The International Hydropower Association (IHA) is a non-profit, international organisation and membership association representing the global hydropower sector. IHA has members in more than 80 countries, including over 100 corporate and affiliate members working across sectors such as electricity generation, water management, construction, engineering and related industries. IHA also partners with international organisations, research institutions, governments and civil society. The association's mission is "to advance sustainable hydropower by building and sharing knowledge on its role in renewable energy systems, freshwater management and climate change solutions". History The International Hydropower Association (IHA) was formed under the auspices of UNESCO in 1995 as a forum to promote and disseminate good practices and further knowledge about hydropower. IHA employed its first full-time member of staff in 2001. It now consists of five departments, a central office (London), a regional office (South America) and a national office (China). Following the publication of the World Commission on Dams final report in 2000, IHA participated in the United Nations Environmental Programme’s Dams and Development Project. In 2004, IHA became a founding member of the International Renewable Energy Alliance (REN Alliance) along with partner organisations representing the bioenergy, geothermal, solar and wind industries. The REN Alliance was established to advance the role of renewable energy systems, and continues to build influence today. IHA published its first sustainability guidelines for hydropower projects in 2004, followed by the IHA Sustainability Protocol in 2006. This work formed the basis for the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum, a multi-stakeholder body consisting of representatives from government, commercial and development banks, social and environmental NGOs, and the hydropower sector. Initiated in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the forum was convened over three years to develop a new tool to measure and guide sustainability performance in the hydropower sector: the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol. IHA has managed the roll-out and implementation of the protocol since its launch in 2011, and works in partnership with 15 leading companies around the world to promote a better understanding of how this tool can be used in different local and regional contexts. In 2007, IHA hosted its first world congress in Turkey, bringing together hundreds of the world's leading hydropower decision-makers, policymakers and thought leaders. The World Hydropower Congress is now a biennial event and continues to serve as a reference point for the sector. It has been held in Turkey (2007)