WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE MEKONG RIVER BASIN?
• In the last couple of years there has been a significant increase in the pressure placed on resources in the basin. The mainstream dam projects, for instance, have been talked about for 30 or 40 years but in the last year or so, the level of attention paid to those projects has increased and project promoters are now moving forward into feasibility studies and environmental impact assessments (EIA). So the challenges are to make sure that the consequences and implications of mainstream developments are assessed with a regional or basin perspective, and that is the role of the Mekong River Commission when we enter into consultations and discussions. • In the last five years we have seen quite a significant increase in planning activity in the basin. But, there is already pressure on its fisheries resources and on livelihoods, as you can see in the Tonle Sap and other areas. Fish catches have been decreasing and that’s not only due to new infrastructure, but also broader trends in the
