Jamie Skinner

Principal researcher, Natural Resources; team leader, water

Jamie Skinner is an expert on water governance, especially in arid lands. His work has a particular focus on managing the social and environmental dimensions of large dam projects. He also looks at how to manage multiple benefits from water.

Full biography

He is currently managing the Global Water Initiative programme for West Africa. This programme aims to improve water management for sustainable agriculture and food security across five countries: Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Senegal.

Expertise

Water governance, especially in arid lands; planning and management of social and environmental dimensions of large dams; management of multiple benefits from water.

Before IIED

Director, IUCN Mediterranean programme.
Senior adviser, World Commission on Dams.

Current work

Management of the Global Water Initiative programme for West Africa
Water governance from river basin to village.

Interviews

IIED expert interviews: Jamie Skinner

Jamie Skinner's projects

FutureDAMS

Project, Jan 2020

Young man collecting water from a pool with camels in background. Kindjandji, Niger.

GWI West Africa: project background

Project, Nov 2014

Woman collects water for irrigation in Selingue, Mali. Photo: Khanh Tran-Thanh

Ensuring water is equitably allocated and governed

Project, Aug 2013

Latest publications

Gender considerations in the restoration of livelihoods: resettlement from hydropower

Irrigation, sécurité alimentaire et pauvreté – Leçons tirées de trois grands barrages en Afrique de l’Ouest

Irrigation, food security and poverty – Lessons from three large dams in West Africa

Dar es Salaam’s water supplies need stronger, more flexible management to meet SDG6

Meeting future demand for drinking water supply in Dar es Salaam: Hydrological modelling of the Ruvu River and assessment of flows

Building better dams by sharing the benefits (IWP&DC magazine feature article)

Jamie Skinner's blog posts

Aerial view of a hydropower plant

Will green bonds boost finance flows to sustainable hydropower?

Blog, Apr 2021

One man in a small boat on a reservoir, in front of a large dam

Resettlement from large dams – what have we learned?

Blog, Oct 2019

Kaleta Dam under construction in Guinea (Photo: Jamie Skinner/IIED)

Who should carry the financial risks in large private sector financed hydropower projects?

Blog, Dec 2018

Construction of a dam and hydropower plant on the Konkouré River at Kaléta in Guinea. The new plant came on line in September 2015 (Photo: Jamie Skinner/IIED)

Should the Green Climate Fund flow to hydropower?

Blog, Oct 2016

Women pay heavier price for big dams

Blog, Mar 2016

Consultation of local communities affected by the Kandadji dam about long-term leases to secure land tenure (Photo: GWI West Africa)

From traditional land rights to long-term leases: fair compensation?

Blog, Jun 2015