With the aim of auditing the management of water resources in the Mekong River basin in association with realizing sustainable development goals.
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Mekong River Drop: Tonle Sap Lake at Record Low Levels
Climate change, drought, and upstream dams have led to record low water levels significantly harming Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake and the surrounding communities.
Flood risk for 1 million in Phnom Penh as wetlands destroyed
Wetlands in the Cambodian capital are being destroyed to build apartments and industries with little regard to the impacts on people and the environment.
Why has China built dams along the Lancang River
“The water supplementary role of Lancang cascade dams can generally alleviate drought occurring in the Mekong River Basin.”
A broken dam and broken promises: Laos doubles down on hydropower despite risks –
Companies and governments involved refuse to take responsibility for what happened, Laos still pins its hopes on hydropower.
Vietnam bans imports of wild animals to reduce risk of future pandemics
Vietnam has banned all imports of wild animals, dead or alive, and announced a crackdown on illegal wildlife markets as part of efforts to reduce the risk of future pandemics such as Covid-19.
Mekong is at historical lows
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) gauge at Phnom Penh Port shows river level to be four metres below average for this time of year – and lower than last year’s record.
Water wars: Mekong River another front in U.S.-China rivalry
Confrontation in which the Trump administration – maintaining an Obama-era Mekong environmental and development program – is losing ground.
Many Myanmar Mining Firms Fail to Name Politically Connected Owners
At least 10 companies have failed to identify “politically exposed persons”—those with links to high-ranking present or former military officials and ethnic armed groups—among their owners.