Vientiane, Lao PDR, 23 September 2019 - How can we stimulate strong economic growth without compromising environmental sustainability and leaving anyone behind? The MRC Council Study, whose findings and recommendations are now captured in a “interactive version” released today, gives answers to this question.

The “Study on Sustainable Management and Development of the Mekong River Basin including Impacts of Mainstream Hydropower Projects” –  the MRC’s flagship study commissioned by the MRC Council looks at the current plans of the countries in major water related sectors and future scenarios, possible social, environmental and economic consequences, risks associated with climate change, setting up a flexible basin-wide assessment framework in collaboration with MRC Member Countries and stakeholders to come up with recommendations for impact mitigation, including cost and benefit sharing. The Council Study laid foundation to future work on optimizing these plans for basin-wide benefits.

The interactive report for the Council Study is the first interactive version for the MRC reports. It leads audience through main conclusions linking to detailed assessments in the technical Council Study reports with the following highlights:

• How will hydropower development affect the basin positively and negatively by 2020 and 2040?
• What about agricultural development?
• To what extent are capture fisheries affected?
• Will sediment loads still reach the Mekong Delta in the future?
• What about navigation development?
• What sector will bring the most GPD growth?
• How are rural populations affected?

The interactive version also provides clear directions to the information that audience needs including:  

• Adjustments on planned investments in hydropower and agriculture are needed.
• Sustainable irrigation practices, strategies for floodplains and flood protection measures, smart investments in navigation, environmentally-sound technologies to treat urban and industrial wastewater, and most importantly – systems and networks that strengthen the most vulnerable inhabitants of the Mekong Basin.

The MRC is proud to be the knowledge hub of the region and with this first interactive report, we hope to help the public and policy makers easily access one of our most important studies in the most convenient and friendly ways. Please discover the Study yourself by clicking through this interactive report to get a good overview of how we can move forward together toward a sustainable development of the Mekong river.