From its source in the Tibetan Plateau to its Delta in south Vietnam, the Mekong river faces big changes. The development of the countries of Southeast Asia created a thirst for energy while China's booming economy seems to be eager to establish its domination in the area by controlling the course of the river.
It's estimated that 70 million people live at its shores. Most of them rely on the river's natural resources for their survival. Fishing and agriculture provide the main income for these communities.
The large hydroelectric dams built on the mainstream and its tributaries, along with the global climate change, pollution and other human activities drastically transform the social and environmental landscape. Thousands of people were forced to leave their homelands, fish passages have been disrupted, drought and salinity destroy the crops.
Finding balance between environmental protection and development will be crucial for the river’s longevity and sustainability along with the communities who depend on it. If not, an already fragile area will destroy itself in the pursuit of production of ever more power.