Abstract
The Lower Mekong River basin (LMB) covers the lower part of the Mekong river basin, including Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Due to numerous pressures from high population growth and intensive hydropower development, the LMB has been facing significant challenges concerning its biodiversity and ecosystem. In 2017, Mekong River Commission (MRC), an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1995 among LMB countries, established the Council Study, which analysed the impacts of water development scenarios concerning the environmental, socioeconomic aspects of the LMB. This paper explores the nature of risks to the LMB water development and subsequently evaluates LMB’s water development scenarios described in the Council Study by using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method. MCDA method has been widely applied in the field of water resource management in order to assist the decision-making process by systematically evaluating a certain number of alternatives against well-selected criteria through a preference rating scheme. By implementing a risk-based comprehensive assessment of the LMB transboundary water, this study provides insights into the impacts of the increasing risks to the ecosystem and human beings on the water development of the basin over time, which assists to change the awareness and the perspective toward humans’ risks and transboundary river ecosystem of decision-makers. This paper provides valuable recommendations for MRC to improve their policy concerning benefit-sharing scheme, water planning and risk mitigation strategies.
Highlights
There are around 280 international river basins worldwide which contribute to approximately 60 percent of global water flows and accommodate nearly two-fifth of the world’s inhabitants [1] [2]
This paper explores the nature of risks to the Lower Mekong River basin (LMB) water development and subsequently evaluates LMB’s water development scenarios described in the Council Study by using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method
A Comparison between the Mekong river basin (MRB) and the Other Basins Worldwide According to the Transboundary Water Assessment Program (TWAP) intensive assessment, the relative risks related to a wide range of sustainable development issues were analysed for 286 global transboundary rivers, including the MRB, to identify river basins with significant problems and high potential risks
Summary
There are around 280 international river basins worldwide which contribute to approximately 60 percent of global water flows and accommodate nearly two-fifth of the world’s inhabitants [1] [2]. Given the vital role of shared river basins and the differences of riparian countries’ interest concerning their development priorities, managing these water resources in the context of environmental and social rapid changes is an enormous challenge. These problems are expected to become more severe over time, resulting from the increasing risk and uncertainty linked with population growth, climate change and other water-related evolution [4] [5]. Risk-based comprehensive assessment of transboundary water development is essential, for providing insights into the impacts of risks on the final evaluation and for supporting decision-making, planning and management processes in the long term
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