dams

Brazil backs away from destructive mega-dams

21 February 2018

The country’s shift to renewables and decentralised energy amid struggle to finance large dams in the Amazon offers an alternative way forward for planners in the Himalayas Christian Poirier, February 21, 2018 In early January, executives of Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) [read more]

The 11 countries relying on the Nile need to reach a deal soon

11 September 2017

by Richard Kyle Paisley More than 300 million people rely on the waters of the River Nile. The Nile river basin contains more than 10% of Africa’s landmass in 11 countries: Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea and [read more]

Why the world’s rivers are losing sediment and why it matters

14 July 2017

Jim Robbins: Vast amounts of river-borne sediment are trapped behind the world’s large dams, depriving areas downstream of material that is badly needed to build up the marshes and wetlands that act as a buffer against rising seas. Klamath Mountains of Douglas County, Oregon. The dam reservoir [read more]

Indus Cascade – a disaster in the making

5 July 2017

The Indus Cascade project will not help Pakistan, argues Hassan Abbas, instead it will come at great cost, and will make Pakistanis vulnerable to natural disasters or enemy attack Hassan Abbas, July 5, 2017 In May 2017, Pakistan and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding through which China [read more]

China’s hydro expansion will fail without energy market reform

13 January 2017

Liu Qin: China’s government must tackle wastage in the energy sector before bringing more hydropower online in the southwest and Tibet. Energy demand in China is slowing. This is causing a major headache for the hydropower sector, which has invested heavily in new projects in recent years. The [read more]

China faces tougher laws in Myanmar

31 August 2016

Vicky Bowman A new government took power in Myanmar on March 31, 2016, led in practice, if not on paper, by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Governments and businesses around the world are keenly waiting for indications of the new government’s priorities and attitudes, none more so than China. To [read more]

The World in Crisis