Mekong Watch On August 4th, local community groups from Dawei (southern Burma) sent a letter to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) after Japan officially announced its involvement in the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) development project and related projects. This is a […]
Category: Article
PR ARTICLE: NASA, USAID Open Environmental Information Hub for Southeast Asia
NASA/ USAID NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Monday launched SERVIR-Mekong, a joint project to strengthen regional environmental monitoring in five countries in the lower Mekong region of Southeast Asia. One of three SERVIR hubs now operating in developing regions of the world, the center is housed at the Asian Disaster Preparedness […]
PR ARTICLE: SUMERNET roundtable explores building social and environmental safeguards for a Mekong Region facing rapid economic integration and a changing climate
SUMERNET Climate change, regional integration and safeguards were highlighted by speakers at a SUMERNET roundtable at the regional symposium on the role of social and environmental safeguards held by the Mekong Partnership for the Environment (MPE) in Bangkok on 25-27 August 2015. By Albert Salamanca The regional symposium theme was “Safeguarding Sustainable Development in the […]
RESOURCE: Mekong EIA Briefing: Environmental Impact AssessmentComparative AnalysisIn Lower Mekong Countries
Pact/Mekong Partnership for the Environment This report provides a comparative analysis of EIA laws, policies, regulations, and guidelines in the Lower Mekong countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam). The analysis was conducted in order to determine existing regional harmonization, identify gaps, and recommend options for developing a set of standards that can accompany the […]
NGOs, Volunteer Groups Take Pollution Fight into their Own Hands
Amid mounting concerns about environmental issues, a growing number of people in China are starting to take the fight against pollution into their own hands. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and volunteer groups focused on environmental protection have been sprouting up around the country over the past few years. Most are engaged in detection efforts and conducting their own research on industrial pollution that is often ignored by the government.
As the need for power surges, are small – or big – dams the answer?
To provide more clean energy, particularly in fast-growing Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the world needs more hydropower dams, energy experts say.
But a surge in building of big dams is also leading to poor people being displaced and losing rights to water – something that needs to be addressed if more dam projects go ahead, community leaders and researchers say.
KOICA signs for Dala and Bago master plans
Clare Hammond Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has signed with the Ministry of Construction for several ambitious projects – including master plans for the north and south of Yangon and designing a national road network. The South Korean government’s grant aid arm recently signed with the minister to prepare two regional development plans, said chief […]
No Recourse: Upper Mekong Dam Spells End for Tibetan Village
Cizhong, a remote Tibetan village in China’s Yunnan province, has no recourse against the onslaught of impacts from the construction of the Wunonglong dam on the Upper Mekong River.
Karen Groups Concerned Proposed Dams on Salween River Could Fuel Conflict and Increase Militarization
The Karen River Watch, a coalition of Karen environmental community based groups raise concerns over the proposed hydropower dam projects on the Salween River and repeated their call for a halt to all development projects. Together with local villagers, KRW held a protest near Hat Gyi Dam, one of the proposed dam sites in Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State on March 14 to mark International Day of Action for Rivers and Against Dams.
ADB urges protection of “natural capital” in the Mekong, while concerns persist about its huge infrastructure investment plans
Environment ministers from the six Mekong Region countries gather every three years to review environmental challenges and regional responses under the Greater Mekong Subregion Environment Ministers’ Meeting (EMM), hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).