Transboundary river basin cooperation for climate change adaptation - the case of Greater Mekong Region

Abstract

The main strands of International Relations theory naming realism, iberalism, regime theory and constructivism, have embedded elements of cooperation for environmental challenges in a various range of ways and perspectives. These days, it is widely recognized that the operation of riparian countries in transboundary river basin management can significantly tackle climate change extremes such as floods, seasonal droughts, and saltwater intrusion. Increasing variation across the basin puts more pressure on transboundary cooperation in terms of sharing the burden and relief assistance. Dams operated with a climate perspective can reduce the intensity of potential flood impacts and increase dry season water levels under drought. Sharing information, risk management and support systems is also a common climate change adaptation measure to try to reduce vulnerability to climate variability. The paper will analyze the case of Greater Mekong Region, focusing in the worst drought in a century hit Vietnam in early 2016 and cooperative attempts of all related countries to deal with this natural disaster under the cooperative mechanism of Mekong River Commission and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism. Three main findings are: (1) River Basin Cooperation between all countries in a transboundary river basin can be a potential solution for climate change adaptation; (2) The rise of China as an upstream superpower may hinder risk for weaker countries in the lower basin and maintaining solid lower Mekong coalition can facilitate these riparian states to smartly deal with their neighboring hegemon; (3) River Basin Cooperation should focus on information sharing for warning system of extreme events like flood and drought.