50 years of international cooperation for the protection of wetlands
Every year on 2nd February, World Wetlands Day is celebrated to raise global awareness [...]
Progress in times of COVID-19: Virtual inception for flood forecasting project in Myanmar
ICEM, along with partner JBA, is currently wrapping up an entirely virtual inception phase [...]
Enhancing navigability on the Ayeyarwady River
The Ayeyarwady River in Myanmar is navigable for 1,280 km from the sea, opening [...]
Green Infrastructure for a Climate Resilient Society – ICEM informs good practice in Vietnam
Vietnam - March 2020 Bioengineering – or the use of vegetation to serve an [...]
Study on Hanoi water pollution and drainage management approaching closure
Hanoi has grown rapidly into a modern, vibrant city. It is also envisioned to [...]
Setting a precedent for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Rayong Province, Thailand
Early 2020 saw the completion of the milestone Asian Development Bank funded Strategic Environmental [...]
Driving socio-economic development forward in Nepal with resilient road networks – project completion
Nepal’s road networks are essential for boosting trade, connecting communities, improving access to services [...]
Historic day for Myanmar’s water governance with publishing of first reference book on hydrogeology
Hilton Hotel, Naypyidaw, Myanmar - 14th November On the 14 November, a huge milestone [...]
Publications released for Environmental Study of the Lancang-Mekong Development Plan
The Mekong River is one of the world’s great rivers, flowing through six countries –PR [...]
“Prepare to be challenged, prepare to be inspired” – regional workshop on Nature-Based Solutions in Asia’s agricultural sector hosted by ICEM in Hanoi
Sheraton Hotel, Ha Noi, Viet Nam - 24-25th July Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), defined as the [...]
Strengthening Integrated Water Resource Planning and Management in Thailand: Completion of Phase One
Record flooding in 2011 took a heavy toll on Thailand, leading to an estimated $45 [...]
Assessing agrometeorological stations in Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar
Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar – May 2019 The Ayeyarwady Delta is a key site of agricultural [...]
Myanmar geological mapping in the Central Dry Zone: training on GIS, GPS and remote sensing conducted in Naypyitaw
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar - 25-26th April On April 25-26th in Naypyitaw, the ICEM team [...]
Planning layers to inform the design, location and environmental and social assessment of future river training works in the Ayeyarwady
The Ayeyarwady is Myanmar’s largest river system. Measuring the length of the country, [...]
ICEM experts facilitate seismic risk assessment workshop in Paro, Bhutan
Paro, Bhutan - 11th December A small landlocked country, Bhutan is highly susceptible to natural [...]
ICEM hosts session at Annual Greater Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy in Yangon
Yangon, Myanmar - 6th December 2018 On the 4-6th of December 2018, the Inya Lake [...]
Myanmar hydropower SEA Final Report released
Yangon, Myanmar - November 28th, 2018 Final Report of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of [...]
GIS Training conducted with key ministries in Myanmar as follow-up to the SEA of hydropower
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar - 19th-20th November The Geographic Information System (GIS) training, which [...]
Youth and climate change conference: “the challenge is today, which solutions for tomorrow?”
Hanoi, Vietnam - 3rd November, 2018 Vietnam is one of the countries most vulnerable to [...]
Inception mission to Mongolia for innovative water governance project
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - October, 2018 Increased industrial activity and urban expansion has been putting serious [...]
Free training course on disaster risk management for urban planning practitioners in ASEAN region now available online
Ensuring safe and resilient urban growth is a priority of the ASEAN member counties. The [...]
Team travels to Nepal to start assessment of geohazard risk
Kathmandu, Nepal - July, 2018 The Government of Nepal has prioritized addressing the impacts of [...]
Mission to Indonesia takes project team step closer to understanding climate change risk to critical infrastructure in region
Jakarta, Indonesia - July, 2018 To meet crucial development, inclusion and environmental goals in low-income [...]
Myanmar Healthy Rivers Initiative project reports and publications available
Yangon, Myanmar – August 31, 2018: Myanmar Healthy Rivers Initiative project reports and publications available [...]
Strengthening climate resilience in Bac Kan city
Bac Kan, Vietnam – July, 2018: Strengthening climate resilience in Bac Kan city Located in [...]
ICEM’s project portfolio in South Asia expands
Building on an already extensive track record of experience in South Asia, the ICEM project portfolio in the region has recently expanded with two more projects, building on experience in Nepal and now also including Bhutan. ICEM also added one more project to its current portfolio of projects in Myanmar.
Myanmar hydropower SEA Final Report draft available for review and comment
Yangon, Myanmar – May 22, 2018: Myanmar Hydropower SEA Final Draft Report available for review [...]
Framework to assess river health in Myanmar presented
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar – March 9, 2018: Framework to assess river health in Myanmar presented [...]
Climate resilience projects in Cambodia prioritized for action
New initiatives to build resilience to climate change in Cambodia are edging closer to implementation following a national workshop in Phnom Penh this March. The workshop served to review the results of six feasibility studies for projects focusing on climate resilience in Cambodia, and to identify projects most likely to receive financing from climate funds.
Green growth highlighted as sustainable development pathway at high-level ministerial meeting
Chiang Mai, Thailand – January 30 - February 1, 2018: Fifth GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting [...]
Notice of public consultation for draft ESIA/ESMP of Sub-Project 1 of the AIRBMP
The Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems (DWIR) is considering a combination [...]
Major study on hydrogeology of Myanmar’s Dry Zone published
Approximately 15.4 million people, just under 30 % of the population of Myanmar, live in Myanmar’s Dry Zone. Most villages, towns and cities rely on groundwater for potable water supplies, and away from the Ayeyarwady River and tributaries, the Dry Zone is extremely short of water. Villagers without tubewells travel great distances to collect small quantities of water from shallow dugwells and polluted earth ponds.
New model for data management and urban planning introduced to government agencies
An exciting new era for data management and urban planning practices in Can Tho has just begun, moving the city closer to its goal of becoming a Smart City.
Baseline information on Ayeyarwady River gathered from local communities
The Ayeyarwady is one of the most important of Myanmar’s rivers for economic development, yet relatively little is still known about this key waterway. Team members of component three of the Myanmar Ayeyarwady Integrated River Basin Management (AIRBM) project, recently turned to local community members to fill some of the gaps in information necessary to inform the future development of the river.
Series of publications on the promotion of bioengineering in Vietnam now available
Hanoi, Vietnam – August 7, 2017: Series of publications on the promotion of bioengineering in [...]
Public invited to discuss planned Ayeyarwady River improvements
The Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems (DWIR) is considering a combination [...]
Further steps taken to establish country-wide river basin modelling tool for Thailand
Thailand has long recognised that river basin modelling provides important evidence to inform basin planning and integrated water resources management (IWRM). Flood management is closely linked with the broader issues of river basin planning and IWRM, and the need to strengthen it has become urgent after the severe floods of 2011, which affected almost 14 million people across 65 of Thailand’s 77 provinces.
New data collected for Ayeyarwady River
New data on key infrastructure, social indicators and environmental issues are being gathered and updated for the Ayeyarwady River between Mandalay and Nyaung Oo. The data will contribute to an environmentally and socially acceptable strategy for managing the future development of inland water transport (IWT) in Myanmar.
Myanmar hydropower SEA draft Baseline Assessment Report now available for public comment
Yangon, Myanmar – June 8, 2017: Myanmar hydropower SEA draft Baseline Assessment Report now available [...]
Socio-economic and environmental trends in 3S river basins discussed at regional meeting
What have we learned so far? What are the gaps to be highlighted? And what are the inter-relationships of the issues concerned? These are the questions that were answered during the recent dialogue between government and NGO representatives of the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) countries and technical experts from regional organisations.
Project to demonstrate effective bioengineering application in northern Vietnam draws to a close
Hanoi, Vietnam – May 25, 2017: Project to demonstrate effective bioengineering application in northern Vietnam draws [...]
Trade-offs in 3S river basins deliberated
The Sekong, Sesan and Sre Pok basins are richly endowed with natural resources and support the livelihoods of an estimated 3.5 million people living in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam. In early-March, potential trade-offs among development decisions in the 3S basins, and their social, economic and environmental risks were the topic of a dialogue involving government representatives of the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) countries and technical experts from regional organisations.
ICEM Director General published in handbook of significant scholarly debates
ICEM Director General, Dr Jeremy Carew-Reid contributed a chapter on strategic environmental assessment of mainstream hydropower development in the Mekong to the recently published Routledge Handbook of the Environment in Southeast Asia.
Valuable lessons captured in climate resilience films
Vietnam’s northern mountainous provinces are particularly vulnerable to intense storms which may become more frequent and intense due to the impact of climate change. The area is already prone to landslides and floods, but these could become more severe, damaging infrastructure and livelihoods and leaving the provinces with irreplaceable losses. To help the Vietnamese government and communities to protect rural infrastructure from the impacts of climate change, the GEF-funded project Promoting Climate Resilient Rural Infrastructure in Northern Vietnam was implemented in 2012.
ADB releases publication on green infrastructure
Rapid and unplanned urbanization leave cities and towns across the world vulnerable to environmental challenges, including the impact of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts and slow onset changes such as sea level rise. This impact is likely to become more severe due to climate change, threatening infrastructure and sustainability. Nature-based solutions, or green infrastructure, can play a significant role in building urban resilience to these challenges through the rehabilitation and expansion of natural ecosystems within built areas. It provides a foundation strategy to sustainable urban development.
Urban planners introduced to disaster risk screening tools
With natural hazards such as flooding, drought and storms set to increase, and urban populations and infrastructure to expand rapidly, urban planners must be able to assess disaster risk and threats associated with climate change in a holistic and integrated manner.
New GIS Climate Change Toolkit introduced
A toolkit that will enable Cambodian government staff to see what climatic changes are on the cards in areas where they are planning developments, is being created by ICEM. The toolkit will, among others, allow for projected climate change parameters to be incorporated in project design and management across all arms of government.ICEM introduced the GIS Climate Change Toolkit, which is still in development, this December at a one-day training workshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, attended by various government agencies and NGOs.
Training for communities to monitor river health completed
How can community based river health monitoring be established to complement official or conventional monitoring? This is one of the central questions of the Myanmar Healthy Rivers Initiative (MHRI), and a big step towards answering it has recently been made.
Download reports: New low-cost mechanism for investing in mangrove protection and restoration
Mangroves for the Future (MFF) and FAO have designed a new low-cost mechanism that enables investors to promote mangrove conservation and restoration through provision of funding to local communities.
3S River Basins Study set to begin
The Sekong, Sesan and Sre Pok are transboundary tributaries of the Mekong River. The 3S basins, as they are collectively known, are richly endowed with natural resources and make an important contribution to national and regional development while supporting the livelihoods of 3.5 million people living in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. However, there is a critical need to understand and respond to the risks inherent in the current "growth at all costs" paradigm.