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Tag Archives: water
Blocked Data Hampers Water Management Efforts in the GBM Basin
Memo #170 – The discussion is widening on the thorny problem of sharing water and managing trans-boundary flows among the five countries in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin. Continue reading
Posted in Asia, China
Tagged anthropology, data, Geography, rivers, transboundary water, water
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Managing South Asia’s Himalayan Rivers: A Human Development Framework
Memo #164 – What would an ideal regulatory system to manage an international river look like? Some have called for an innovatively designed regulatory authority for international rivers, such as the Ganga-Brahmaputra river system in the Himalayan region. Existing models are not compatible with the geopolitical conditions in South Asia. Rather than furthering traditional nationalist approaches, the new design must take into account the people living in the region. Continue reading
Posted in China, India, Tibet
Tagged corruption, development, human development, transboundary water, water
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Water, Scarcity, and Tibetan Plateau Frontiers
Memo #142 Theme Editors: Tashi Tsering and Jack Hayes Freshwater (in)security is quickly rising as a critical global challenge. Today, March 22, is World Water Day. The focus is freshwater and measures for conservation and management. Last fall, Asia Pacific … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, China, India, Tibet
Tagged climate change, engineering, environmentalism, Hindu, international relations, NGO, political science, rivers, Tibetan Plateau, water
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Will “Nepal Investment Year” Solve its Hydropower Puzzle?
Memo #139 – By some estimates Nepal has the potential to generate 42,000 megawatts (MW) of hydroelectricity per annum. In an effort to attract capital, Nepal’s Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai proclaimed 2012 as “Nepal Investment Year.” The aim is to attract over $6 billion (USD) for key sectors including hydropower. Bhattarai also signed a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) with India. Continue reading
Posted in Nepal
Tagged corruption, hydroelectricity, investment, political science, Three Gorges Dam, trade, water
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The Disappearing Rivers of India
Memo #120 – The vital rivers of the state of Uttarakhand in northwestern India may soon disappear. A multitude of feeder streams and tributaries that run through the state carve tight passages through steep mountains before joining the sacred river Ganga (Ganges). Ancient and contemporary Hindu traditions are steeped in worship of these tributary rivers, and their sacred confluences are named “prayags”. But Uttarakhand is part of a frantic push across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and China to harness the rivers of the Himalayas for hydroelectric power.[1] This movement threatens to alter entire river systems in an unprecedented way. Continue reading
Posted in Asia, India
Tagged engineering, environmentalism, Hindu, rivers, Tibetan Plateau, water
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Polluted Water Challenges China’s Engineering Efforts
Memo #114 – Water is central to China’s environmental challenges. While not water-short overall, the geographic and temporal variations in China’s precipitation are extreme. Some areas suffer from dangerously lower per capita fresh water availability. Water conservation innovation does happen, but shortages usually elicit familiar engineering responses such as dams and diversions. Most notable is the South-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP), which aims to take nearly 45 cubic kilometres (45 billion cubic metres) of water annually from the water rich Yangtze River basin to water scarce regions around the Yellow River basin in the north. The diversion would essentially replace the Yellow River’s total annual runoff of 30 billion cubic metres. Continue reading
Posted in China
Tagged engineering, environmentalism, rivers, Tibetan Plateau, water, WR-SNWTP
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China’s Plans to Divert Water on the Tibetan Plateau
Memo #110 – The prospect of China controlling the taps of Asia’s main rivers is a subject of intense debate. Downstream countries are understandably concerned. But Chinese experts say it is the Chinese who should be most worried about its government’s plans. Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Bangladesh, China, India
Tagged climate change, environmentalism, rivers, Three Gorges Dam, Tibetan Plateau, water, WR-SNWTP
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Cooperative Management of Mekong River is Crucial for 70 Million People
Memo #32 – Cooperation is crucial to manage rivers that flow across national borders. States along the Mekong River – and their 70 million inhabitants – depend on the cooperation of their upstream neighbour, China. Continue reading
Posted in Cambodia, China, Laos, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Vietnam
Tagged lancang river, law, Mekong River, transboundary water, UN Watercourses Convention, water
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