Rivers without Boundaries

Vietnam Bans Small Hydro

In October several dozen people died in landslides caused by small hydropower construction and this triggered Vietnam authorities to announce long-prepared decision to stop mass-development of small hydro. Similar, albeit less dramatic, decision has been made by China four years ago, where many hydropower plants have been demolished in last …

A year passed without investigation on the suspicious death of Indonesian activist

A year ago, on October 6, 2019, Golfrid Siregar, an Indonesian environmental lawyer died under suspicious circumstances. He was one of the key activists confronting the Batan-Toru Hydropower Dam built by Sinohydro in the only habitat of endemic Tapanuli Orangutan. On October 3, 2019, Golfrid Siregar was found beaten and …

Dam Construction Is Threatening the Landscapes of Dauria World Heritage

Appeal to Director of UNESCO World Heritage Centre Dear Ms. Rossler: Using satellite imagery we established the fact that, in July 2020 Wellmot (Вэлмот) Company started construction of a dam across Ulz River in Dornod Province of Mongolia, the  principle source of water for “Landscapes of Dauria” World Heritage property. …

Monuments of Hasankeyf Deteriorating, Local People Lose Income with the Filling of Ilisu Dam

By:Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive 1 September 2020 In past years, the ancient city of Hasankeyf attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, offering them the chance to explore the traces of more than 20 civilizations that contributed to the city’s cultural heritage. Hasankeyf – with a history spanning …

Main Chinese actors should not shy away from dialogue with local civil society in BRI countries

Dear China, it’s time to talk!!! Despite saying it takes multilateral cooperation seriously, China has not yet responded to civil society concerns in Latin America At the end of April, 263 civil society groups from around the world sent a letter to the heads of various Chinese institutions about financial …

Two months after Uzbekistan dam collapse: is there a hope to avoid the next one?

The tragic failure of the Sardoba dam has sparked fresh debate around water conflicts and the need for cooperation between countries in Central Asia At 5.55 am on May 1, after five days of severe storms, a dam wall at the Sardoba reservoir in the region of Sirdaryo, Uzbekistan, collapsed …