ABC Radio Australia
Regional nations along the Mekong river delta are holding talks with China, amid fears that Chinese dams upstream are depleting the vital waterway, plunging it to its lowest levels in decades. Leaders from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, will meet with high level delegates from China and Burma, to sign an historic declaration on how to manage the Mekong River. It follows a two-day meeting of the Mekong River Commission - the first of its kind in its 15 year history. The record low water levels in the Mekong is threatening the livelihood of over 60 million people who depend on it for their survival.
Presenter: Sen Lam
Speakers: Carl Middleton, Mekong Program Coordinator with non government organisation International Rivers
MIDDLETON: Well at the moment the situation is not clear. Obviously the low rainfall has contributed significantly to the drought but the problem is that the data hasn't been released, complete sets of data, about the operation of China's management upstream, and so that's created some suspicions downstream that their projects may be contributing in some way.
LAM: Indeed I understand some member countries of the Mekong River Commission are saying that China is showing some reluctance to sharing its data?
MIDDLETON: Actually what we've seen is some unprecedented steps for increasing data sharing. Until now, the Chinese hadn't released any dry season data, but for the current drought they've released dry season data from the two lower stations on the river. But they've just completed a new project that started filling its reservoir last year, and they haven't yet released the data for the water levels in that new dam, which is one of the highest arch-dams in the world.
LAM: I understand that leaders from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will sign an historic declaration on how to manage the Mekong River, together with China and Burma. Do we know what this declaration is likely to contain?
MIDDLETON: It's likely to include an affirmation of a commitment to share the river. A statement that came out of a technical meeting a couple of days before, that was read to the prime ministers, it seems that there's also an affirmation of a commitment for more irrigation and for more hydro-power development. And this is a bit worrying because at the moment the fisheries of the Mekong River provide food security for millions of people, and this of course we see how extensive hydro-power development can coincide with the continuation of the productivity of the fisheries, which at the moment is the most productive in the world.
LAM: So do you think the countries downstream, countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, do you think they would try and seek some kind of assurance from China? Is that being sought?
MIDDLETON: Well first of all, what's important is that all countries work to share the river together. At the moment only the four lower Mekong countries - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia - are members of the Mekong River Commission. And especially now, that China has built these projects it's important for deeper cooperation with China. About 18 per cent of the water of the Mekong comes from China. So then there's a number of other challenges that also need to be met, including not beyond the current drought, the plans for this extensive infrastructure development, and many people along the river wouldn't want to see these projects built, especially projects on the Mekong River's mainstream. So I think it's also important the affirmation that comes out of this summit is to listen closely to the voices of the people of the region, and their hopes for the vision of the basin.
LAM: And Carl Middleton, I understand that your organisation, International Rivers, chaired a public meeting which ran alongside the summit on the weekend. What did the meeting call for?
MIDDLETON: The meeting largely called for the leaders to listen to the voices of the people. There was a lot of discussion about the drought and it called on China to release the complete sets of data. China was present at the meeting, and it explained its position. But there was also a recognition that the projects have had a longer term impact on downstream communities in northern Thailand. And there needs to start being discussion about compensation, and then also discussion about how to change the operation of the downstream and minimise impact downstream.
LAM: Are there signs already that the lower water levels of the Mekong are beginning to affect the livelihood of the estimated 60 million people who live in the region?
MIDDLETON: The people in Yunnan province in China and northern Thailand, northern Laos and the Shan state of Burma, have all already been seriously affected by this drought. It's affected access to drinking water, to irrigation water, it's affecting fisheries and it's affecting transportation on the rivers that's affecting trade. So already, they're suffering from the impact of this drought.
LAM: To your mind how do you think countries in the region, what do you think they should do to better manage the resources of the mighty Mekong?
MIDDLETON: I think there needs to be a deeper recognition of the current role that the Mekong plays in the development of the region. So the fact that the fisheries feed 60 million people of the region is already very important. So when considering plans for hydro-power for example, the existing environment needs to be taken into account. And I think finally, the river isn't just an economic resource, it's also a cultural inspiration. And so I think there also needs to be serious thought about these values that the river provides for inspiration for the people of the region.
Presenter: Sen Lam
Speakers: Carl Middleton, Mekong Program Coordinator with non government organisation International Rivers
MIDDLETON: Well at the moment the situation is not clear. Obviously the low rainfall has contributed significantly to the drought but the problem is that the data hasn't been released, complete sets of data, about the operation of China's management upstream, and so that's created some suspicions downstream that their projects may be contributing in some way.
LAM: Indeed I understand some member countries of the Mekong River Commission are saying that China is showing some reluctance to sharing its data?
MIDDLETON: Actually what we've seen is some unprecedented steps for increasing data sharing. Until now, the Chinese hadn't released any dry season data, but for the current drought they've released dry season data from the two lower stations on the river. But they've just completed a new project that started filling its reservoir last year, and they haven't yet released the data for the water levels in that new dam, which is one of the highest arch-dams in the world.
LAM: I understand that leaders from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will sign an historic declaration on how to manage the Mekong River, together with China and Burma. Do we know what this declaration is likely to contain?
MIDDLETON: It's likely to include an affirmation of a commitment to share the river. A statement that came out of a technical meeting a couple of days before, that was read to the prime ministers, it seems that there's also an affirmation of a commitment for more irrigation and for more hydro-power development. And this is a bit worrying because at the moment the fisheries of the Mekong River provide food security for millions of people, and this of course we see how extensive hydro-power development can coincide with the continuation of the productivity of the fisheries, which at the moment is the most productive in the world.
LAM: So do you think the countries downstream, countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, do you think they would try and seek some kind of assurance from China? Is that being sought?
MIDDLETON: Well first of all, what's important is that all countries work to share the river together. At the moment only the four lower Mekong countries - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia - are members of the Mekong River Commission. And especially now, that China has built these projects it's important for deeper cooperation with China. About 18 per cent of the water of the Mekong comes from China. So then there's a number of other challenges that also need to be met, including not beyond the current drought, the plans for this extensive infrastructure development, and many people along the river wouldn't want to see these projects built, especially projects on the Mekong River's mainstream. So I think it's also important the affirmation that comes out of this summit is to listen closely to the voices of the people of the region, and their hopes for the vision of the basin.
LAM: And Carl Middleton, I understand that your organisation, International Rivers, chaired a public meeting which ran alongside the summit on the weekend. What did the meeting call for?
MIDDLETON: The meeting largely called for the leaders to listen to the voices of the people. There was a lot of discussion about the drought and it called on China to release the complete sets of data. China was present at the meeting, and it explained its position. But there was also a recognition that the projects have had a longer term impact on downstream communities in northern Thailand. And there needs to start being discussion about compensation, and then also discussion about how to change the operation of the downstream and minimise impact downstream.
LAM: Are there signs already that the lower water levels of the Mekong are beginning to affect the livelihood of the estimated 60 million people who live in the region?
MIDDLETON: The people in Yunnan province in China and northern Thailand, northern Laos and the Shan state of Burma, have all already been seriously affected by this drought. It's affected access to drinking water, to irrigation water, it's affecting fisheries and it's affecting transportation on the rivers that's affecting trade. So already, they're suffering from the impact of this drought.
LAM: To your mind how do you think countries in the region, what do you think they should do to better manage the resources of the mighty Mekong?
MIDDLETON: I think there needs to be a deeper recognition of the current role that the Mekong plays in the development of the region. So the fact that the fisheries feed 60 million people of the region is already very important. So when considering plans for hydro-power for example, the existing environment needs to be taken into account. And I think finally, the river isn't just an economic resource, it's also a cultural inspiration. And so I think there also needs to be serious thought about these values that the river provides for inspiration for the people of the region.
No comments:
Post a Comment