Hull researchers head to the Mekong to tackle plastic pollution

Environment Journal – The Mekong River in Southeast Asia is one of the world’s great waterways, fertile and ecologically diverse with millions relying on it for their food, but it’s increasingly clogged with plastic pollution. To help address the mounting problem, a team of researchers from the University of Hull are documenting how plastic travels down the river, from Laos to Vietnam Read More…

Dramatic drop in Mekong water level sparks alarm

The Nation Thailand – Mekong River water levels that fell dramatically on Thursday under impact from dam operations will soon recover, says the national water management agency. Somkiat Prajumwong, secretary-general at the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), offered the reassurance despite warnings from experts that the dams are destroying Mekong ecosystems and doing long-lasting Read More…

Riverbank breach in Mekong Delta sinks five houses

VN Express – Five houses were drowned after the Nha Man River in the southern province of Dong Thap breached its bank on Monday. The breach, in Tan Nhuan Dong Commune of Chau Thanh District, is 100 meters long and four meters into the river bank. "I heard a loud rumbling and the sound of the earth being torn apart in the middle of the night," a local said. "When everyone ran out to Read More…

Good news for the Mekong

The Phnom Penh Post – Letter to the Editor: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) was extremely pleased to hear recent comments from His Excellency Keo Rattanak, the director-general of Electricite du Cambodge (EDC), that he does not want to see the proposed Mekong River mainstream hydropower projects of Sambor and Stung Treng as part of the energy mix going forward. The comments were made during an Read More…

Conference promotes cooperation to protect Mekong River

Vietnam Plus – A conference on how to enhance cooperation in protecting the Mekong River via smarter water energy planning approaches and wide application of renewable energy throughout the Mekong region was held in Hanoi on June 28. The event was jointly organised by the Stimson Centre, the International Union for Conservation (IUCN) and the US Embassy in Vietnam. Brian Eyler from Read More…

It’s not just melting glaciers that endanger the Mekong and its…

The Interpreter – Recent reports of a rapid diminishment in the size of the glaciers that feed the great rivers of Asia, including the Mekong, have received wide coverage, not least because they are accompanied by striking visuals. What is happening at the other end of the river in the Mekong Delta has garnered much less attention. But it may well be that the river’s vast and productive Read More…

Youths to Hold Story-Telling Event on ‘Wonders of the Mekong’

VOA – As concerns over the future of the Mekong River continue to grow, dozens of Cambodian youths are coming together to raise public awareness about the environmental threats facing the life-giving river. The group, called Young Eco Ambassadors, is organizing a full-day event on June 15 attended by government officials, civil society groups, international NGOs, local communities and the Read More…

Forum raises urgent Mekong issues

The Phnom Penh Post – The 7th Mekong River Commission (MRC) Regional Stakeholder Forum was held in Thailand capital Bangkok over Monday and Tuesday, with participants discussing urgent issues facing the Mekong region, the Secretariat of the MRC has said. Attending the two-day event were 180 representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Myanmar, research institutions, Read More…

Interview: China’s Mekong Dam-building Mindset ‘Exported…

Radio Free Asia – The Mekong River extends for thousands of miles through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, supporting more than 65 million people who depend on it for food, transportation, and commerce. But development, mostly led by China, threatens to upset the delicate balance between local communities and the river’s rich ecosystem. On Monday, the Mekong River Read More…

Dolphin species thought extinct in Vietnam caught in Mekong Delta

VN Express – An Irrawaddy dolphin, not seen in decades in Vietnam, was caught by a fisherman in the southern province of Ben Tre on Wednesday. Phan Van Thai, 49, and his wife were fishing on the Co Chien River in Cho Lach District when they heard a loud splashing sound. On further inspection, they discovered a creature they could not identify trapped in their net. "I’ve been fishing Read More…