New briefing shows how the Hydropower Sustainability Standard can support EU Taxonomy assessments
The Hydropower Sustainability Alliance has published a new briefing examining how the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS) can support hydropower operators in assessing and reporting against the EU Taxonomy.
Titled Hydropower Sustainability Standard as a support tool for EU Taxonomy and authored by Filipa Newton, a senior water and sustainability expert, the briefing compares the requirements of the HSS with the EU Taxonomy criteria relevant to hydropower.
The EU Taxonomy provides a classification system for identifying environmentally sustainable economic activities. Hydropower operators seeking to report an activity as Taxonomy-aligned must demonstrate that it makes a substantial contribution to at least one environmental objective, does no significant harm to the others and meets minimum safeguards.
The new briefing outlines meaningful correspondence between the HSS and these requirements, particularly in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation, the ‘do no significant harm’ criteria and minimum safeguards.
Supporting evidence and reporting
The briefing explains how HSS Certification Reports can provide structured, independently reviewed information to support EU Taxonomy assessments and disclosures. This can help operators to organise relevant evidence, identify gaps and respond to reporting requirements.
HSS certification does not in itself demonstrate EU Taxonomy alignment. This must be assessed by the economic operator for each eligible activity, taking account of the applicable criteria and supporting evidence.
The publication also identifies opportunities to strengthen this relationship further through the ongoing review of the HSS. These include updating terminology and references, more explicitly mapping HSS requirements against EU Taxonomy criteria and developing improved digital reporting tools.
The briefing is intended to support hydropower operators, investors, financial institutions, regulators and other organisations seeking to understand how credible sustainability certification can contribute to EU Taxonomy assessment and reporting.
It is the latest in HSA’s series of interactive digital briefings examining how the Hydropower Sustainability Standard can support credible sustainability claims, reporting and investment decisions.
The briefing is available to explore online or download as a PDF.
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