Mekong leaders look beyond water

They did so at a two-day international conference themed Cooperation for Water, Energy and Food Security in Transboundary Basins Facing Climate Change, held by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) which was focused on adapting to climate change, sustainable development, and the benefits of co-operation.

At the end of the conference, the participants called for the leaders of MRC member countries – Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam – to embrace integrated policies that involve challenges and opportunities in the energy, food and water sectors.

“For [co-operation] to work effectively, a combination of political and technical co-operation and an inclusive process is required,” said a statement issued by the conference.

The statement added that there should be much more interaction with policy-makers to effectively open a science-policy dialogue that can have a real impact and to balance and strengthen the needs and interests of all affected parties.

“It is never just about water. The nexus is useful because its allows for different perspectives. Climate Change provides challenges, but also opportunities that need political will to activate and deliver results,” said MRC Secretariat CEO Hans Guttman.

The participants also agreed that when it comes to sustainable development of water resources, the private sector required guidance on how to asses cumulative impacts of developments to mitigate potential consequences.

They acknowledged that progress had been made, in part thanks to increased co-operation. But they also agreed there were still gaps in important areas such as water quality, fish population and ecosystem impacts that need to be jointly addressed through existing mechanisms and institutions.

“It is important to always have a plan and a way forward, but to also have a regular dialogue with partners and stakeholders to ensure we’re building some flexibility,” explained Guttman.

The conference statement was presented at the MRC 2nd Summit of government leaders from the four countries, held on April 5 also in Ho Chi Minh City.

The MRC is an intergovernmental body set up by the four countries in 1995 to promote and coordinate the sustainable management and development of water and related resources.