This paper analyses roles of integrated approach to establish a regional mechanism for sustainable hydropower development in the Mekong River Basin. Based on a critical review of the current trend of hydropower development, it argued that existing approach of uncoordinated Mekong mainstream hydropower development cannot ensure sustainable development; rather it causes negative impacts on food security, livelihoods, biodiversity, and ecosystem across the river basin, especially countries in Lower Mekong Basin (LMB), including Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. As a result, it fails to bring positive net benefits at both national and regional level. Specifically, if all proposed mainstream dams are constructed and fully operated, Lao PDR is the only economically winner of billions USD after 20 years, while Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam are losers, and total net value will be minus 275 billion USD. Early recognition of the "nexus" interactions amongst hydropower development and cross-border food security, water security and livelihoods can minimise the risk of diplomatic conflicts and social unrest, and is only enabled when member states are willing to divert high-level government priorities from national interests to transboundary interests, as implementing the nexus approach throughout the river basin could contribute to reducing trade-offs between hydropower development and basin-wide socio-economy, and increase synergies through implementation of benefit-sharing mechanisms towards a win-win outcome. It recommends strengthening the Mekong River Commission via bolstered resources and coordinating authority, and encourages China to participate as a full member. It also argues that transboundary Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) of river projects should be conducted to reflect the synergic and trade-off nexus effect across the whole river basin.
Water, energy and food securities lie at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since these securities are interconnected, the business-as-usual approach (sectoral approach) cannot achieve them and need to apply the water-energy-food nexus approach for identifying and overcoming the roots of barriers and challenges. The study aims to prioritize interlinkages between SDG-2 (food security), SDG-6 (water security) and SDG-7 (energy security) for country action. In order to achieve this aim, the study implements a set of methods including stakeholder perception survey, network analysis, regression analysis and cross-sectorial group discussion. This article summarizes the outcomes of a case study in India. Stakeholders cognition derived through scrutinizing the perception survey admitted the need for a nexus approach in the action plans towards the SDGs. Quantitative assessment of interdependency showed that, of 182 interlinkages between SDG-2, SDG-6 and SDG-7 targets, 124 interlinkages had synergistic relation. The combined outcome of the cross-sectorial group discussion identified eight interlinkages as high priority (p>0.9) for immediate integrated planning and action. A total of ten interactions are moderate (p=0.6 to 0.9) and eight are low priority interlinkages (p<0.6). Solid understanding of synergies and trade-offs associated with SDG targets and initial prioritization of interlinkages would help India reorient its SDG priorities from a water-energy-food nexus perspective.
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