China's renewable energy plans pose threats to the Mekong and Salween rivers

China's renewable energy plans pose threats to the Mekong and Salween rivers

China's decarbonization strategy could harm farmland and transboundary rivers like the Mekong and Salween, a study warns.

Carolyn Cowan reports for Mongabay.


In short:

  • China's energy decarbonization plan aims for 2060 but could negatively impact crucial river systems and farmland.
  • Hydropower expansion in the Mekong and Salween basins could exacerbate existing environmental problems, including river fragmentation and altered flood cycles.
  • Alternative solutions, like reducing electricity demand and investing in emerging technologies, are essential to mitigate these impacts.

Key quote:

“If we think of any major technological change, they always have costs and unintended consequences. The sooner we realize and address them, the more sustainable and equitable the energy transition will be.”

— Stefano Galelli, associate professor, Cornell University

Why this matters:

While hydropower is often championed as a clean energy source, its implementation in these vital regions could significantly worsen existing environmental problems. The construction of dams and reservoirs along these rivers threatens to fragment river ecosystems, disrupting the natural flow and connectivity essential for maintaining biodiversity.

A wooden gavel with an image of a city skyline in the background.
Credit: VBlock/Pixabay

Climate funding frozen by Trump must be released, judge rules in sweeping injunction

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to unfreeze billions in climate and infrastructure funds that had been paused since January, ruling the freeze unlawful and allowing projects across the country to resume.

Praveena Somasundaram reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
Sunrise in the woods

Get our Good News newsletter

Get the best positive, solutions-oriented stories we've seen on the intersection of our health and environment, FREE every Tuesday in your inbox. Subscribe here today. Keep the change tomorrow.

Image of Ben Franklin from a $100 bill behind a silhouette of an oil pump jack.

California officials vow to extend cap-and-trade as Trump targets climate rules

Gov. Gavin Newsom and top Democratic lawmakers announced plans Tuesday to extend California’s cap-and-trade program, despite opposition from President Trump, who claims state climate policies endanger national security.

Lia Russell reports for The Sacramento Bee.

Keep reading...Show less
Man holding his face close to an oscillating fan during a heatwave.

Heatwave relief at risk as Trump administration layoffs stall $400 million in energy aid

A federal energy assistance program that helps low-income families pay utility bills is in limbo after Trump administration layoffs gutted the office responsible for distributing nearly $400 million in summer heat relief funds.

Nina Lakhani reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
View of New York highway along a body of water with the city in the background.

New tolls cut traffic by 82,000 cars a day as New York fights federal order to stop congestion pricing

New York City’s toll program reduced traffic below 60th Street by 13% in March, even as federal officials push to shut it down.

Stephen Nessen reports for Gothamist.

Keep reading...Show less
Three round silos with green grass in the foreground.
Credit: GREGOR/Pixabay

Texas bill would require drillers to notify landowners before burying toxic waste

Texas lawmakers are weighing new rules that would require oil and gas companies to notify and get permission from landowners before burying toxic drilling waste on private property, addressing long-standing complaints over health and environmental risks.

Martha Pskowski reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
A white and red hydrofoil ferry on the water with distant mountains in background.

Futuristic ferries rise above the waves to offer faster, cleaner commutes

A new generation of electric hydrofoil ferries is cutting travel times and carbon emissions in Stockholm and could soon expand to major cities around the world.

Nicolás Rivero reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
A coal fired energy plant with a wind turbine in the foreground.

Trump pushes coal revival as experts warn cleaner energy is key to grid stability

As electricity demand surges and extreme weather strains the U.S. power grid, the Trump administration is attempting to keep coal plants alive despite expert warnings that clean energy offers a more reliable and cost-effective path forward.

Jeff St. John reports for Canary Media.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.