BLOG
Mekong River: Damned If You Do, Damned if You Don’t
August 18th, 2017
Via Asia and The Pacific Policy Society, a critical look at the impact of dams on the Mekong River: Much has been written in recent years about the construction of hydropower dams in the upper reaches of the Mekong, especially in China, and their impacts on droughts in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. A standard refrain of […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon: New Investment Flows into China’s Water Industry
August 8th, 2017
Via Future Directions International, a report on China’s water industry: For some time now, the issue of water security in China has been of extreme concern to its government, international NGOs and the international community. China itself contains the second-largest number of people living without regular access to safe drinking water, second only to India, and despite […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon: Tibet Pleads For China To “Fix the ‘Roof Of The World’ Before It’s Too Late”
August 7th, 2017
Via The Guardian, an opinion piece on how – as rising temperatures on the roof of the world make Tibet both a driver and amplifier of global warming – some observers feel that China’s mining and dam building needs to be reigned in: As Australia continues to battle a water crisis and the challenges facing the […]
Read more »Is Myanmar’s Myitsone Dam Damned?
July 15th, 2017
Via East Asia Forum, an update on the planned Myitsone dam project: On a visit to a camp for internally displaced persons in Kachin State, the words of an interviewee were crystal clear: ‘China is coming to Myanmar for its own profits. When they invest, the Chinese bring their own labour and they discriminate. They […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon: Groundwater Shortage Calls For Urgent Action
July 13th, 2017
Via China Water Risk, a report on China’s groundwater crisis: Highlights Beijing’s non-capital functions are moving to Xiongan New Area amidst groundwater over-extraction & subsidence With water tariffs at <1/2 of those in the developed world, China needs a more aggressive volumetric pricing strategy Both China’s econ & environ sustainability are at stake China’s decision […]
Read more »The Parched Tiger: India’s Gilgit-Baltistan Problem
July 12th, 2017
Via Future Directions International, a detailed look at India’s objections to Pakistan’s purported plan to merge Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) as its fifth province, based partially on water issues: Key Points Pakistan’s Kashmir-centric rhetoric notwithstanding, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is of greater importance to it as this region is vital for its water, energy and conventional security. The importance of […]
Read more »