locked up as glacial ice—so only 1 percent is available for human consumption.
Consequently, water that is fresh, clean, and accessible is already a relatively scarce resource and it will become even more so in future. As a result, we all have to become better water stewards and yet, to date, we haven't really cared for our water resources to the degree that we should.
For example, per capita household water consumption in Canada is about 350 liters (92 gallons) a day, and if you add business and industrial uses to those figures, the per capita rate is actually much greater. As a result, our per-capita use (along with that of the U.S.) is the world's highest. It's almost double that of most of the UK, six times that of most Asian countries, and 12 to 15 greater than many African nations.
And while we may be fortunate to live in a country that has a relative abundance of water compared to other nations, there's no question that we'll have to become better water stewards in future. That means both protecting water sources, such as rivers, while also embracing conservation and reducing the total amount of water we consume.
Do we have a right to express a view on river conservation and dam-related issues in countries other than our own?
All independent nations have the right to make their own decisions about the extent to which their own waterways will be protected—but, in this era of "thinking globally while acting locally," hopefully all countries will strive to ensure that river-related developments are undertaken in a responsible and sustainable manner. However, if other countries are also going to be involved in these ventures, as Canadian governments or businesses often are through the provision of technical expertise or equipment—or if we play a role in financing these projects through international lending agencies—then we are in a position to try and influence the extent to which environmental and social values are considered.
For example, there have been numerous dam-related projects in many parts of the world where the rights of local citizens have not been adequately respected. Similarly, in a number of high-profile cases, locals have reaped little benefit from these massive projects while paying a steep personal price in terms of being displaced, often with little if any compensation. So before international business interests, or other governments, get too involved in these ventures, it's important from an ethical perspective to ensure that social and environmental considerations have been adequately addressed. In addition, by profiling some of these concerns, countries such as Canada and the United States can play an important role in resolving some of these issues, at least to a degree.
How has the World Bank played a major role in the building of dams on international rivers?
The World Bank has played a very significant role in river-related projects and, over the past few decades, has provided U.S. $75 billion for 538 dams in 92 different countries. Unfortunately, for many of these projects, benefits have been less than anticipated while costs (monetary, social, and environmental) have often been higher than envisioned.
Consequently, the World Commission on Dams (WCD) recently concluded that there must be greater effort in future, on the part of the World Bank and other lending institutions, to involve all stakeholders and to be more transparent and accountable when reviewing dam proposals. In addition, environmental and social impacts must be better assessed and the full range of alternatives to a given project must be thoroughly reviewed. The recommendations of the WCD have not yet been formally embraced by the World Bank but, if they were to do so, that would certainly be a positive step in terms of mitigating the environmental and social impacts of many future projects.
What kind of audience are you trying to reach with Riverworld?
While the program is informative, it's also entertaining, highly visual and designed to appeal to a broad audience. Consequently, I'm hoping that anyone with an interest in rivers and the environment as well as those who might enjoy adventure travel (to exotic and remote locales) will find the program appealing. And for those that do see it, I'm hoping it might encourage them to spend even more time on and along rivers, whether that be at home or abroad.
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