One of the most active regions in the world for hydropower development, the Mekong River is the longest river in Southeast Asia and the 7th longest in Asia! According to the International Center for Environmental Management, the Mekong is second to the Amazon in terms of aquatic biodiversity so it is understandable that the countries that share its waters are largely affected by what happens upstream. Mekong countries rely heavily on the river`s resources so an increased focus on advancing sustainable hydropower is pivotal to reducing impacts on the environment, fisheries and people’s livelihoods.
On Oct 31st, 2016, Dr. Xuezhong Yu, Senior Environmental Specialist at Ecofish chaired the mid-term consultation workshop for the project “Balancing River Health and Hydropower Requirements in the Lancang River.” The workshop brought together 17 participants from Huaneng Hydro Lancang Corporation, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute, TNC China, WWF China, Yunnan Social Institute, and Yunnan University. Mid-term projects results included a river health and hydropower impacts assessment, the environmental trans-boundary effects of hydropower projects, and gender impacts on river health management in the Lancang River Basin. The workshop was a fantastic forum for attendees to discuss potential areas for improvement and provide recommendations for ongoing activities.
The project was led by Ecofish Research Ltd. in partnership with the Asian International Rivers Center of Yunnan University, China and Faculty of Agriculture of National University of Laos. With a vision of integrating both the ecological and social values of the river, this project assesses the river health of the Lancang River Basin with respect to the impacts of hydropower projects and the transboundary effects of Chinese hydropower projects on the Lower Mekong River.
Dr. Xuezhong Yu chairing the workshop
Discussion at the workshop