Date: 2021 · Country: Cambodia · DP: Thomas Cristofoletti · Producer: Marta Kasztelan · Client: CNA Channel News Asia
The Mekong is known as the mother of all rivers. It feeds more than 80 million farmers and fishermen across its trans-national length. But tensions are rising with the construction of a series of Chinese funded dams upstream, with some suggest, are causing draughts and dwindling fishing catches for downstream communities.
We traverse Cambodia to understand the needs of fast growing economy which expects an 80 percent in electric demand over the next 20 years. What impact will this development have on the environment and water security in the region?
On this journey, we also meet communities displaced by these dams. As climate change forces people to choose between protecting nature or their own economic survival, what is the future Mekong's river communities? And will technological solutions be implemented quickly before it is too late for riverine communities?