Rivers without Boundaries

“Our Common Geopolitical Language” Sounds Scary

People from throughout the world who love Mongolia, its rivers and local communities, are truly concerned with current new push to build hydropower dams on Mongolia’s majestic free-flowing rivers. This piece republished with permission of the author – Peter Fong – is a vivid evidence of such concerns. Way back …

Erdeneburen hydropower project in Mongolia contradicts “Green Belt and Road” standards

By Sukhgerel Dugersuren ,  The Third Pole  https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/energy/opinion-still-time-to-rethink-mongolias-erdeneburen-hydropower-plant/ In April, construction was due to start on Mongolia’s largest hydropower plant to date. The Erdeneburen hydropower plant is planned to be built on the Khovd River in western Mongolia, in an ecologically sensitive area of a national park. The project, which …

World Heritage as a “No Go” Zone for Investment in Industry and Infrastructure

Dams threatening Lake Baikal and five other iconic areas are featured in a new report by Friends of the Earth US “World Heritage Forever? How Banks Can Protect the World’s Most Iconic Cultural and Natural Sites”. The report is examining how the international banking sector lacks strong policies and practices …

The Rivers without Boundaries Thanks the World Heritage Committee for its Wise Decision on the Lake Baikal

On July 23 the 44th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held at Fuzhou in China, unanimously approved (without discussion) a new Decision on the Lake Baikal – the most troubled property of the Russian Federation. As an observer at the Session, Eugene Simonov, Coordinator of the Rivers without Boundaries …

New Energy Agreement between Mongolia and Russia May Eliminate Plans for Hydropower Plants in Selenge River Basin

December 3. Moscow. Mongolia and Russia have finally signed an agreement on cooperation in electric power, development of which was triggered by Mongolia’s plans to build hydropower plants in Lake Baikal basin to achieve self-sufficiency in energy sector. On the part of Mongolia, such desire was partly due to lack …

Old energy minister gets a new term…in prison

Former Mongolian Energy Minister M.Sonompil was sentenced to four years in prison over the abuse of power on Wednesday, 24 July 2019. M.Sonompil worked as Energy Minister between 2012 and 2016. Those were decisive years when energy development in Mongolia fell victim of corruption and political favors. Instead of pursuing …