The dangerous state of the world’s large river basins

Geographical – In the half-light of morning sunrise on the banks of the Dhaleshwari River, Bangladesh, a woman dressed in a bright blue sari carefully leads her young daughter into the water. She hopes the waters will provide them with a place to wash and cleanse themselves afresh for the coming day. Yet to reach the water’s edge, she has had to clamber down the eroding riverbank made Read More…

Vietnam’s Mekong Delta needs logistics investment, say officials

The Phnom Penh Post – A trade representative has called for the construction of more deep-water ports in the Mekong River Delta to save money and time for seafood exporters. Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said the move would allow firms to directly export their goods. Most of the Mekong Delta’s export Read More…

‘Natural disasters fuel environmental degradation’

Sci Dev Net – Authorities are focusing on new technologies to prepare for and respond to natural disasters in Asia Pacific that are becoming more intense, uncertain and complex, according to a UN report released Thursday (22 August). Recent cyclones, floods and droughts in the region, as well as disasters triggered by rising global temperatures, have not followed past patterns, making Read More…

Transforming the textile sector’s approach to water

Web Wire – WWF has been driving the adoption and implementation of Water Stewardship in the textile sector since 2011. With the support of international brands and local partners, WWF has established water stewardship projects in several countries, including China, India, Vietnam and Turkey. The brochures on this page will help other companies and countries to learn from these flagship Read More…

UN warns Mekong River is a disaster hotspot

Khaoso – The Mekong River basin was identified as a major disaster risk hotspot by the United Nations today. Poor people living close to the river suffer high exposure to flood and drought, according to a report released today. A UN official also called for the nations in the region to work and mitigate the risks together. “The flow of river is a transboundary issue,” Tiziana Read More…

Solutions sought in water stocking in Mekong Delta

Vietnam Plus – The Mekong Delta region is in an urgent need for an inter-sectoral and comprehensive solution in water reserving, especially in years with drought, stated Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh on August 22. Addressing a conference in Hanoi, Thanh further noted that researches and projects in the field have been conducted in a small scale without Read More…

Global Food and Water Security Alerts

Future Directions – Projections from the United States Department of Agriculture suggest that higher incomes and lower food prices are likely to contribute to an improved food security outlook for 76 low- and middle-income countries over the next decade. The number of food insecure people living in those countries is projected to decline from 782 million to 399 million over that time. That Read More…

WWF to reduce pollution from coffee production

Sci Tech – Approximately 90% of the Laos’ coffee bean crop is produced in Paksong and Thatheng. The production is largely run by small family owned businesses that rely on coffee production as their only source of income. Coffee is greatly relied on the region which continues to depend on foreign aid. The untreated waste from the coffee production process is polluting the water on the Read More…

Govt looks to ease Mekong dam impacts

Bangkok Post – The Department of Fisheries will roll out a number of measures to help cushion the impacts of dam construction in the upper reaches of the Mekong River on Thai fishermen. Department chief, Adisorn Promthep, said the measures will entail further diplomatic coordination with Laos -- which hosts most of the dams -- and stepping up existing conservation efforts. "We need to Read More…

Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake Under Threat

Asia Sentinel – In July the Mekong River, the precious lifeline for four Southeast Asian countries and China’s Yunnan Province, fell to its lowest levels in 100 years, the victim of increasing climate change, agricultural runoff and a plethora of upstream dams that threaten its existence. The rains have finally come, but the worst casualties of a tamed Mekong are due for Cambodia’s Read More…