Environmental Criteria for Hydropower in the Mekong Region - WWF

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The Current Status of Environmental Criteria for Hydropower Development in the Mekong Region: A litterature compilation (iii) Article 26 on Rules for Water Utilization and Inter-Basin Diversions for implementation of Articles 5 and 6. In 1999, the MRC Council agreed to preparation of a set of the rules, shown here with their status: - Procedures for data information exchange and sharing, (2003) - Procedures for monitoring water use, (2004) - Procedures for notification, consultation and agreement, (2004) - Procedures for the maintenance of flows in the mainstream, (2006) - Procedures for maintaining water quality, (under negotiation) Over the past decade, greater clarity has been provided on the general provisions of the Agreement through the work on the rules under WUP. Inter-basin diversions from the mainstream require prior consultation with the aim of reaching agreement in the Joint Committee, with a specific requirement for a prior project agreement for dry season cases. 12 Intra-basin use in the mainstream also reflects the seasonal differences with wet season use requiring notification only, whereas there is a requirement to seek an agreement on dry season use. In the case of tributaries, the Agreement requires only notification for both intra-basin use and inter-basin diversions (see hydropower inventory in section 2.2.2), which in turn means records of all such tributary projects need to be kept by the MRC Secretariat (MRCS). As envisaged in the objectives of MRC support programs, the wealth of experience and information produced provides a capability to assist member countries in the formulation of development strategies that are consistent with both the Agreement and also the broader principles of IWRM and sustainable development. The knowledge base and human resource capacity of MRC provide a potential resource to help member countries ensure that hydropower development can take place in a positive spirit with adequate attention to potential consequences, ensuring that any difficulties are able to be addressed and managed at appropriate points in the project development cycle. Within in the GMS and MRC context, environmental criteria for hydropower development could be developed as a framework for interpretation and analysis of impacts of proposed projects notified under the Agreement. However, a more proactive method would be as part of a strategic planning or strategic environmental assessment (SEA) procedure is considered of greater importance, applying it at an early stage where more opportunities for win-win solutions exist. 12 Subject to qualifications in the case of excess water, see Article 5 of the MRC Agreement. 18
The Current Status of Environmental Criteria for Hydropower Development in the Mekong Region: A litterature compilation 2.1.2 Integrated water resources management – from global commitment to country actions Buy-in to the principles of IWRM is widespread among the governments of the region as evidenced by their WSSD commitment to prepare action plans for IWRM by 2005. This was a significant departure from the conventional sectoral approach to water resources management and will require a long term horizon for implementation. Already there has been considerable delay in preparing such action plans as evidenced in a recent report by the Global Water Partnership (GWP). There has also been considerable work in laying the foundations in terms of policy and enabling legal frameworks. 13 A classification of achievement prepared by GWP for the six Mekong countries is summarized in Table 1 and although a coarse assessment and one open to interpretation, it gives an indication of the scale of the challenge four years after the commitments were made at WSSD. Viet Nam has recently approved a National Water Resources Strategy and so its classification now would presumably change. Further discusion on IWRM at country level is given in the following section. Table 1 Current Status of Achievement of WSSD targets on IWRM. Classification of achievement (GWP categorization, 2006) Countries that have plans/strategies in place, or a process well underway, and that incorporate the main elements of an IWRM approach. Countries that are in the process of preparing national strategies or plans but require further work to live up to the requirements of an IWRM approach. Countries that have taken only initial steps in the process towards preparing national strategies or plans and have not yet fully embraced the requirements of an IWRM approach. Source: GWP (2006) PRC, Thailand Lao PDR. Country Cambodia, Myanmar, Viet Nam (see note in text) 13 GWP (2006) Setting the scene for change. Second informal survey by the GWP network giving the status of the 2005 WSSD target on national integrated water resources management and water efficiency plans. 19
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Environmental Criteria for Hydropower in the Mekong Region - WWF

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