In major freshwater systems, marine mammals are particularly at risk from drowning following entanglement in discarded fishing gear. The report cites the Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica), of which an estimated 3,500 remain, and the Mekong population of Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris), which numbers less than 100, as particularly vulnerable.
Category: Mekong
Strategic basin and delta planning increases the resilience of the Mekong Delta under future uncertainty
“Herein, we demonstrate an approach to identify planning levers that can increase the resilience of river deltas under a wide range of future conditions for the 40,000-km2 Mekong Delta in Southeast Asia.”
ASEAN needs more Belt and Road money, say ministers
Meeting online at a Belt and Road Summit, ASEAN ministers said the region has benefited from the infrastructure and digital connectivity already brought about by BRI, but new initiatives are needed to create opportunities amid pandemic-induced uncertainties.
Improving food security through capacity building
Working closely with the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and other regional and national partners, SERVIR-Mekong brought together satellite imagery, ground-based measurements, and local expertise to produce water resource maps, drought forecasts, and other online data resources. These products help the MRC and other agencies prepare for and respond effectively to drought.
10 rivers at risk from hydropower even though we can now tackle climate change without damming them
Mekong Blues (Laos) – Hydropower dams on the lower Mekong in Laos would threaten the future of the world’s most productive freshwater fisheries, the stability of the densely populated delta, and the river’s biodiversity – including critically endangered river dolphins and Mekong giant catfish. 60 million people depend on the health of the lower Mekong.
New risk assessment tool to boost value of hydropower projects
Riverscope has been applied to five pilot projects in Africa and Southeast Asia, including three dams planned on the Mekong River. The assessments found that large hydropower projects are often associated with ESG risks that are difficult to manage effectively or at a reasonable cost. This inevitably leads to long delays and budget overruns.
Climate change blame game turns against Asia
Southeast as a whole, from Indonesia to Thailand and Vietnam, now accounts for more than half of global energy demand. All the major economies in the region continue to rely on coal and as a result, emissions will keep rising.
Washington gets serious about the Mekong
Outlining a comprehensive action plan for the Mekong River region at a virtual meeting with Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made it clear that Biden sees the area as America’s new strategic “pivot.”
Asean formalises Mekong involvement with water security dialogue, as China’s dams come under scrutiny
The inaugural meeting between the bloc and the Mekong River Commission has been hailed as a means of boosting protection of the vital waterway. Asean has not previously discussed issues relating to the river at the regional level, but its fluctuating water levels have put upstream Chinese dams in the spotlight.