An Irrawaddy dolphin was found dead in Mekong river this weekend, according to a conservation group, marking a worrying rise in deaths of the critically endangered species.
Phnom Penh’s riverside is already rich in community and history. Pedestrianizing it would open up new possibilities for people-led “placemaking,” perhaps with a garden, viewpoints or room for temporary art spaces, writes Future Forum’s Keth Piseth in part three of a campaign for a car-free Sisowath Quay.
The Mekong Delta is sinking: sea levels are rising while land is subsiding, the resulting sea level rise far outpacing the effects of climate change alone, writes Stanford University research engineer Rafael Schmitt.
China holds all the cards in the Mekong and bringing it into a regional framework would help secure the future of the river, writes Oxford University researcher Kenneth Stiller.
Developing nations in the Mekong have long had to choose between cheap, accessible power and sustainable river management. That may no longer be necessary, writes Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Stefano Galelli.
Sand mining in the Mekong is happening far more than officially reported — meaning the damage is far worse. More sustainable options are available, writes Edward Park, a principal investigator at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.
Fishers say their daily catch has plunged again. According to researchers, disturbances to Mekong water flows due to hydropower dams and climate change have disrupted fish habitats, breeding grounds, abundance and diversity.
As mega-developer OCIC completes the filling-in of Phnom Penh’s new island, Koh Norea, nearby Chbar Ampov residents are staring at a mound of sand anxiously unsure if they will be evicted by the development or driven out by real estate speculation.
Water levels have rapidly dropped on the Mekong River to as low as half of the long-term average, raising fears of water shortages in the upcoming dry season all over the country.
VOD is an independent media outlet producing radio programs and disseminating information to the public via the Internet.
© 2019 VOD. All Rights Reserved.
