Disir
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- Sep 30, 2011
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The Development of the Xayaburi Dam and Don Sahong Dam on the Lower Mekong River in Laos is proceeding with potentially devastating impacts to the food security and livelihoods of 60 million people.
The projects highlight the types of bad decisions and missed opportunities that threaten the world’s freshwater resources.
Upon completion, the US$3.8 billion Xayaburi Dam would make history as the first dam to block the main stem of the Lower Mekong, one of the world’s last untamed rivers. An announcement signaling the construction of the separate 260-megawatt Don Sahong Dam is also expected soon, placing the world’s largest inland fishery at risk.
“The Xayaburi and Don Sahong dams are setting negative precedents for the lower Mekong. The short-term gains will be overshadowed by long-term losses to food security, other economic sectors and biodiversity across the Greater Mekong Region,” said Marc Goichot, Sustainable Hydropower Lead with The World Wildlife Federation -Greater Mekong.
The Xayaburi Dam is considered by many scientists and civil society leaders to be one of the world’s most potentially destructive dams because of the serious impact it will have on fisheries for tens of millions of people. The dam will also reduce sediment transit and permanently change the shape of the Mekong River Channel.
Damming the Mekong the Worlds Most Productive River Food Security for Millions under Threat Chiang Rai Times English Language Newspaper
And there actually is an alternative.
The projects highlight the types of bad decisions and missed opportunities that threaten the world’s freshwater resources.
Upon completion, the US$3.8 billion Xayaburi Dam would make history as the first dam to block the main stem of the Lower Mekong, one of the world’s last untamed rivers. An announcement signaling the construction of the separate 260-megawatt Don Sahong Dam is also expected soon, placing the world’s largest inland fishery at risk.
“The Xayaburi and Don Sahong dams are setting negative precedents for the lower Mekong. The short-term gains will be overshadowed by long-term losses to food security, other economic sectors and biodiversity across the Greater Mekong Region,” said Marc Goichot, Sustainable Hydropower Lead with The World Wildlife Federation -Greater Mekong.
The Xayaburi Dam is considered by many scientists and civil society leaders to be one of the world’s most potentially destructive dams because of the serious impact it will have on fisheries for tens of millions of people. The dam will also reduce sediment transit and permanently change the shape of the Mekong River Channel.
Damming the Mekong the Worlds Most Productive River Food Security for Millions under Threat Chiang Rai Times English Language Newspaper
And there actually is an alternative.
