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Academic Collaboration for Water, Development and Sustainable Environment in the Greater Mekong Subregion
 
Principal Investigators
UT: S. Ohgaki
MIT: H. Hemond
ETH: A. Zehnder

The Greater Mekong Subregion is one of the world's lowest income regions. After decades of civil war, the effects of economic growth is gradually infiltrating into this region, and the lifestyle of the local people may change rapidly in the near future. Water is the most important resource that supports life and economy in this region. While abundant water supports ecosystem and agriculture in this region, it also causes natural disaster such as flooding. Future economic growth may intensify water uses, and consequently cause adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, a comprehensive and harmonious management plan of the watershed is indispensable for sustainable water use and development, and for maintaining ecological integrity. For this kind of plan to be produced, basic data on water quantity and quality, water use, and alternative water sources are needed.

Goals/Objectives
This study focuses on the lower Mekong Region including Cambodia and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The goal of the research is to find the current problems hindering integrated management of the Mekong River Watershed, and to propose ways to achieve sustainable watershed management, socio-economic development, and maintaining ecological integrity. For this goal an academic network will be constructed to acquire basic data, produce ecological and socio-economic models, and strengthen academic potentials of the universities in the Mekong Region.