Drought in Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang (Source: VNA) Berlin (VNA) - Recent research from experts at the German Foundation forScience and Politics (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik - SWP) highlighted shortcomingsin managing the Mekong River’s water resources.
They noted that moreextreme weather phenomena and frequent natural disasters in Southeast Asia havecaused substantial ecological, human, and economic damage.
The Mekong River isan example of challenges in national and regional stability associated with climatechange, they added.
The Mekong River flowsthrough six countries and benefits more than 65 million people. Reduced rainfallbetween May and October last year triggered a prolonged drought that, experts believe,may lead to significant crop losses this year. A previous long-lasting drought affectedhundreds of thousands of hectares and caused crop losses totalling more than 380million USD.
The effects of droughtare exacerbated by the Mekong River’s water level, which has been falling formany years. In 2019 and 2020 the water level, especially in the Mekong Delta,fell to its lowest point for 100 years.
Lower water flows intothe Delta, along with a rise in sea levels, has led to the increasing salinity ofarable land. The area available for agricultural production is now shrinking asa result, the German experts found.
Falling water levels,they added, are not only the result of climate change but also the impact of populationgrowth and economic development in the Mekong region as well as the constructionof a large number of dams in the river’s upper reaches.
They emphasised thattransnational water management must take into account economic development as wellas the social and ecological effects./.
VNA
