The Nature Conservancy, a non-governmental organisation that works to conserve ecologically important lands and waters and all that they provide for people and nature, will be a main sponsor of the 2015 World Hydropower Congress.

The congress, hosted by the International Hydropower Association (IHA), takes place at the Yanqi Lake complex in Beijing’s Huairou District on 19–21 May 2015.

While the Conservancy has participated in previous years as a partner, as a main sponsor, it will have a much more prominent role in planning and shaping the congress’ content.

This is the first time an environmental NGO has sponsored the biennial event, signifying the wide-ranging interest in finding new solutions and partnerships to improve the environmental and social sustainability of hydropower.

In an article explaining why the Conservancy is stepping up its collaboration with IHA, which you can read in full here, its Director of Sustainable Hydropower Dr. Jeff Opperman said, “We want to do our part to help create a future world, one where people can live, learn and thrive supported by a sustainable energy system and one that harbours beautiful and productive rivers, including wild ones.

"The strongest contribution we can make as an organisation to achieve that vision is to build on our history of partnerships and find science-based, common-ground solutions for sustainable hydropower.”

Commenting on the Conservancy’s decision to sponsor the World Hydropower Congress, Richard Taylor, IHA’s CEO, remarked that “this is a new step in the partnership between IHA and the Conservancy, building on the positive results of our growing collaboration over the recent years”.

You can learn more about The Nature Conservancy here.