“Hydropower Not Worth the Trade-offs, Experts Warn”, 16 September 2014

…A total nine hydropower dams are slated for completion by 2019, able to produce enough energy to power the country. But experts warn the trade-offs won’t be worth it. “We can find other alternatives, such as solar and wind energy, biomass and decentralization of small scale energy production for local consumption,” said…[the] program manager for the Fisheries Action Coalition Team. Food security and livelihoods for millions of people are at risk, along with wildlife and fish along the Mekong and other rivers, as dams seriously affect hydrologic and other ecological systems…According to a study by Cambodia’s Fishery Administration, dam constructions along the Mekong River will reduce Cambodian fish consumption per capita from 49 kilograms to 22 kilograms per year due to a decrease in fish populations…[NGO Forum] says that dam construction in Cambodia lacks transparency and participation from local communities, and that the environmental and social impact assessments are too weak to address actual impacts…