September 28, 2017 | 22:20 (GMT+7)
Sustainable water management key to development of Mekong River
The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) held a conference on sustainable water management for the Mekong River in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 27.
The
conference introduced potential projects and recommended measures to tackle
pollution and resource depletion in the river.
A section of the Mekong River. Photo: Vietnam+
CSEAS
Executive Director, Dr. Arisman said the unsustainable use of water resources
by upstream countries can harm nations in downstream areas, particularly rice
producers like Thailand and Vietnam.
He
suggested member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) join hands to protect the river and make its sustainable management
part of the agendas of their meetings.
Participating
experts discussed challenges to the sustainable management of the Mekong
River’s water source, including development gaps among nations, integration
levels, environmental issues, and climate change.
They
also discussed several solutions, such as building a far-reaching action plan
and increasing cooperation in dealing with climate change and natural
disasters.
With
a total length of about 4,800 km, the Mekong River runs through China, Laos,
Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Source: VNA