In 2020 alone, the Greater Mekong countries, excluding China, lost 1.1 million hectares (2.7 million acres) of forest. That’s an area about seven times the size of Bangkok, Thailand’s capital city.
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Laos, Germany extend cooperation on biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of forests
This joint project will support good forest governance, effective protected area management, environmental education, and curb illegal wildlife trade during the next three years.
Germany provides additional EUR 1.45 million to Mekong River Commission
“This additional funding will help the MRC establish its Core River Monitoring Network in the Mekong Region, an essential step towards getting more timely data and information about impacts of water infrastructure projects not only on the Mekong mainstream but also tributaries. We hope the fund will contribute to informed decisions over the development and responsible management of water resources as well as boosting the MRC’s ability to manage flood and drought risks more effectively.”
An Giang approves eco-tourism project in cajuput forest
The Mekong Delta province of An Giang has approved the development of an eco-tourism and amusement area at the Tra Su cajuput forest in Tinh Bien district by 2030.
Mekong giant catfish season begins in Kaeng Krachan Dam
None of the Mekong giant catfish, in this and other dams in Thailand, are native. They were introduced by the Fisheries Department’s artificial breeding programme, using fry of the wild-caught and endangered Mekong giant catfish.\
China detains at least 400 Myanmar migrants for more than a year
The 400 workers are among a pool of some 230,000 migrants who have sought work in China in the wake of armed conflict, environmental destruction and natural disasters in Myanmar, the Mekong region’s largest source of migrants, according to the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration. The undocumented status of the workers leaves them susceptible to exploitation at the hands of business owners and local officials.
Cambodia targets Mother Nature group in latest crackdown on dissent
“These tactics are merely an illustration of the precarious environment in which human rights defenders in Cambodia operate, and of the Royal Government of Cambodia’s relentless efforts to stifle opinions,” Chak Sopheap, executive director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, told DW.
Laos exports over 6,423MW to ASEAN
Billions of dollars are still needed to develop the energy sector in order to boost exports At present, Laos has 86 sources of energy with a combined installed capacity of more than 10,400MW, of which more than 80 per cent is sourced from hydropower dams.
Seminar takes a close look at the Mekong-ROK cooperation
To date, there are 33 completed, ongoing and approved MKCF projects, including five each in Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.