Abstract
This paper analyses roles of integrated approach to establish a regional mechanism for sustainable hydropower development in the Mekong River Basin. Based on a critical review of the current trend of hydropower development, it argued that existing approach of uncoordinated Mekong mainstream hydropower development cannot ensure sustainable development; rather it causes negative impacts on food security, livelihoods, biodiversity, and ecosystem across the river basin, especially countries in Lower Mekong Basin (LMB), including Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. As a result, it fails to bring positive net benefits at both national and regional level. Specifically, if all proposed mainstream dams are constructed and fully operated, Lao PDR is the only economically winner of billions USD after 20 years, while Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam are losers, and total net value will be minus 275 billion USD. Early recognition of the “nexus” interactions amongst hydropower development and cross-border food security, water security and livelihoods can minimise the risk of diplomatic conflicts and social unrest, and is only enabled when member states are willing to divert high-level government priorities from national interests to transboundary interests, as implementing the nexus approach throughout the river basin could contribute to reducing trade-offs between hydropower development and basin-wide socio-economy, and increase synergies through implementation of benefit-sharing mechanisms towards a win-win outcome. It recommends strengthening the Mekong River Commission via bolstered resources and coordinating authority, and encourages China to participate as a full member. It also argues that transboundary Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) of river projects should be conducted to reflect the synergic and trade-off nexus effect across the whole river basin.
Highlights
While the Paris Agreement gives a strong message that world is entering in a new low-carbon era, renewable energy including hydropower will play a vital role in order to achieve the ambitious targets that set out in this universal agreement
Hydropower is considered as a clean source of energy, as it burns no fuel and does not produce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, other pollutants, or waste associated with fossil fuels or nuclear power
Based on an extensive literature review, this study has investigated critical cross-sectoral impacts of existing uncoordinated hydropower development in Mekong River Basin
Summary
While the Paris Agreement gives a strong message that world is entering in a new low-carbon era, renewable energy including hydropower will play a vital role in order to achieve the ambitious targets that set out in this universal agreement. Poor sectoral coordination and institutional fragmentation have triggered an unsustainable use of resources and threatened the long-term sustainability of national and regional water, energy, and food security, which are considered 3 major pillars in the newly approved Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) This narrowly single sectoral planning approach can create problems in international river basins, where critical decisions on upstream hydropower development, for instance, that ignore basic human needs may well involve economic benefits, but at the expense of irreparable ecosystem damage as well as loss of water and food security further downstream. This is true for the Mekong River Basin, where is home to 80 million people in the Southeast Asia. This paper proposed appropriate mechanisms for introducing an integrated framework to integrate “nexus” interactions into the planning and decision-making process for hydropower development in Mekong River Basin, which could facilitate in promoting the synergies and minimizing the trade-offs between the areas or sectors to optimize resources management
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
