A four-year regional programme running until 2026, led by Oxfam Novib and funded by the Swedish government, will look at the rights associated with and resilience of transboundary rivers across South Asia.
With the aim of fostering stronger cooperation in managing shared water resources and building resilience among riparian communities, the work is focusing on the transboundary Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) River Basins across Nepal, Bhutan, India, and Bangladesh.
Covering over 1.7 million square kilometres and supporting over 650 million people, the GBM River Basin is one of the largest in the world. Encompassing vast cultural, demographic and biodiversity, the river and its connected ecosystems are essential for livelihoods, agriculture, fisheries, and water supply across the four nations. However, unsustainable development, pollution, and climate change are having an impact.
The Stockholm Environment Institute’s Asia centre, which focuses on gender and social equity, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, water insecurity and integrated water resource management, is serving as a regional partner in this programme. SEI’s involvement will enhance grassroots diplomacy, empower local communities, helping them to advocate for sustainable and equitable water governance that reflects their needs and priorities.
Engaging ten partners operating at regional, national, and local levels within the GBM basin, the programme’s expected outcomes include:
- Strengthening the climate resilience of communities across the basins, ensuring they can sustainably manage and adapt their livelihoods in response to environmental changes.
- Enhancing transboundary river ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation, addressing critical environmental threats and fostering sustainable practices.
- Building leadership capacity among civil society, focusing on women, indigenous peoples, and youth, to influence policies and practices within government and the private sector on water governance.
- Advancing cooperation, collaboration, and accountability mechanisms across and between the GBM basins, laying the foundation for more inclusive, equitable, and transparent water governance structures.
Water-stressed
One of the most water-stressed countries in the world, Iraq is facing severe water security challenges exacerbated by climate change, prolonged conflict, and environmental degradation. Rising temperatures, decreased rainfall, and an increased demand due to population growth, are putting additional strain on limited water supplies that have dropped sharply due to prolonged droughts over recent decades, leading to internal displacement.
SEI has stepped up to support Iraq in addressing these water challenges and has been working closely with the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources, supported by the Swedish funded project called Water Innovation for Circularity and Enhanced Resilience. SEI is engaging with national stakeholders and partners, providing technical expertise to enhance their water management skills.
Youth leadership
Dialogue has begun with the aim of building a youth leadership network for the water sector in the Lancang-Mekong Region.
In October 2024, discussions were held in Beijing, organised by the Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Centre and SEI. More than 30 representatives from Chinese ministries, the National Water Resources of Thailand, and the United Nations Development Programme, gathered with other governments, scientific research institutions, universities, enterprises and non-governmental organisations to share experiences and exchange training knowledge for younger members of the region’s water industry.
A study tour visited the Tuancheng Lake in Beijing’s Haidian District to learn about the economic, social, and ecological benefits of the first phase of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project since it became fully operational.
Smart solutions
Although hydropower currently provides over 50% of energy in the Lower Mekong region, it faces increasing challenges from climate variability, ageing infrastructure, and the need to meet growing energy demands. And this is where Smart Hydropower Solutions are aiming to transform the optimisation of hydropower systems in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, ensuring sustainable and equitable energy access.
Called SMART-HS, this new project is led by Louise Slater, who is Professor of Hydroclimatology at the University of Oxford’s School of Geography and Environment. The three-year project, which was recently awarded over £2 million through UK Research and Innovation’s Ayrton Challenge Programme, will develop cutting-edge monitoring and forecasting technologies to improve the efficiency and safety of the region’s hydropower networks. SMART-HS will support cleaner, more reliable energy generation, particularly in underserved rural areas, while fostering inclusive and sustainable practices.
Slater said the team is excited to be working with its co-investigators in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to develop novel technologies integrating sensors and satellite-based monitoring with existing models and machine learning to support the energy efficiency and safety of the existing network of small hydropower plants.
SMART-HS will use low-cost, real-time monitoring systems combined with advanced predictive analytics to enable hydropower plants to better respond to fluctuating energy demand and water availability. By integrating data on weather patterns, water levels, and infrastructure safety, the project will enhance the performance of hydropower networks while reducing risks to downstream communities.
As Slater explained: ‘A core focus of the project is to empower local communities and ensure that all regions benefit from advancements in clean energy. This includes providing training to local operators and fostering gender equality in the energy sector to ensure no community is left behind.’
SMART-HS is a collaboration between researchers at the University of Oxford, the University of Edinburgh, and international partners in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, including the Hanoi University of Mining and Geology and the National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation.
The project builds on Oxford’s expertise in sustainability and international development, addressing global energy challenges in a rapidly changing world. The methods and technologies developed in this project could be adapted to other transboundary hydropower systems worldwide, creating a scalable model for sustainable energy transitions.
SMART-HS is funded under the Ayrton Challenge Programme, which supports pioneering research aimed at addressing urgent global climate and energy challenges. It is one of 13 such funded initiatives to focus on enabling equitable transitions to low-carbon energy systems in developing countries.
United effort for transboundary rivers
At the end of last year, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) inaugurated one of its latest core river monitoring stations in Champassak Province, Lao PDR. Located downstream of Pakse City, this new station is one of 11 modern integrated stations that are helping to improve the sustainable management of the Mekong River.
Core river monitoring is described as being essential to track hydrology, sediment, water quality, fishery health, and the overall ecology of the Lower Mekong Basin. It’s being undertaken by the MRC – the intergovernmental organisation established in 1995 by Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam to boost regional dialogue, serving as a cooperative regional platform for water diplomacy and a knowledge hub to manage water resources and support sustainable development of the region.
“During the recent rainy season, Laos faced impacts from tropical storms, particularly Typhoon Yagi, causing widespread flooding. However, the meteorological and hydrological stations within the MRC core river monitoring network, and other stations, played a key role in providing timely and scientific information for early warning and flood preparedness at flood risk areas,” Chanthanet Boualapha, Vice president of Natural Resources and Envionrment of Lao PDR emphasised.
Over the past decade, monitoring efforts under the MRC have matured into an integrated core network, thanks to support from its member countries and development partners. For the latest expansion, France, Japan, Germany, and the UK made specific contributions in terms of equipment and upgrades.
With 62 meteorological and hydrological stations across the Lower Mekong Basin, the network now provides real-time data every 15 minutes. This includes water levels, rainfall, and quality indicators, transmitted to the MRC Secretariat and national agencies. Laos alone operates 22 of these stations, with five newly established in 2024, and hosts 13 of the 45 automatic water quality monitoring stations. Equally important, the new monitoring stations will significantly enhance the MRC’s ability to deliver timely, evidence-based insights into the Mekong’s conditions, especially climate changes and any impacts of dam operation.
The commission is continuing to work hard to address the growing challenges facing the Mekong River Basin, and re-commit to regional cooperation. Amid the increasing pressures of climate change, development, and transboundary impacts, it stresses the urgency of continued collaboration to ensure a sustainable future for Southeast Asia’s largest waterway. Bounkham Vorachit, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Lao PDR and Chairperson of the MRC Council for 2024, urged members to unite in its efforts to safeguard the river that sustains the livelihoods of millions.
In recent years, MRC has solidified its role as a key knowledge hub and elevated regional cooperation, achieving milestones such as:
- An agreement on application of the transboundary EIA Guidelines.
- Expansion of the Core River Monitoring Network and enhancing forecasting.
- Establishment of several joint cooperation mechanisms with China and ASEAN.
- The historic agreement on real-time dam operational data sharing among the Mekong countries.
Its development partners praised MRC’s progress in 2024, especially in data sharing, emergency response coordination, international partnership and stakeholder engagement. In their joint statement, they underscored the importance of continued transparency and cooperation in managing the basin’s water resources and addressing the impacts of climate change.
“Climate change and development pressures are straining the basin’s ecosystem. The MRC plays an increasingly critical role in promoting and coordinating sustainable management and development of water and related resources for the countries’ mutual benefit and the people’s well-being,” said Christina Laun, Head of Division, Germany’s BMZ, representing the Development Partners.
