Mekong River dams could disrupt lives, environment

• The Mekong River traverses six Southeast Asian countries and supports the livelihoods of millions of people. 
• New efforts to provide hydroelectric power to a growing and modernizing population include more than eight proposed main-stem dams and 60 or more existing tributary dams in the lower Mekong basin. 
• A new article lays out what dam construction could mean for residents and the environment in the region.
• The Mekong River presents a huge opportunity for hydropower to modernize Laos, but Olson and Morton argue human and environmental concerns are at risk.
•  They advocate for governments in Southeast Asia to empower the MRC to carry out its mission to mitigate the negative impacts of dam building while realizing the benefits.

SOURCE : SCIENCE DAILY