Parts of the Mekong River in Laos have risen suddenly during the dry season by as much as 12 cm in one day, threatening fish stocks, wildlife and aquatic plants vital to livelihoods.
Category: Mekong
Mekong Dams Bring Hardship to Thai Villagers
Dams have subverted the Mekong ecosystem, bringing drought during the monsoon season and high waters when it should be dry. That has forever changed the lives of those who depend on the river for food and work in northeastern Thailand, a poor region bordering Laos and Cambodia. Vijitra Duangdee reports for VOA news, from Nong Khai, Thailand.
The Mekong’s calling you, Sue Perkins
Sue learned that the local Tibetan Chinese have a deep reverence for the Mekong and refrain from damaging or polluting the river so that folks downstream can also enjoy “clean drinking water”.
Mekong River Commission unveils strategy and action plan
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) released a ten-year basin development strategy and a five-year strategic plan Monday to address challenges and improve the state of the basin.
Chinese Dams Unleash Mekong Waters on Laos During ‘Dry’ Season
Chinese dams on the Mekong River have begun releasing water during the river’s normal dry season, causing trouble for wildlife, farmers and fishermen in Lao
Mekong governance across borders ‘critical’
Fishermen living next to the Mekong have seen their wealth diminishing with changing water flow patterns – a phenomenon observed over the past two decades since China started building 11 dams in its upper Mekong.
China’s dam rush: critics query hydropower path to carbon neutrality
“Dam-building is still controversial in China because of environmental concerns. However, opposition is not as strong as before, because the need to achieve carbon neutrality is more pressing.”
Rivers can be climate change solutions, too
Rivers and their floodplains have the potential to act as shock absorbers to climate change, but the Mekong River illustrates the harsh reality communities face when infrastructure is poorly planned.
Mekong hurt by sweet talk
Indeed, China has a big role in the framework given that it has financially contributed to most projects, if not all, under the MLC. But this does not necessarily mean the superpower should enjoy a free hand.
Cambodia blocks Angkor Wat resort, will Laos stop the dam at its UNESCO site?
hough Laos may not respect UNESCO’s wishes, the argument that the dam goes against the government’s own promises regarding the country’s national identity is compelling. Though Laos may not see the enormous risks involved in the Luang Prabang dam, it may be able to recognize its own commitments.