Large dams on the Mekong River in China’s Yunnan Province have considerable impacts on downstream river flows, new research by myself and colleagues at Aalto University in Finland and published recently in the Journal of Hydropower has shown.
Category: Myanmar
Tanintharyi officials say work on Dawei SEZ could restart
Regional government officials visited Japan last month to discuss that country’s potential participation in the SEZ and reported strong interest.
Environmental groups voice opposition to IFC dam workshops
Leading Burmese environmental groups, including Burma Rivers Network (BRN) and Save the Salween Network (SSN), today released a statement, voicing strong opposition to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which they say is currently promoting various hydropower projects in areas that are primarily conflict zones.
Minister discusses dams and hydropower with Chinese firm
Top officials from Myanmar have discussed dams and hydropower projects with one of China’s biggest hydropower companies.
Mekong EIA “Dream Team” Reaches the Final Mile
After an eighteen month journey, a team of civil society and government experts from across the Mekong Region is poised to transform the way communities are engaged in development.
The team has developed the Guidelines on Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in the Mekong Region, which lays out a practical approach for governments, companies and communities looking to improve the social and environmental impacts of development projects such as dams, mines, power plants and economic zones.
Troubled Wings: 7 Birds We May Lose From The Mekong
Much attention has been given to damages that are being inflicted on Mekong fish by massive infrastructure development. But little has been said about another of the region’s most valuable ecological assets: the spectacular birds of the Mekong.
The Salween Peace Park: A Radical, Grassroots Alternative to Development in Karen State
A path has opened for environmental conservationists and rights advocates to strengthen their fight against gold mining and other socially and environmentally destructive projects in the rich forests of Karen State in eastern Burma: the Salween Peace Park.
Hydro expansion will fail without energy market reform
Energy demand in China is slowing. This is causing a major headache for the hydropower sector, which has invested heavily in new projects in recent years. The continued construction of hydropower, as with coal, has led to surplus capacity, tumbling profits and an unbalanced national energy system.
Beyond Sustainable Development for ASEAN
In view of various climate change phenomena, how can economies develop sustainably? Specifically, can economies grow while giving equal consideration to the tri-nexus of economy, environment and society? It is a question confronting policymakers in Southeast Asia on a recurring basis.
Asean at 50, and Beyond
Asean is 50 years old this year. It is a true milestone for a loosely constructed regional organization created by five countries at the height of the Cold War to have come this far. Since its conception, its member countries have transformed Asean into a rules-based entity encompassing all the countries in Southeast Asia.