“Plastic pollution that originates along a river like the Mekong, may make its way out to the sea, and ultimately — given winds and waves and currents — that could end up on Australian shores as well.”
Category: Mekong
From drink bottles to tobacco sachets, UN study traces plastic pollution hot spots in the Mekong and Ganges
Researchers found that some top plastic leakage hot spots are illegal dump sites, including one along Thailand’s Mun river which feeds into the Mekong.
Mekong Infrastructure Tracker
Resources for understanding the dynamic economic, social, environmental, and political impact of development in the Mekong region
Dams on the Mekong are causing mayhem
Such hoarding of river water by China is of especial concern during the dry season. “When drought sets in, China effectively controls the flow of the river,” said Brian Eyler, with the Stimson Center.
Rebutting US claims, China says dams unrelated to Thai drought
“The research by Eyes on Earth Inc. did not consider precipitation levels and complication of water flows. It does not reflect hydrological realities. Results are mostly calculated trends, not the actual water flows on the long term.”
Transparency and info-sharing on the Mekong valued by China
China’s desire to promote transparency and sharing of information refutes previous Western media reports claiming that China’s Mekong dams exacerbated the drought in downstream countries.
US Study insists China’s dams to blame for Mekong drought
The researchers discuss the findings in a video conference organized by the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok. The team said China’s dams controlled and restricted the water flow in the Mekong, leading to a disaster felt in Thailand.
COVID-19 threatens endangered wildlife in Southeast Asia
Today, for many rural people across far-flung parts of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, COVID-19 is less a crisis of public health than economic survival–creating a crisis for wildlife.
Vietnam and Mekong peers pay economic price despite low virus tolls
Promising ASEAN quartet likely to fortify and diversify after pandemic cuts growth
Dams upstream of the Mekong damage 70 million people
Despite the warnings, plans push ahead for new barriers, to the detriment of people living in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The worst off are the millions of Vietnamese who live in the Mekong delta.