(March 8, 2011) In an apparent contradiction of national policy, General Secretary of Yunnan’s provincial Communist Party claims that the Nu River will not be dammed without further research. Is a schism emerging between the provincial and Central Party officials over the controversial dams?
China’s dam-building will cause more problems than it solves: The Guardian
(March 4, 2011) Peter Bosshard of International Rivers writes in the Guardian that China’s dam building frenzy threatens to destroy the country’s biodiversity. Ironically, trying to aggressively reduce CO2 emissions by building megadams will do more harm than good for the environment.
Brazilian megadam shaping up to be the next Three Gorges disaster
(March 3, 2011) Time Magazine released a story today, comparing the Brazilian Belo Monte Dam to the nefarious Three Gorges Dam. Though the court ordered construction to cease over environmental concerns, the battle is far from over.
Three Gorges Dam: trigger of severe earthquakes?
(March 2011) The giant structure located in China has already caused more than 3,400 (so far minor) earthquakes. Scientists are now warning that a much bigger disaster could be looming on the horizon. A study by seismologists at the China Earthquake Administration (formerly known as the China Seismological Bureau) indicates that the massive Three Gorges dam on the Yangtze River “significantly increased” seismic activity along the dam’s reservoir.
Hydropower projects speed up in Tibet
(February 28, 2011) Amanda Wu of China Tibet Online reports that Tibet is planning to spend $700 million on a new megadam project.
Chinese Environment Minister: Environmental degradation may cause economic ‘bottleneck’
(February 28, 2011) Reuters reports on an unusually frank essay by the Chinese environment minister on how environmental devastation could stunt economic development.
Brazilian court halts mega dam for violating environmental regulations
(February 26, 2011) Bloomberg reports that construction of the $11 billion Belo Monte dam in Brazil has been halted by a Federal court decision, citing violation of 29 separate environmental regulations.
Chinese dams are seeking to outshine the stars in the sky
(February 25, 2011) French journalist Claude Arpi writes that the Chinese dam lobby is using global warming to ram through catastrophic dam projects.
China’s Three Gorges Project to be completed in five years
(February 25, 2011) Chinese official media reports that construction of the Three Gorges Dam will be completed in five years. Cost estimates for the project range from $22.5 billion to $70 billion USD, and it has displaced over 1.4 million people.
China plans to repair 46,400 dilapidated reservoirs over next five years
(February 25, 2011) The Chinese government is going to undertake extensive nation-wide reservoir repairs amidst flooding concerns.
Danger Pent Up Behind Aging Dams
(February 21, 2011) Aging dams have become a growing problem in the United States, and a potential threat to downstream populations. Besides the perils of elderly infrastructure, putting off repairs due to belt-tightening in a time of recession can aggravate lurking dangers from internal erosion, over-topping, and earthquakes.
Kenyans to protest Chinese involvement in Ethiopia’s Gibe III Dam
(February 16, 2011) Members of the civil society and other concerned individuals will on Sunday, 20 February 2011 stage a peaceful protest march to petition the Chinese government against the involvement of several Chinese companies in the ongoing construction of the controversial and potentially devastating Ethiopian Gilgel Gibe III mega-dam.
Is hydropower exploitation of the Nu river in China ‘a must’?
(February 10, 2011) Meng Si of China Dialogue wrote in today’s Guardian that damming the Nu River in an attempt to reduce emissions will devastate the local environment. Below is an excerpt, and link to the full story.
Ecologists dread new dam boom
(February 10, 2011) Global Times recounts the dangers of dam building that ecologists have been warning about for years.
Razing the Last Refuge
(February 10, 2011) Just before the Chinese New Year, Beijing-based non-profit group Friends of Nature wrote an open letter to members of China’s top government bodies – the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference – calling on them to urgently examine proposed changes to the boundaries of a national rare fish reserve on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
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