Chinese-Cambodian Dialogue Exchange on Sustainable Hydropower

From August 26-30 2012, M-POWER, WWF China and the Challenge Program on Water and Food hosted an exchange visit by Chinese colleagues working on sustainable hydropower to Cambodia. The exchange visit followed a successful roundtable on Sustainable Hydropower Development in the Mekong which was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR in September 2011. The exchange visit aimed to continue small steps towards better collaboration in the region.

Representatives from China included the Yunnan Provincial Energy Bureau (International Cooperation Division and Hydropower and New Energy Division, Hydro Lancang (Safety & Environment Protection Department and Planning & Development Department), Ecosystem Study Commission for International Rivers, General Ecosystem Study Commission for International Rivers, Upper Mekong Basin Programme, WWF China and AusAID, Beijing, China.

The objectives of the exchange visit were to:

• To promote effective communication between Mekong countries;
• Better understand best practices for environmental and social considerations in hydropower development; and
• Strengthen opportunities for sharing of experiences and collaboration on sustainable hydropower projects.

Participants visited the Tonle Sap to understand the connection to upstream infrastructure in China and held meetings with the Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Fisheries Administration, MAFF and the Institute of Technology of Cambodia to gain a comprehensive picture of the hydrology, morphology and other water elements inter-connectivity in the Lower Mekong floodplains. Further discussions were held with the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM), Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy (MIME), the Mekong Flood Management and Mitigation Center and the MRC Secretariat. A roundtable dialogue was organized to continue the exchange of views.