(November 18, 2008) China has earmarked 20 billion yuan ($3 billion) of a massive economic stimulus packet for shoring up risky reservoirs, improving irrigation networks and supplying clean drinking water in rural areas, state media said.
Other News Sources
China to strengthen rural water conservation with $2.9 bln
(November 18, 2008) China will spend 20 billion yuan (about 2.9 billion U.S. dollars) on rural water conservation projects as one of the steps it is taking to stimulate domestic demand, the State Council, or the cabinet, said here on Tuesday.
Asian Development Bank: Protests Continue Over ADB’s Rice Distributions
(November 7, 2008) Hundreds of villager continued their protests Thursday over their exclusion from the Asian Development Bank’s emergency food distributions in 200 communes around the Tonle Sap Lake and in Oddar Meanchey province, human rights workers said.
Lao dams muddying the waters
(November 18, 2008) Environmentalists say regional forums have proven themselves inadequate to address the cross-border impacts of a slew of hydropower dam projects planned for southern Laos.
Map of proposed dams in Chile’s Patagonia
(November 18, 2008) These maps show the location of the five dams proposed for the Baker and Pascua Rivers, in Chile’s XI Region, Aysen General Carlos Ibanez del Campo.
Ecuador’s leader fuels default fear
(November 17, 2008) Rafael Correa, Ecuador’s left-wing president, has heightened fears that the Andean nation will default on parts of its $10bn (£6.8bn) foreign debt, saying an internal audit due this week will determine if the debt is “illegitimate”.
Statement From G-20 Summit
(November 16, 2008) Following is the text of the statement from the Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy.
Reclaiming the Sesan River
(November 15, 2008) Ever since Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) began damming the Sesan River for hydropower, affected communities in downstream Cambodia have grappled with the question: what, if anything, can be done to reduce the worst effects of EVN dam operations?
Ecuador’s Correa says he’ll seek legal basis for debt default
(November 15, 2008) Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa said he’ll suspend payments on foreign debt he deems “illegitimate” should an upcoming report find there is legal basis to do so.
Chinese dams accused of flooding the region
(November 14, 2008) Many of the 300 representatives at a recent forum in Bangkok have blamed Chinese authorities for releasing water from three hydropower dams on the Mekong River in August, which devastated hundreds of communities downstream.
Chilean Patagonia under threat by cascade of hydroelectric dams
(November 14, 2008) Read these recent articles referring to the HidroAysen mega project planned for the Chilean Patagonia.
Chilean Patagonia Defense Council
(November 13, 2008) A list of contact information for the groups forming the Chilean Patagonia Defence Council – a coalition in opposition to the cascade of five dams planned for Chile’s Aysen region in the Patagonia.
China Dialogue review of global warming debate not objective, says author of environmental best seller
(November 11, 2008) China Dialogue fails to objectively review the scientific debate about global warming in the environmental best seller, The Deniers, by Lawrence Solomon of Energy Probe, Canada’s top energy industry watchdog. Probe International calls the author’s response a "must read" for Chinese environmentalists, lawmakers, and scholars.
China: Dam casts long shadow over idyllic valley
(November 3, 2008) A controversial plan to dam China’s upper Yangtze in order to redirect water to central Yunnan and its capital Kunming may be a Trojan Horse for the cascade of dams proposed for the area including famed Tiger Leaping Gorge, but postponed due to unprecedented protests from the press and public in 2004.
ELECTRICITY OF VIETNAM: High electricity prices a drain on the economy, say Hanoi economists
(November 10, 2008) Hanoi University’s Centre for Economic and Policy Research calls for more competition in electricity generation and independent checks on Electricity of Vietnam’s costs and profits before any further rate increases.


