Abstract: Compared with large hydropower station, small hydropower station costs less, brings about less environmental damage, and plays an important role in the power consumption, river harnessing and the local social and economic development of remote areas in Southwest China and the minority areas. However, excessive and disorderly development of small hydropower also has impact on the river ecosystem. At present, a large number of small hydropower stations in operation are being inspected by the national sustainable green development program. China has put forward the Green Small Hydropower Evaluation Criteria (Draft) (hereinafter referred to as the “standard”), as a reference for the evaluation and certification of green small hydropower stations. By analyzing the “standard” and the favorable experiences of representative green hydropower standards abroad, we elaborated on improving the evaluation criteria of green small hydropower from aspects of evaluation content, index system and evaluation period. In view of the lack of strict certification body and powerful supervision approach, we discussed about the establishment of reward and punishment system in terms of policy promotion, incentive mechanism, restraint and punitive measures.

Key words: green small hydropower, standard system, evaluating indicator, management system, excitation mechanism