Ever since China erected a cascade of giant dams on the Mekong, droughts have become more frequent and intense in the downriver countries like India. Although China has promised to release more dam water for the drought-stricken countries, this offer only highlights their newfound reliance on Chinese goodwill -- a dependence that is set to deepen as China builds more giant dams on the Mekong.
How Chinese Dams are causing Droughts in Asia
Asia, the world's driest continent in per capita terms, remains the center of dam construction, with more than half of the 50,000 large dams across the globe. The hyperactivity on dams has only sharpened local and international disputes over the resources of shared rivers and aquifers.
The focus on dams reflects a continuing preference for supply-side approaches, which entail increased exploitation of water resources, as opposed to pursuing demand-side solutions, such as ...