SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
INFLUENCES NATIONAL POLICY
ON HYDROPOWER DAMS IN CAMBODIA
SRP4: Managing river basin equitably for livelihoods
and the environment
Flagship: Managing Resource Variability and
competing uses
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE
 Mekong:
• The river produces 18% (range 7%-22%) of the world’s freshwater
fish (2.1 million tonnes/year)
• At least 39% = 800,000 tonnes of migratory fish affected by
dams
• 16 dams in 2000, 47 in 2015, 88 in 2030, 212 projects listed
 Cambodia:
• Fish represents 18% of the total food consumed and 81% of the
animal protein consumption
• 210,000 tonnes of fish losses (= 30% of protein supply)
expected by 2030 due to mainstream dams alone
 Need to quantify and communicate about the potential impact of
hydropower on fish resources and food security and to identify
options to mitigate the negative impact of dams
SCIENCE CARRIED OUT AND OUTPUTS
 IDENTIFY RESOURCES AND RISKS
• Publications under CPWF/WLE
 Fish biodiversity research in the Mekong Basin
Book chapter in English. Target: scientists, informed readers
 Current status of the giant catfish Pangasianodon gigas
Book section in English. Target: scientists, lay readers
 Fish resources in Cambodia (2001-2011). Chapter
in the Atlas of Cambodia.
In English & Khmer. Target: lay readers, schools
 Fish, sediment and dams in the Mekong. Book being
published by WLE. In English Target: informed readers
 Fish and fisheries in the Sekong, Sesan and
Srepok Basins
E-book chapter; English; target: informed readers
SCIENCE CARRIED OUT AND OUTPUTS
 COMMUNICATE FINDINGS
 Contribution to radio programs
Deutsche Welle, Radio Australia. Voice of America, Radio Free Asia
 Interviews in written media
New York Times (a), Gulf Times, New York Times (b), ABC
 Multimedia
- “Mekong: the progress traps”
30 mn video documentary by
Daniel Vin, co-funded by CPWF
in Khmer, English and French,
for a lay audience
Cambodia International Film Festival 2013
37th International Short Film Festival,
Multiple TV broadcasts in Cambodia
SCIENCE CARRIED OUT AND OUTPUTS
 PROPOSE MITIGATION OPTIONS
 The importance of the fish resource in the Mekong River and
examples of best practice. Book section. English; Target: lay readers
 Trading-off fish biodiversity, food security, and hydropower in the
Mekong River Basin. Article in English published by the US National
Academy of Science. Target: scientists, informed readers. Model-based
analysis of all combinations of dams on tributaries in the Mekong Basin, of
their power output and of their impact on fish and biodiversity.
Identification of best combinations and of most damaging dams (e.g.
Lower Sesan 2 in the 3S, 45m high)
 Fish passage opportunities for the Lower Sesan 2 Dam in Cambodia.
(MK3 e-book chapter in English; target: informed readers). Proposal for a
fish passage system inspired from Itaipu dam in Brazil (110m high, design
independent from the dam, using natural adjacent streams)
SCIENCE CARRIED OUT AND OUTPUTS
 CONTRIBUTE TO THE NATIONAL POLICY
 Policy briefs designed for decision makers
- on the potential impact of the Lower Sesan 2 dam in Cambodia
- on vulnerability of food and nutrition security to mainstream dam
development in Cambodia
 Briefing for the members of the Cambodia National Mekong Committee
involved in the MRC review process of the Xayaburi and Don Sahong
Dams in Lao PDR and helping prepare an official response
 Briefing of the Technical Working Group on Fisheries, a
donor/government coordination and steering facility, on the impact of
planned Cambodian mainstream dams on national food security,
 Contribution to regular institutional meetings: i) of the Technical Working
Group on Fisheries and ii) of the TWGF Sub-Group on Dams to determine
the official position on specific projects, prepare responses and raise funds
for studies
PARTNERS
 OUR PARTNERS AND THEIR ROLES
 Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute (research
department of the Fisheries Administration): IFReDI led the project on dams
and food security and championed results; leads the Sub-Group on Dams
 Fisheries Administration (line agency for fish resources management): FiA
co-chairs the national Technical Working Group on Fisheries and is influential
within the government
 Cambodian National Mekong Committee (represents the Cambodian
government at the Mekong River Commission deliberations): CNMC
supported the 10-year moratorium on mainstream dams
 Development partners (in particular the European Commission and the
US Embassy): the EC communicated the key research findings to the Prime
Minister, urged the government to take a more active role in the hydropower
debate and to seek mitigation strategies. The US embassy contributes to
informing and shaping the US development aid strategy in the region
OUTCOME AND EVIDENCE



Research results → CNMC → Cambodia officially
demanded more research on the transboundary
impact of the Xayaburi dam project and
postponement of the construction
Research results → Briefings → FiA → CNMC →
Cambodia is scrutinizing the Don Sahong EIA and
mitigation plans; independent studies requested
through a MRC-driven process
Report on mainstream dams and food security in
Cambodia endorsed by the Minister of Agriculture

Brief about the impact of the Lower Sesan 2 dam in Cambodia communicated
by the EU ambassador to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Water Resources
and the Minister of Environment

Feasibility study on fish passage at the Lower Sesan 2 Dam integrated to
the FiA’s Strategic Planning Framework - $180,000 set aside for that study
LESSONS, NEXT STEPS
 Line agencies integrate information better when dealing with
neighbouring dams rather than with national dams.
 Dam developers are not enough part of these interactions
(integration/influence/ownership gap) and need to be more
systematically engaged.
 The Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy is not keen to engage,
which requires an approach involving benefits from its own
perspective (e.g. fish passage coupled wih sediment management
to avoid reservoir filling).
 Involvement at the Council of Ministers could facilitate cooperation
between ministries (e.g. energy generation perspectives better
harmonized with food production perspectives).
Thank you!
U N I T I N G A G R I C U LT U R E A N D N AT U R E F O R P O V E R T Y R E D U C T I O N