WEEKLY NEWS DIGEST
Curating news, commentary and resources on development, its environmental and social impacts, and the context affecting the Mekong Region
MEKONG DEVELOPMENT
Red Flag River and China’s downstream neighbors
The Red Flag River’s proposed diversion of 21 percent of water from the upper streams of three transnational rivers (Mekong, Salween, and Brahmaputra) may be seen as a controversial issue. However, the proposed impact is actually very small. In the case of the Mekong, the discharge from the river’s upper stream accounts for just 2.96 percent of the the river’s total discharge.
CAMBODIA
New research directly links sestern fashion brands to deforestation
The researcher from Royal Holloway, University of London told VICE World News they show, for the first time, trees logged from Cambodian forest being illegally used as fuel in a garment factory supplying major Western brands.
LAOS
As first Chinese high-speed train reaches Laos, villagers demand overdue compensation
The first bullet train to serve the Laos-China high-speed railway was delivered to the Lao capital Vientiane at the weekend, but six weeks before the line is set to open, villagers who lost land to the project say they are still waiting for promised compensation.
Myanmar
China ramps up electricity imports from North Korea, Russia, Myanmar in bid to ease power crisis
The power is being generated by the Chinese-built Dapein (1) hydropower station located near Bhamo, a trading hub in northern Myanmar, according to people familiar with the matter.
Thailand
UK government calls on Thailand to accelerate its net-zero target
Thailand’s current strategy puts the kingdom 15-20 years behind the conference’s goal of having zero greenhouse-gas emissions globally by 2050 — the first objective of COP26.
Vietnam
Climate-Smart Maps and Adaptation Plans (CS-MAP) launched
CS-MAP integrates local knowledge and science-based research to provide location-specific risk maps and adaptation plans for rice production. The project currently covers five ecological regions of Vietnam and was developed by the Ministry’s Crops Production Department and CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in Southeast Asia (CCAFS SEA).