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4 Feb 2021 DELHI, India

India Concern Over China's Upstream Brahmaputra Intentions

Any attempt by China to build a mega dam upstream of the Brahmaputra River would be an “encroachment on the entitled rights of lower riparian states like India and Bangladesh,” the government of India has said. A 20 January statement released by the Jal Shakti Ministry (India’s ministry for water) and widely reported in the Indian media following a meeting of the nation’s Central Water Commission added that such a move would “adversely affect the availability of water in the Brahmaputra basin during the lean season”...

8 Dec 2020 NEW DELHI, India

China Mega Dam Plan Sparks Alarm In Downstream India, Bangladesh

PowerChina has announced plans to construct up to 60 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower capacity on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (known in downstream India as the Brahmaputra River) in The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), prompting concern from downstream riparian countries.The plans for the project, described as being three times the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam, are viewed in China as a “historic opportunity” to increase China’s clean energy plan and to support the country’s water supply security...

15 Sep 2020 SYDNEY, Australia

Climate Change May Displace Over 1.2 Billion People By 2050

More than 1.2 billion people are at threat of being displaced by 2050, due to environmental change, conflict and civil unrest, warns a new report by think tank the Institute of Economics & Peace.Predictions include that by 2040, 5.4 billion people – more than half of the world's projected population – will live in the 59 countries experiencing high or extreme water stress, including India and China...

10 Sep 2020 GENEVA, Switzerland

Catastrophic Decline In Freshwater Biodiversity Requires Urgent Global Action

Humanity’s destruction of nature is having catastrophic impacts on wildlife populations, human health and all aspects of our lives, reveals WWF’s Living Planet Report 2020. This loss of biodiversity is not only an environmental issue but a development, economic, global security, ethical and moral one too...

24 Aug 2020 Bangkok, Thailand

China PM Pledges Improved Mekong River Water Data Sharing

The Prime Minister of China has said that his country is willing to share more Mekong River water data with fellow members of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) organisation which consists of China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam."China is willing to offer more assistance within its capacity to other Lancang-Mekong countries for better utilizing water resources," Prime Minister Li Keqiang said in a 24 August video conference with leadership from the other organization members, Chinese state media reported...

29 Apr 2020 Conakry, Guinea

China-funded Guinea Dam Breaches Human Rights Of Displaced Communities

A new report from research and advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) describes construction of the Republic of Guinea's Souapiti dam as breaching human rights requirements for displaced persons. The group examines the impact of the 450 megawatt dam on the villages and hamlets that are affected by the flooding of the reservoir and the lack of support provided by the government of Guinea president Alpha Conde...

15 Apr 2020 WASHINGTON DC, United States

Did China Mekong Water Hoarding Exacerbate 2019 Drought?

Actions by China have been described as compounding a 2019 Mekong River drought that had severe impacts on livelihoods in downstream nations. China is accused in an April 2020 US government-funded study of restricting water flow from 11 upstream dams, affecting approximately 60 million people live in the Lower Mekong where agriculture and fishing are the principal sources of support...

6 Feb 2020 CAPE TOWN, South Africa

WWF Analyses Mining Sector Water Risk

New analysis from environmental NGO WWF reports that the extractives sector suffered water-related financial losses of over $20 Billion USD in 2018, measuring operational risk (too much and too little water), regulatory and reputational risk to highlight companies, commodities, river basins and countries that face the highest overall water risks...

25 Oct 2019 Washington DC, United States

Remarkable US Army Climate Change Report Studies Conflict Risk, What Caused Syria War, Bangladesh Risk, Geo-engineering!

A combination of global starvation, war, drought and disease could have devastating effects on world security according to a report from several United States agencies including the US Army, Defense Intelligence Agency, and NASA, under the rubric of the United States Army War College.The study, “Implications of Climate Change for the U...

22 Jul 2019 BANGKOK, Thailand

Thailand Authorities Address Historically Low Mekong Water Levels

Thailand's Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) has admitted that the Thai government can not directly mitigate the recent drop in Mekong River water levels, but looked to the resumption of upstream dam discharge to replenish water levels "soon".Somkiat Prajumwong, secretary general of the agencysaid July 19 that the agency sent a letter asking the Laos government to suspend the trial of the Xayaburi Dam for a few days...

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5 Jun 2019 HARARE, Zimbabwe

Drought Forces Zimbabwe To Seek Relief On Power Payments To South Africa

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) announced plans June 3 to approach power supplier Eskom of South Africa for relief on a payment plan for power imports as drought hits hydro power production capacity in Zimbabwe.Zimbabwe has had power shortages since 2007 and has relied on imports of over 350 MW from Eskom and about 50 MW from HCB of Mozambique...

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3 Jun 2019 VIENTIANE, Laos

China Food And Land Grab Alleged After 2018 Laos Dam Collapse

A compensation plan following a 2018 dam collapse in southern Laos is causing local concern, with some making assusations of a China food-land grab.Last July a dam at the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy (PNPC) hydropower project collapsed, causing regional flooding across 12 villages and killing about 50 people. To compensate villagers, the government of Laos promised and cleared a 2,000 hectare plot for the victims of the disaster so that they could grow crops...

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