Amid environmental concerns, stricter supervision of coal-fired power plants is needed

Another 12 plants under construction are scheduled for completion between now and 2020, causing growing concerns over environmental safety, especially in regards to ash disposal and air quality standards.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has confirmed that all coal-fired power plants have submitted their environmental assessment reports to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Development as Unfreedom: Shrinking Democratic Spaces in Asia

The real sign of development and democracy is how a country respects, protects and promotes freedoms and human rights. The biggest challenge of our times is the increasing gap between the promises and performance of states and governments in relation to the protection of the freedoms and human rights of their people. This is most evident in many countries in Asia, with the shrinking of freedom and democratic spaces resulting in increasing attacks on human rights defenders.

Changing the Conversation around Development Projects: Over 2000 Comments Received on Regional Public Participation Guidelines

Citizens, governments and businesses from around the region provided over 2000 comments during landmark public consultations in October to finalize guidelines on ensuring communities have more say in infrastructure projects. Over 500 participants attended six national events across the region, a number of local outreach sessions and an online comment portal.

Open Letter to the Developers of the Don Sahong Dam

The Save the Mekong coalition has expressed concerns over the development of the Don Sahong Dam in Champassak Province, Lao P.D.R. The network, consisted of communities, local and international environmental groups, reiterates their concern over the construction of the Don Sahong Dam due to its location in an area critical to Mekong fish migration, the potential impacts of the project on regional fisheries are severe. They stress that food security of thousands of people in the Mekong Basin is dependent on many of the migratory fish species which have traditionally passed through the Hou Sahong channel. The also claim inadequate information has been made available to date regarding the scale and scope of the project’s impacts, the ongoing studies and monitoring efforts that are informing the project’s ‘adaptive and flexible approach’ to mitigation, and confirmation of the implementation and efficacy of the project’s mitigation measures.

Communities’ new tool for participation: manual on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in the Mekong Region

USAID-supported Mekong Partnership for the Environment partner EarthRights International is bringing a new tool to communities across the Mekong region. On 10 November 2016, EarthRights held a workshop on “Community Engagement in Environment Impact Assessment in Cambodia and other Mekong Countries” in Stung Treng province, Cambodia.

KLCM: Sucking Blood from Earth – Thailand Diverts the Mekong River and Threatens Its Water Security

Even though, Thailand has announced that the diversion of the Mekong’s water will only take place in the rainy season but in fact it is also being carried out during the dry one that lasts from February to May of each year. This plan has been going on “quietly” and continuously without any public announcement to inform the world communities or the countries downstream.

Powerful new documentary looks at lives threatened by Salween dams

A powerful new documentary produced by Karen News profiles people who may be affected by a string of planned hydropower dams on Myanmar’s Salween River. “Our River…, Our Life” takes viewers along one of the world’s longest undammed rivers.

“It gives voice to the people currently missing from the debate on the dams,” said Karen News. The film goes “deeper into the impacts of those policies/events on the people most affected – the villagers.”