and cooperates and collaborates with international organisations with interests in renewable energy such as IEA, WEC, and the World Bank. It is an active participant in the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), founded in Bonn, Germany, on 26 January 2009. IHA is a founding member of International Renewable Energy Alliance (REN Alliance), which was formed on 4 June 2004, in Bonn, Germany, by the International Geothermal Association (IGA), the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), and the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA). The World Bioenergy Association (WBA) subsequently joined the REN Alliance in June 2009. Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol, is a comprehensive tool to assess the sustainability of hydropower projects. It was launched in June 2011 at the International Hydropower Association (IHA) World Congress. It provides a thorough, evidence-based assessment of between 19 and 23 relevant sustainability topics, depending on the development stage of the project. The Protocol is the product of a rigorous multi-stakeholder development process between 2008 and 2010, involving representatives from social and environmental NGOs (Oxfam, Nature Conservancy, Transparency International, WWF); governments (China, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Zambia); commercial and development banks (including banks that are signatory to the Equator Principles, and the World Bank); and the hydropower sector, represented by IHA. The Protocol development process included field trials in 16 countries, across six continents, and stakeholder engagement with 1,933 individuals in 28 countries. The topics cover the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental, and include issues such as downstream flow regimes, indigenous peoples, biodiversity, infrastructure safety, resettlement, water quality, and erosion and sedimentation. The assessment tools are used as a framework to produce a sustainability profile for a hydropower project. In so doing, multiple stakeholders can become better informed on the sustainability profile of a project, and develop strategies to address any weaknesses. The Protocol can be used during all stages of hydropower project development: early stage, preparation, implementation and operation. This new approach to promote continuous improvement in hydropower sustainability has been designed so that the sustainability of hydropower projects can be assessed anywhere in the world, covering a broad range of possible case scenarios. UNESCO/IHA Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Status of Freshwater Reservoirs Research Project The UNESCO / IHA GHG Status of Freshwater Reservoirs Research Project is hosted by IHA, in collaboration with the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of UNESCO. The Project is a global initiative to improve understanding of