Nov 9, 2016 - Science, and the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand and organized
From abundance to scarcity: what is the future of rivers in the Greater Mekong? Media Advisory for the Greater Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy November 9-11, 2016 Prince Palace Hotel, Bangkok h=ps://wle-mekong.cgiar.org/2016forum/
Why is the Forum important? With more than 750 dams planned or constructed in the region, water management is arguably the single most important issue in the Greater Mekong and one of the most poliMcally contenMous. It touches on many of the key challenges facing Thailand and the region today: climate change, conMnued economic prosperity, food security, culture and cooperaMon. The Greater Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy is the only event in the region that brings together more than 300 community leaders, NGO acMvists, government officials, researchers, financiers, hydropower developers and regional organizaMons to debate the region’s hydrological controversies. The event provides a space for these stakeholders to dialogue and discuss the issues and potenMal evidence-based soluMons being developed by a range of research projects. The forum will have 35 sessions that examine issues related water governance, food security and livelihoods, gender, energy soluMons and sustainable management of water catchments. Topical sessions are highlighted below. Read the full agenda here. On Wednesday morning from 10-11am, journalists will have an opportunity to interview a group of eminent poliMcians, academics, acMvists and government official. Journalists are also free to a=end sessions and request interviews. Please RSVP if you are interested to a=end the media interview session or forum as whole. Press Badges will be made available at the registraMon desk of the forum. Contact Michael Victor for more informaMon:
[email protected], tel: +6685-223-0588 (starMng Nov. 6)
Opportuni=es for Interviews 1. Chief ExecuCve Officer of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), Dr. Pham Tuan Phan. Dr. An Pich Hatda, Director of Planning and Dr. Anoulak Kihkhoun, Chief of Strategy & Partnership. 2. Ms. Ja Seng Hkawn, Member of Kachin State Parliament, involved in reconciliaMon process, land and natural resource management and women’s issues. 3. Senior government officials from Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam including Te Navuth, Chair of the Cambodian NaMonal Mekong Commi=ee. 4. His Excellency His Excellency Paul Robilliard Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand 5. Former heads of MRC, Jeremy Bird, Director General of IWMI and Joern Kristense, Myanmar InsMtute for Integrated Development 6. Dr. Xuezhong Yu, a water resources specialist who has been involved in the establishment of the Lancang Mekong CooperaMon Commi=ee. 7. John Ward, Water Expert who can discuss costs and benefits of Thai plans to abstract more than 50% of Mekong water for irrigaMon.
Topics and issues of interest 1. Transboundary governance – the role of regional insCtuCons: The Mekong and its tributaries provide a range of services including agriculture, electricity, urban water supply, and food. How can benefits be shared? Can regional insMtuMons such as the Mekong River Commission or the Lancang-Mekong CooperaMon Mechanism play a role in bringing countries together? Two sessions will explore this topic, one from the MRC on re-envisioning its new role and another with experts from China introducing the Lancang-Mekong CooperaMon Mechanism. Disaster in the delta - food, nutriCon and impacts on the Mekong Delta: It is esMmated that last year’s drought len about 2 million people with no access to water for consumpMon and domesMc use, 2.2 million were food insecure, and more than 2 million lost income due to damaged or lost livelihoods. One session will look at managing the trade-offs in the Delta while another will focus on the impacts on regional livelihoods. 2. Peace through natural resource management in Myanmar: Natural resources have always been at the forefront of poliMcal and social conflict in Myanmar. Today’s historic opportunity for peace in the country is threatened by a number of natural resource related challenges. This is not only sparked by internal conflicts but massive infusion of capital from China and Thailand. A number of sessions will explore these issues along the Ayeyarwady and Salween rivers. 3. People and water development: More than a million rural people across the Greater Mekong, primarily from ethnic minority and disadvantaged groups, are being uprooted because of water related development. What say do they have in the planning of hydropower dams and other projects? How can rese=lement be improved? A number of sessions will explore the struggles and opportuniMes that local people face and provide a plaqorm for local leaders to discuss their concerns. 4. Launch of WWF’s “Mekong River in the Economy” report: The Mekong River is the economic lifeline that Mes the enMre basin together, underpinning prosperity in the region. ConMnued economic growth depends on the Mekong, but development is pushing the river system to the brink. Only by bringing together economic development and water resources planners from all Mekong countries can we ensure a stable, prosperous future for all. 5. Maps, Modelling and the art of consultaCon: Understanding the costs and benefits of water development on people and the environment is complex and poliMcally contenMous. Can consultaMon pracMces or scienMfic evidence play a posiMve role, or are decisions made in back rooms? A number of sessions will explore state-of-the-art methods for consultaMon, modeling decision-making, and the use of maps for understanding the impacts of dams About the Forum The forum is co-hosted by the Centre for Social Development Studies (CSDS), the Faculty of PoliMcal Science, and the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand and organized by the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems, the InternaMonal Water Management InsMtute (IWMI). It has been funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), as well as WWF, GIZ, and the Mekong Partnership for the Environment.
