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 ( ). 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 Cambodia International Film Festival th International Short Film Festival, Multiple TV broadcasts in Cambodia  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

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  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  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

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).

UNITING AGRICULTURE AND NATURE FOR POVERTY REDUCTION Thank you!