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Suggestions for the conflict over Mekong Dams

Rivers, the home and source of life, nurturing the smallest plankton to the biggest

fish, to the land animal claiming to be the smartest, human. With advanced technology,

humans have always been taking advantages of the earth in many of the ways they could

ever think of, including controlling the river. Dams are seen to be beneficial in the eyes of

economists or politicians but never the environmentalists nor the indigenous people. The

Mekong River is about to face these invasion like other rivers. Its basin is the second most

diverse area on earth also it is considered the largest inland fishery. The debate went on

for years in the argument whether the dams should be built or not, considering the benefit

of getting electric power and the changes in ecosystem and peoples livelihood. There is

possibility that this problem will lead to the conflict among the ASEAN members in the

future.The countries in the upper basin, Laos and Thailand for example, tend to favour the

construction. But on the other hand, the lower basin countries, like Vietnam or Cambodia,

tend to oppose dam building as it affects the food security of people and obviously there is

not much water left for the lower basin countries to control. The solution of Mekong river is

to create the better cooperation among the countries(and the united perspective of the

resources ownership), the deeper understanding of environmental condition, and the

attempt to find the eco-friendly energy sources.

With the significant benefits of Mekong river, the suitable water management and

the cooperation of these countries are needed. As the creation of the dams affects
countries in different ranges and aspects, there is possibility that this point can lead to the

conflict of interest. For example, if all of the proposed dams are constructed, Laos will

receive the most power benefit, 70%, following by Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, who

receive only 5%. In the same time, food security is significantly affected in Cambodia and

Vietnam, Fish caught is predicted to be lost by 50% in both country. With the conversion to

amount of annual fishery and farming losses, Cambodia will lost $450 millions, and

Vietnam $760 millions. Even though there is MRC, Mekong River Commission, that has

been promoting the distribution of the river used, there is still conflict. As in 2010, Laos and

Thailand started the construction of Xayaburi Dam, ignoring the oppose of Cambodia and

Vietnam. There is possibility that the conflict will be intensify because each countries will

be affected differently. For example, Vietnam will be affected negatively on fisheries and

aquaculture, sediments and associated nutrient and etc, in return Vietnam will gain only

portion of economic benefits. In the same time Lao PDR will be affected very similar in the

negative way, loss of biodiversity, river bank garden, tourism asset, food security and etc

but the benefits that follow are beyond other countries, such as significant revenue,

increased irrigable area, longer term of power supply, etc. Thus, the cooperation among

the countries is needed to find the compromise and make an effective agreement on how

the river should be shared. And in order to encounter that agreement, it is essential for the

leaders or the decision makers to comprehend that the river doesnt belong to any single

country but all the people, as a bad decision can lead to the loss for the downstream

countries; and discussion has to be proceeded with respect and understanding.


Along with the great benefit of the hydropower dam, there will also be the great loss

in terms of environment. Inferior only to the Amazon, Mekong basin is the second most

diverse area on earth. The river is the home to many species of large fish, also it is the

biggest inland fishery with 2 million metric tons of fish a year. According to the summary of

the final report prepared for the Mekong River commission, it is predicted that with the

proposed dams construction in Mekong River, calculated from the habitat loss only, 12-

27% of productivity of aquatic system will be lost. Also 35% of fish in Mekong, the species

that require the suitable long-distance migration condition, would decline dramatically as

some part of the river will become the reservoirs. This loss in biodiversity is irreversible

and should be considered as global loss. Connected to livelihood, and well-being of

people, these issues will cause vast amount of losses for fishery and agricultural sector,

especially in the lower basin countries. The prediction shows that if all planned dams are

existed, total loss of fish would be 550,000 880,000 tonnes(compared to year 2000). And

the agricultural sector will be facing the overflowing and loss of agricultural land. It is

needed to be understand by all leaders that besides the economic and financial gain, the

loss in biodiversity and the effect on ecology system have to be considered as factors in

the decision as well. The acknowledging and understanding about the environmental

conditions are also essential to make the agreeable and eco-friendly decision. Not only the

ASEAN leader but also the citizens should be aware and concern of the effect of the

decision as well. Because the effects of the dams, positive and negative, will be remained

will all citizens. Therefore it will be easier to evaluate the outcome if the leaders and
citizens are aware and understand of the following environmental problem that it has

capacity to affect not only biodiversity, but also the economy, and food security.

According to the Asian Development Bank, the emission rate in South East Asia

region has been increased dramatically in 1990-1999 form 25%-40%. And if the policies

are regardless of the climate change, the rate of emission is predicted to be 50% by 2030.

As reported by the 3rd ASEAN energy outlook, in 2017, the GDP is predicted to grow by

5.7%. In correspond to this and GDP growth targets of the 10 ASEAN members, from

2007 to 2030, it is predicted that the consumption of energy will be increased by 4.4%(in

the Business-as-usual scenarios). It is also forecasted that the growth of hydro power will

be 7.1% over 2007 to 2030, but still the highest growth source is coal. It is genuine that

fossil fuels and coal contribute in climate change and the countries should aim to decrease

using these sources and looking for the renewable power. Hydropower is believed to be

one kind of clean energy. But actually dam also emits greenhouse gases from the rotting

organic matter and the construction process also it dry up the carbon sink area. Some

dams even emits gasses more that coal source, but some dams are cleaner as they are

believed to be. Moreover dams damaged the biodiversity of the river, and that should be

more concerned among the countries. Anyways the main source of energy comes from

coal. But the renewable energy has been starting to be the part of the sources. It is

needed that the leader has to be aware of the effects of each energy sources they decided

to use and the proportion of those sources in order to meet the energy demand., as it

affects not only economic, but livelihood and environment. And it will be beneficial for the
countries in the long term if the new clean energy is introduced, because demand of

people tends to be increasing according to the prediction, and the old sources of energy

may not be enough to meet those demands. Therefore it is logical to invest capital and

support the research in order to find the new or modified way of producing energy that is

friendly to the environment like the solar cell or the wind generator which will be more

sustainable for both humans and environment.

The collaboration among the ASEAN members, the more awareness about the

importance of the environment, and the endeavour to meet the energy demand in the

same time as having least effects to the ecosystem are the way to make the best decision

out of Mekong River. The balancing of development and preservation of the environment

has always been the conflict, including in South East Asia region. The construction of the

dams significantly affect the food security, biodiversity, and agriculture, especially the

countries in the lower basin. Therefore it is a need to cooperate in order to finding an

agreement among the countries that are sharing the river. Moreover, the factors that are

regarded in the decision-making process have to include the effect on the environment.

Even though it might not be as obvious or countable as the economic growth but the loss

in habitat of the living things, biodiversity and the changes in the ecosystem are almost

irreversible and should be considered as the global loss. In addition, the continual attempt

to find or modify renewable energy, as the demand for energy is increasing in ASEAN and

hydropower also has effects on the environment. It will be a long term benefit to be aware

of those effects and find the energy that least harm the nature.
It has never been easy to find the middle ground between the instantaneous

development and the more sustainable livelihood with the preserved environment. Anyway,

while considering the economic benefit and the demand of people, it is also essential to be

aware of effects following the decisions whether to construct dams or not. Because those

effects, in the long term, cost the earth and eventually affect the society regardless of the

country. Therefore, in Mekong River and all other rivers, dam construction has to be well

thought and planned considering the effects on environment too, in order to prevent it from

being ruined before it is irreversible.


Sources:

International Centre for Environmental Management. (2010, October). Summary of the

Final Report. Retrieved from http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/

Consultations/SEA-Hydropower/SEA-FR-summary-13oct.pdf

World Commission on Dams. (2000, November). Dams and Development. Retrieved from

http://www.unep.org/dams/WCD/report/WCD_DAMS%20report.pdf

Wockner, G. (2014, August 14). Dams Cause Climate Change, They Are Not Clean

Energy. Retrieved from http://www.ecowatch.com/dams-cause-climate-change-

they-are-not-clean-energy-1881943019.html

WLE Greater Mekong. (n.d.). Mekong River Facts. Retrieved from https://wle-

mekong.cgiar.org/mekong-river-facts/

Herbertson, K. (2013, August 15). The Mekong Dams Dispute: Four Trends to Watch.

Retrieved from https://www.internationalrivers.org/blogs/267/the-mekong-dams-

dispute-four-trends-to-watch

Wright, S. (2016, April 5). Vietnam warns of dire impact from planned Mekong dams.

Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2016-04-vietnam-dire-impact-mekong.html


The Energy Data and Modelling Centre, The Institute of Energy Economics, The ASEAN

centre for Energy, The National ESSPA Project Teams. (2011, February). The 3rd

ASEAN Energy Outlook. Retrieved from https://www.energycommunity.org/

documents/ThirdASEANEnergyOutlook.pdf

Asian Development Bank. (2016, September). Asian Development Outlook 2016 Update:

Meeting the Low-Carbon Growth Challenge. Retrieved from https://www.adb.org/

publications/asian-development-outlook-2016-update

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