Founded in 1985 by social and environmental activists, International Rivers works with policy and financial analysts, scientists, journalists, development specialists, and volunteers to combat the adverse effects of dams and their legacies that it has identified in over 60 countries.

It actively works against the development model associated with dams, which it believes to be unsustainable, and promotes alternative solutions for meeting water, energy, and flood-management needs.

International Rivers is dedicated to giving dam-affected people the tools to participate in the development of local lands in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

It also takes a stance against the industry's representation of hydropower as it relates to climate change: The organization maintains that reservoirs often produce greenhouse gas emissions that further impact the environment.

Combining its efforts to change global policy by campaigning on specific key projects, the organization simultaneously addresses the root causes and localized consequences of dam development.