SSp1 Imagining future waterscapes in the Mekong region (Part 1)

Organised by: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France; Mekong Program on Water Environment and Resilience (MPOWER); Finnish Environment Institute, Finland

Coordinator: François Molle (e-mail: molle@mpl.ird.fr) (IRD, France/IWMI/M-POWER), John Dore (M- POWER) and Juha Sarkkula (Finnish Environment Institute) with the support of M-POWER and IRD

Outline of the session
The proposed session draws on the work undertaken by the M-POWER water governance network, which draws its name from its action research agenda embodied in the Mekong Program on Water, Environment and Resilience network (http://www.mpowernet.org/mweb.php?pg=60), funded by the CGIAR Challenge Programme for Water and Food, and by the Water Resources Laboratory, Helsinki University of Technology.

The session is designed in two parts:

• Part A looks at hydropower development in the basin. The organizers will first brief the participants about ongoing projects, change in governance and main actors involved, while the second paper will focus on the potential impact of dam development on fisheries.

Two case studies (Pak Mun and Nam Theun II dams) will serve as a basis for a discussion on the future of hydropower and water governance in the region.

• Part B looks at other aspects of waterscape transformation, though irrigation development, flood control, negotiations on eflows, and basin governance. These different aspects will usher in a discussion on how the uses and functions of the river are interconnected and on what kind of arrangements and governance regimes may be established to take care of this.

The stakes are very high in the Mekong Region. It is hoped that this session will contribute to the flows of information and exchanges that are necessary to shape a future waterscape that is both environmentally sustainable and compatible with existing livelihoods.

Programme of sub-session A
(* contributors who have confirmed participation)

Sub-session A: Hydropower development: Prospects and challenges (8:30-10:00)

• A1. The bigger picture of the new Mekong Region hydropower push, Session conveners (François Molle*, John Dore, Juha Sarkkula)
• A2. Hydropower vs. fisheries: The big trade-off. Juha Sarkkula*, Dirk Lamberts, Matti Kummu*, Jeffrey Richey
• A3. Drawing lessons from the Pak Mun dam, Thailand. Tira Foran*, Kanokwan Manorom*
• A4. The Nam Theun II dam: a success story?. Shannon Lawrence*
• A5. The Nam Theun II dam: a success story? P. Illangovan* (The World Bank)

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