Strategic Environmental Assessment of Hydropower on the Mekong Mainstream: Summary of the Final Report

In order to understand the long-term implications of the mainstream dam proposals and provide better understanding of the cumulative risks, opportunities and sustainable solutions to the MRC Member Countries, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was conducted by International Centre for Environmental Management (ICEM) over a 14-month period. While the benefits of hydropower are potentially considerable for Mekong countries, the construction of one or more of the twelve hydropower schemes could have profound implications for the sustainable development of the basin and irreversibly affect the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in all four Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) Countries. The SEA holistically assessed all of the proposed twelve hydropower schemes against their cumulative risks, and opportunities. The SEA therefore addresses the broader strategic issues within the mainstream development proposals. The SEA also provides recommendations on how the proposed projects should be best pursued by Member Countries in relation to regional distribution of costs and benefits with respect to economic development, social equity and environmental protection among affected stakeholders. The full SEA report and translations of the summary report into five Mekong languages are available for download from the URL below.

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