Sustainability

1. Sustainability • Sustainability essentially means preserving life on Earth, including human civilization.

2. Sustainability Overview of the science in the Earth • All the matter that will ever exist on Earth is here now (First Law). • The Earth is a closed system with respect to matter (Second Law). • However, it is an open system with respect to energy since it receives energy from the sun. • This flow of energy from the sun creates structure and order from the disorder

3. The natural step The natural step – a successful approach in strategic planning • In a sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing: 1. concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth's crust 2. concentrations of substances produced by society 3. degradation by physical means 4. people are not subject to conditions that systematically undermine their capacity to meet their needs

4. The natural step In a sustainable river system: 1. The natural river flow is not disrupted by man-made structures like dams to cause flooding 2. Waste-water and solid wastes are not discharged into it to cause pollution 3. Ecosystem is in equilibrium 4. Communities can make living out of it

5. The Se San River Basin Se San River Basin Hydropower development • The Se San River is among the largest tributaries of the Mekong River. • It forms one of two remote international sub-catchments of the Mekong River Basin. • It has been recognized as "one of the top 3 rivers in Vietnam in terms of hydropower potential." - Yali Falls dam was completed in December 2001 - Five other dams are planned to be built on the Se San River • About 90,000 people live in the Se San River Basin. They rely on a diverse range of activities for their livelihoods, from small-scale subsistence farming to plantation and cash cropping.

6. The Se San River Basin

7. The Se San River Basin • Main river basin: one of the largest tributaries of the Mekong River • Altitude: The Yali Falls dam in Vietnam lies at 515 m.a.s.l. • Total area: 17,100 km² (Ratanakiri Province is 12,500 km²) • Average annual rainfall: 2,000-3,000 mm/yr • Population 90,000 people (Ratanakiri Province)

8. The Se San Protection Network, SSPN NGOs, TERRA & OXFAM AMRC, the Australian Mekong Research Centre River basin system The Vietnamese agency for hydropower development STAKEHOLDERS The National Mekong Committee,Cambodia

9. Basic Human Needs Identity Protection Affection Understanding Subsistence Basic human needs Participation Freedom Creation

10. Outputs & Inputs • Output Hydroelectricity • input breaking or disturbing the yale natural river flows by constructing yale dam for hydropower development

11. Losses • High investment costs • Material Losses • From 1996 to 1999, sudden floods from Yali Falls Dam's water releases resulted in tangible losses, such as lost livestock and fishing gears, approximating US$800,000, or about US$237 for each household. • More than 40,000 chickens, thousands of pigs and ducks, and hundreds of buffaloes and cows since 1996. • Damage to aquatic ecology • At least 14 varieties of riverine plants have diminished in numbers due to the unnatural flooding. • Nests of turtles and birds such as the endangered Black-bellied Tern have been flooded or swept away. • Water quality • Ratanakiri Fisheries Office cited the Yali reservoir as a likely source of contamination “with toxic blue green algae, or possibly other toxic elements.” • An unusual frothy foam often appears on the surface of the Se San River since the construction of the Yali Falls Dam. Acute threat to the majority of the local indigenous communities in the catchment, due to the five other dams planned to be built on the Se San Rive

12. SC- Analysis • SC-Analysis • Negative aspects SC1-with holding the water in the dam SC3- erosion in the downstream SC4- protection people are vulnerable to flooding Participation Yale dam constructed without consulting the society Freedom threat due to the forethcoming planned dams Subsistence agriculture and water quality problems due to flooding side • Positive aspects SC4 Fuel is not burned so there is minimal pollutionSC4 Water to run the power plant is provided free by natureSC2 Hydropower plays a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissionsSC4 Relatively low operations and maintenance costs

13. Sustainability Challenges • Finding alternative energy source other than hydropower • Income generation from exporting agricultural products rather than from exporting electricity

14. Actions Actions towards sustainability • SSPN and its partners have to expand their influence • SSPN has tp work to attract the attention of international community and perhaps the Funding organizations • Feasibility studies for alternative energy sources • Raising awareness of the stakeholders on sustainability • shift of economy from hydropower to agriculture and fishery

15. Short term actions Short term Actions • Provision of side channels in the upstream for use in agriculture and to dessipate flooding • Discuss on issues of alternative renewable energy source with the stakeholders • Improvement of the toxic blue green algue (eg. By H2O2 )

16. Long term actions Long term measures • investment on agriculture and fishery • research and use available renewable energy sources • Raise Public awareness on sustainability • Small dams for domestic hydropower

17. Change needed What needs to change ? • Changing views of the stakeholders : Vietnamese agency for hydropower development and the National Mekong Committees • Present view “ hydropower is the country's "national resource", and an alternative to energy imports. Aside from creating reservoirs for water storage for dry-season irrigation, hydropower is also regarded as potential source of income from energy export to wealthier neighbours ” • Future view ‘’ hydropower was thought to be the country's "national resource". However, we have learnt that the resource is at the expense of ignoring the needs of more than 50,000 people. Thus we have to reconsider our plan to construct other five dams to ensure sustainable development ’’.

18. Thank you! Frezghi Rudolph, CC