The International Conference on Trans-boundary Water Resources yesterday called for the Mekong River Commission Summit to address the challenges of sustainable food and energy production among the basin countries.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti said the 300 representatives from around the world recognise the need for taking mekong cooperation to the highest political level in order to address the challenge of meeting increased demands for food and energy production on a shared basis.
The Mekong, as a prime example, is coming under increasing stress due to climate change and other drivers of change, he said.
The conference's findings will be forwarded to the first summit of the mekong River Commission in Hua Hin today, which gathers regional prime ministers and political leaders and MRC dialogue partners.
The report highlights three specific issues - sustainable food and energy production in trans-boundary basins, approaches to adaptation to climate change in international river basins, and private-sector involvement in infrastructure development.
Hydropower and infrastructure projects bring economic development opportunities, but they need to adequately address the social and ecosystem impacts that result from those investment projects, including administrative boundaries.
Food security will depend on a strong agricultural system. A "blue-green water management revolution" will transform the productivity of rain-fed and irrigated agriculture. Water and food security is likely to be achieved "not only by investing more but also by investing better".
The emerging global experience in trans-boundary river management shows that shifting from a focus on competing national interests to one of maximising common benefits and sharing risks will enable genuine water security to be achieved and sustained.
The conference noted that more efficient agricultural water use would be an important part of climate-change adaptation. Extremes of drought and flood events are expected to become more frequent. To minimise the potential negative impacts of these events, it will be necessary to merge disaster-risk management with climate-change adaptation strategies.
Providing water security for the population of the basin is at the heart of adaptation to climate change. The effective implementation of integrated water resource management, closely linked to land management, is the way to achieve these goals.
Climate change knows no boundaries and will impact the poor most directly. Adapting to climate change in the mekong region will require cross-cutting approaches and regional strategies agreeable to all.
For private-sector involvement in infrastructure development in shared river basins, there is a need to adopt international best practices, such as the Equator Principles, to ensure that investments are financially, socially and environmentally sustainable.
The rules should be the same for any investment project that has trans-boundary impacts, whether from the private or public sector. Countries cannot transfer their responsibility to the private sector. Riparian member countries are responsible for impacts from infrastructure development.
Government, international financial institutions and private-sector banks will not be able to provide the full financing requirements to close the supply-side gap. Innovative financing models, such as new bond markets, are being explored. Demand-side actions will also be required.
