Agricultural Land in the GMS (thousand hectare) in ... - GMS-EOC

The Nam Theun 2 hydropowercomplex, Lao PDR. Upper left: Interiorof the power plant. Lower left: Aerialview of the hydropower dam on theNam Theun River. Upper right: asubstation down river from the NamTheun dam.strategies. Between 2005 and 2025, emissionscould grow by 1.2 to 1.8 billion tons; a strategy lessreliant on carbon-based fuels (a low-carbon energystrategy) could lessen this to about 0.8 billiontons. Total discounted environmental costs fromgreenhouse gas emissions could vary between $320billion and $358 billion, while a low-carbon energystrategy could lower those costs to $292 billion.Hydropower will be a large part of the energysupply solution but has the potential to cause awide range of adverse social and environmentalimpacts. The construction of hydropower facilitiescan lead to the loss of land, disruption of sensitiveecosystems—causing significant disruption offisheries—displacement of communities upstreamand downstream, increased vulnerability toenvironmental degradation in the plant’s vicinity, anddisruption of hydrological regimes and the associatedaquatic and littoral ecosystems. Hydropowerplants can also offer several benefits in watershedmanagement, such as improvement in seasonalwater flows that can enhance local agriculturaland livelihood opportunities. These benefits andrisks co-exist in complex patterns. They have to bewell understood and managed in a manner thatmaximizes the benefits and mitigates the risks.The increased use and expected growth of biofuels asa substitute for fossil oil in transport have spotlighteda new set of risks as agricultural lands are convertedfor energy production. Soaring food prices in early2011 brought into sharp focus the need for countriesto increase the security and sustainability of theirfood supply. Rising food prices, particularly forcommodities like sugarcane and corn, have beenpartly attributed to biofuel expansion. Increasingbiofuel exports could also have an indirect impactby increasing the prices of feedstock for other foodcommodities. The increased cultivation of energycrops would pose a risk as they compete with otheragricultural products for land and water, and useagrochemicals with attendant risks to biodiversity.Across the subregion, there is growing awarenessthat emission impacts and environmental costs mustinfluence the future energy mix. Rather than beinglimiting, these environmental challenges providean opportunity for the integration of biofuels,renewable energy, energy efficiency, and cleantechnologies into the evolving energy supply mix.To make this integration happen, policies andinstitutions are needed that emphasize the use ofrobust and comprehensive social and environmentalimpact assessment that engages all stakeholders fromthe beginning of the energy planning process. Forenergy production and use to be truly sustainable,such social and environmental impact assessmentsmust become important reference points in decisionmaking on energy choices and planning.Expanded Regional EnergyCooperationGMS countries have recognized that a strongerintegrated approach to energy planning andmanagement can offer sustainable, secure, andcompetitive energy. The GMS road map forexpanded energy cooperation takes into accountthe GMS Strategic Framework 2012–2022 andthe needs for improved energy security, betterutilization of energy resources, and mutuallybeneficial energy trade to meet national andregional energy needs in a sustainable manner.The goals and objectives for expanded energycooperation in the GMS are to improve access toenergy of all sectors and communities, particularlythe poor, by promoting best energy practices;developing and using more efficient indigenouslow-carbon and renewable resources, whilereducing dependence on imported fossil fuels;improving energy supply security through crossbordertrade, while optimizing use of subregionalenergy resources; and promoting public-private194 Greater Mekong Subregion Atlas of the Environment