Paper short abstract:

A critical look at how key actors in the hydropower sector have re-established its dominance through the incorporation of the discursive frames of sustainability and of the water-energy nexus.

Paper long abstract:

In recent years, the concept of the water-energy nexus (henceforth the 'nexus') has gained traction as a key element of sustainable development, particularly in light of the challenges posed by climate change. Originally introduced by the World Economic Forum to emphasise the ways in which water is linked to economic growth, the 'nexus' approach has been embraced by prominent international institutions. The UN water strategy, for example, underlines the inextricable link between water and energy, presenting hydropower installations as the most versatile way to support flood management, provide storage for dry spells, and produce renewable and low-carbon energy supplies.

The nexus approach, however, leads to an implicit acceptance of the hydropower business as an uncontroversial one through the adoption of a depoliticising language grounded on the empty signifier of sustainability. The societal conflicts, corruption and inequalities inherent to the construction of large-scale hydroelectric plants are buried under a thick layer of discourses that seem to be primarily informed by the natural sciences. The proposed presentation will critically link the current prominence of the 'nexus' with the resurgence of the hydropower sector, through an analysis of recent developments in Ethiopia, a country that in recent years has launched an unprecedented number of large-scale dams incorporating the nexus narrative into the discursive frames of hydropower. A Gramscian historical materialist lens will serve to illustrate the narratives through which key actors in the hydropower sector have re-established its dominance as the main renewable energy source for the Global South.