naa a22 4500 510806325 CHVBK 20180411083420.0 cr unu---uuuuu 180411e20131001xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11625-012-0195-z doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11625-012-0195-z Understanding the impact of hydropower developments in the context of upstream-downstream relations in the Mekong river basin [Elektronische Daten] [Claudia Kuenzer, Ian Campbell, Marthe Roch, Patrick Leinenkugel, Vo Tuan, Stefan Dech] Hydropower developments along the main stem of the Mekong River and its tributaries cause transboundary effects within the Mekong Basin Region, which comprises parts of six countries. On the one hand, the provision of hydropower triggers economic development and helps to meet the rising energy demand of the Mekong riparian countries, especially China, Thailand, and Vietnam. On the other hand, the negative impact of dam construction, mainly altered water flow and sediment load, has severe impacts on the environment and the livelihoods of the rural Mekong population. Several discrepancies exist in the needs, demands, and challenges of upstream versus downstream countries. Against the common apprehension that downstream countries are powerlessly exposed to mainly negative impacts whereas upstream countries unilaterally benefit from hydropower, the authors argue that upstream-downstream relations are not really clear-cut. This conclusion is based on a consideration of the complex power play between Mekong riparians, with a focus on recent power trade interactions. The article investigates the consequences of hydropower dams for the Mekong region as well as the role of supranational players, such as the Mekong River Commission and the Greater Mekong Subregion Initiative, on the hydropower debate. It is not nations that are the winners or losers in the hydropower schemes in the Mekong, but rather parts of the riparian population: a few influential and powerful elites versus the large mass of rural poor. Springer Japan, 2012 Mekong river basin nationallicence Hydropower development nationallicence Dams nationallicence River ecology nationallicence Mekong River Commission nationallicence Greater Mekong Subregion nationallicence Riparians nationallicence Electricity trade nationallicence Power grid nationallicence Kuenzer Claudia German Earth Observation Centre, EOC, German Aerospace Centre, DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234, Wessling, Germany aut Campbell Ian GHD Australia, Melbourne, Australia aut Roch Marthe Centre for Geoinformatics, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria aut Leinenkugel Patrick German Earth Observation Centre, EOC, German Aerospace Centre, DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234, Wessling, Germany aut Tuan Vo College of Environmental Sciences, Can Tho University, Can Tho, Vietnam aut Dech Stefan German Earth Observation Centre, EOC, German Aerospace Centre, DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234, Wessling, Germany aut Sustainability Science Springer Japan 8/4(2013-10-01), 565-584 1862-4065 8:4<565 2013 8 11625 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-012-0195-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-012-0195-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Kuenzer Claudia German Earth Observation Centre, EOC, German Aerospace Centre, DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234, Wessling, Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Campbell Ian GHD Australia, Melbourne, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Roch Marthe Centre for Geoinformatics, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Leinenkugel Patrick German Earth Observation Centre, EOC, German Aerospace Centre, DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234, Wessling, Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Tuan Vo College of Environmental Sciences, Can Tho University, Can Tho, Vietnam aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Dech Stefan German Earth Observation Centre, EOC, German Aerospace Centre, DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234, Wessling, Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Sustainability Science Springer Japan 8/4(2013-10-01), 565-584 1862-4065 8:4<565 2013 8 11625 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer