There is an ongoing debate on what constitutes sustainable intensification of agriculture (SIA). In this paper, we propose that a paradigm for sustainable intensification can be defined and translated into an operational framework for agricultural development. We argue that this paradigm must now be defined—at all scales—in the context of rapidly rising global environmental changes in the Anthropocene, while focusing on eradicating poverty and hunger and contributing to human wellbeing. The criteria and approach we propose, for a paradigm shift towards sustainable intensification of agriculture, integrates the dual and interdependent goals of using sustainable practices to meet rising human needs while contributing to resilience and sustainability of landscapes, the biosphere, and the Earth system. Both of these, in turn, are required to sustain the future viability of agriculture. This paradigm shift aims at repositioning world agriculture from its current role as the world’s single largest driver of global environmental change, to becoming a key contributor of a global transition to a sustainable world within a safe operating space on Earth.

The notion of drought as a hydro-meteorological hazard in tropical monsoon regions is not perhaps one that fits naturally with conventional perceptions. The term 'monsoon' is commonly regarded as synonymous with torrential rainfall, moisture surplus, floods and climatic predictability. The paper seeks to dispel such perceptions in a review of recent historical events within the Lower Mekong Basin. A weak monsoon results in deficient flows and water levels that can have severe impacts upon agricultural production across the Cambodian flood plain and the delta in Viet Nam, where natural and controlled inundation is the basis of padi rice production. Lower flows also cause an increase in saline intrusion in the delta, which further reduces agricultural output. The impacts of an early end to monsoon conditions on agriculture in Thailand and Lao PDR are also revealed, which serves to emphasize the potential negative consequences of climate change which not only is expected to result in the increased inter-annual variability of regional rainfall, but also there could be impacts upon its seasonal pattern and timing. In concluding, the paper refers to building drought management capacity in the region through a climate change and adaptation initiative, including forecasting, impact assessment, and the development of management, preparedness and mitigation policies.

This paper focuses on sub-theme one: An Enabling Policy Environment for Water, Food and Energy Security. It discusses water food and energy (WFE) security and their interrelations as the background for policy discourse and introduces the WFE nexus and its quantification by modelling as one of the tools for developing a broader approach to resources management.

The World Commission on Dams was initiated as a new form of global policy making to find a way beyond the intensifying conflicts over dam projects. It was established by diverse groups to conduct an independent global review of the performance and impacts of large dams and develop internationally acceptable criteria and guidelines for the future.The Commission's Report, Dams and De6elopment: a New Framework for Decision Making, presents an integrated assessment of how large dams have performed against their development targets and what the costs and impacts have been. Performance was highly variable, with a considerable portion of those studied falling short of physical targets, while many continue to generate benefits beyond their projected economic life. Many were less profitable in economic terms than expected, indicating that there is considerable scope for improving performance of existing projects. The Commission considered the adverse impacts on ecosystems and people's livelihoods to be unacceptable and unnecessary.To move forward beyond conflict, the Commission presents a new framework for decisionmaking. It rejects the notion of trading one person's gain against another's loss and proposes an approach based on recognising rights and assessing risks for identifying legitimate stakeholders and negotiating development outcomes. Seven strategic priorities and corresponding policy principles for water and energy resources development were derived from this approach and a series of practical criteria and guidelines are presented.The Commission's recommendations require more attention to be paid to the preliminary stages of planning. This has time and cost implications, but in the long run, the Commission's Report offers the opportunity to reduce conflict, reduce delays and lower overall costs to the operator, the government and to society in general. RÉ SUMÉLa Commission mondiale des barrages représente un nouveau modèle qui permet de développer des politiques publiques qui évitent les conflits intenses autour des projets de barrages. Elle fut établi par des groupes d'intérêt afin d'entreprendre une revue indépendante de la performance des grands barrages au niveau mondiale et de proposer des critères et des lignes directrices pour l'avenir.

No abstract