2005 Progress Report
Environment Programme
The work of the Environment Programme assists the Mekong River
Basin member countries to ensure sustainability of development
by protecting and maintaining the ecological balance of the
basin and minimising negative impacts from development and uses
of water and related resources.
It also assists the other MRC programmes by generating data,
information and knowledge for decision-making, and it supports
the BDP process by offering advice and promoting cooperation
among environmental agencies.
The programme has five components:
- Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
- Environmental Decision Support
- People and Aquatic Ecosystems
- Environmental Knowledge
- Environmental Flows Management
The Environment Programme is now into its 2004-2008 programme
cycle and is expanding its fields of study and its support to
MRC's other programmes.
Key work in 2005 included an assessment of the Mekong River
Basin through an Indicative Basin Report Card on environmental
conditions. The programme is also now working to finalise guidelines
for a Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment System.
A five-year initiative on environmental flows assessment started
in 2005.
During 2005 the programme achieved the following
- The production of the technical document for an Indicative
Basin Report Card on environmental conditions, which draws
on results of basin-wide monitoring and assessments. The Report
Card, to be finalised in 2006, will present an overall view
of the Mekong River Basin’s health. In late 2006, the Programme
is also planning to prepare a Basin Report Card incorporating
social and land-use issues.
- The development of guidelines for a Transboundary Environmental
Impact Assessment System. It is envisaged these guidelines
will be approved in 2006 following the acceptance of the detailed
content by the four MRC member countries.
- Regular monitoring of the basin's ecological health began
in 2005 with completion of assessments for the upper part
of the Lower Mekong Basin as well as in the Sekong/Srepok/Sesan
River basins. The results were released at the Annual Technical
Meeting in November 2005. In 2006 the flood plain and the
delta will be covered, and in 2007 the monitoring cycle completed
by covering Northeast Thailand and Central and Southern Lao
PDR.
- The completion of a year-long study (June 2004-May 2005)
on the water quality of the Sesan River including a final
report.
- Completion of a study and analysis of available sediment
and sediment transport in the basin. Several recommendations
will be followed up in 2006.
- Commencement of studies on environmental flows. The first
fieldwork and workshop for the Environmental Flows Assessment
supporting the Integrated Basin Flow Management (IBFM) initiative
was conducted jointly with the Water Utilisation Programme
(WUP) team in May 2005. After analysis a week-long workshop
in November 2005 consolidated the results from over 20 experts
in a report on the initial assessment of the environmental,
economic and social consequences of flow changes in the Mekong
River.
- The completion of a preliminary basinwide map of wetland
types as well as a database for handling all wetland-related
data. This work contributes to the programme's ongoing investigation
into economic valuation and people's vulnerability and dependence
on aquatic resources and is part of its contribution to the
Mekong Wetlands Biodiversity Programme (a joint programme
with IUCN and UNDP).
- Production of key information and reference materials for
identifying aquatic invertebrates.
- Production of the Environmental Training Kit in five languages
(English, Khmer, Lao, Thai and Vietnamese) on CD.
- The Programme's Second Annual Technical Meeting was held
in November 2005 and the proceedings are available on CD.
- Initiation of a study on environmental impacts of tourism.
This assessment will include an analysis of the MRC's comparative
advantage in tourism, allowing for future programme development.
As part of its on-going river evaluation work, the Environment
Programme is producing a technical report on its biological
assessment of the river system (2004 basin-wide assessment).
This will be the first ever attempt to characterise the condition
of the river using biological indicators.
The programme will also undertake important work to strengthen
the framework of transboundary management. Mechanisms will be
initiated for addressing environmental conflicts, and environmental
governance will be promoted in the NMCs and MRCS.
Work on environmental flows (IBFM Phase 3) will continue with
specific studies addressing knowledge gaps identified under
IBFM Phase 2. The Programme will also assist WUP with the development
and implementation of the Integrated Water Quality Management
Strategy.