What would happen if the Mekong River was threatened?

It would irreversibly change the ecosystem that over 60 million people rely on for food, and will likely result in the extinction of the iconic Mekong giant catfish and other fish species.

Why is the Mekong River important to China?

The Mekong River provides water, energy and food to six countries in South-East Asia. China has built 11 of the world’s largest dams on its portion of the river, with plans to construct several more. Those dams store more than 47 billion cubic metres of water and can generate more than 21,000 megawatts of electricity.

What countries rely on the Mekong River?

Mekong River in the Economy | WWF. The Mekong River connects China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam physically and economically. The river is a lifeline for the entire basin, sustaining economies and livelihoods across the entire region.

How is China destroying the Mekong River?

China’s dam in the upper Mekong region has led to a decrease in water levels in the lower river basin, causing droughts. This has impacted Vietnam significantly, forcing people to travel a long distance to get water for daily use, wrote Baussart.

Why is the Mekong River so important to Southeast Asia?

From its source in the Tibetan Plateau to its end in Vietnam, the Mekong River is a critical source of drinking water for the millions of people who live in its watershed.

How do people depend on the Mekong?

A large part of mainland South-East Asia depends on the Mekong River for food and water security. Fish and rice, which both depend on the river, are the main sources of food for millions of people in the region.

What are advantages of Mekong River to ancient Khmer?

This meant that Khmer farmers could triple or even quadruple their yearly amount of rice harvests, giving agricultural stability in a volatile and unreliable climate. Inland agricultural areas expanded for large-scale rice production – it’s thought they harvested over 50 million rice paddies in the Mekong River basin.

What is the economic importance of the Mekong River?

The Mekong plays a crucial role in the economies of LMB countries. It supports one of the world’s largest inland fisheries, which has a total economic value estimated at US$17 billion – about three per cent of the region’s combined gross domestic product.

Which country controls the headwaters of the Mekong River?

China has constructed 11 giant dams along the mountainous territory of the Upper Mekong to sustain its ever-increasing energy needs. The management of water flows has long been a concern for many living along the river.

What are the benefits of Mekong River?

Why is this area important?

• Food we eat. The Greater Mekong has been called Asia’s “fish basket” and its “rice bowl.” The Mekong River produces 4.5 million metric tons (9.9 billion pounds) of fish every year, contributing about 80\% of the protein consumed in the region’s households.
• Water we drink.
• Jobs and prosperity.

Why is China building dams on the Mekong River?

What do they use the Mekong River for?

Today, the river is rapidly changing as economic development, urbanisation and industrialisation are transforming the basin. The Mekong River contributes significantly to this growth through the opportunities it provides, including hydropower production, agriculture, fisheries, and transport and trade.

Did China’s Mekong dams hold back more water than ever?

New data shows that for six months in 2019, while China normal to above average precipitation in most of its part of the Mekong, its dams held back more water than ever — even as downstream countries suffered through an unprecedented wet season drought.

What countries does the Mekong River run through?

From the Tibetan Plateau the river runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The extreme seasonal variations in flow and the presence of rapids and waterfalls in the Mekong make navigation difficult. Even so, the river is a major trade route between western China and Southeast Asia.

What is the best way to solve the Mekong River crisis?

Working through the Mekong River Commission, a transboundary river basin organization established by the 1995 Mekong Agreement, to achieve these ends is a best path forward. Today a total of eleven mega-dams dot China’s upper Mekong reaches and collectively store as much water as the Chesapeake Bay.

What is the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou?

The confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Ou river in Laos. The Mekong Basin can be divided into two parts: the “upper Mekong basin” in Tibet of China, and the “lower Mekong basin” from Yunnan downstream from China to the South China Sea.