Deforestation impacts hydropower potential Deforestation could negatively impact hydropower projects, according to the National Land Management Authority president. Speaking at a press conference in Vientiane yesterday, Mr Kham-ouan Boupha said levels of deforestation in Laos were already back to those of 1989, when 47 percent of Laos was covered in forest.
The current situation was even more worrisome, because this figure had further reduced, he said. “In 1989 we should have held up a red light to logging, but now the problem has got even worse,” he said. “If we faced a red light then, I don't know what colour light we're facing now.” Mr Kham-ouan maintains he has seen satellite images which back up his claim. He said if Laos 's forests continued to disappear, it would damage the potential of local hydropower projects. If deforestation occurs in a reservoir's catchment area this contributes to soil erosion. Soil then fills the reservoir and reduces the life of the hydropower project. Mr Kham-ouan said he knew of several hydropower dams that had failed to meet production targets for this reason, including Houayho in southern Laos and Nam Mang in Borikhamxay province. “Another dam in Luang Namtha province has insufficient water for electricity production because people cleared forests for rubber tree plantations,” he said. Mr Kham-ouan said illegal logging and slash and burn cultivation were contributing to forest decline. He said deforestation also contributed to changing weather patterns and the increasing frequency of floods and droughts in Laos during the past two years.
In order to encourage reforestation and protect Laos 's capacity for hydropower, Mr Kham-ouan has called on officials from relevant sectors to strictly enforce current laws to ensure illegal logging is eradicated. Another challenge in preserving forests is instances of villagers taking ownership of state land without permission, including forest areas, and clearing the land for farming. This problem could be addressed if villagers were given land titles and legal rights to land, and these land titles were enforced to prevent forested land from being damaged.
Foreign investment must also preserve the environment while ensuring local people benefit. In addition to deforestation, this was also important for poverty reduction, he said. Mr Kham-ouan found many investment projects had implemented a “1+4” policy by employing villagers to work as labourers. He said this was not a good way to reduce poverty. “One man I met in Xayaboury province earns about 50 million kip per year from farming his land on his own.
In contrast, labourers earn only 20,000 to 25,000 kip a day.” By these calculations, if a labourer worked every day of the year he would only earn about 9 million kip. The government's policy is encouraging investors to implement the “2 + 3” policy to ensure investment is beneficial to investors and local people, as well as to the country in general. Under this policy, investors must provide funding, technical training and a ready market, while villagers provide their land and labour.
Strange but true, while some of our authorities urge to keep our forest, but other Lao authorities sign an agreement with foreign countries to sell our wood. It seems to me like "La Korn".
Foreign investment must also preserve the environment while ensuring local people benefit.
Yes, I do agree with this statement. Some of our authorities really like to listen foreign partners without considering any consequences.
Yes, it is so sad to hear. Last time I remember that some of Lao specialists, including those who are holding PhD degree, always liked to tell what their bosses wanted to hear, but not the true.
Nevertheless, I do understand that, otherwise they would be unable to keep their position.
I don't know this is still kept in our society, but now I do hope the situation has changed already except for the stupid bosses.
We all know about these impacts, but we never put these theories into practices. The root of all the environmental problems is actually related to the economy. Money can lure people to do anything
No plants, no forests will destroy lives, both humans and animals. No forests no streams and rivers and the dams will dry up, no electricity and no water for food and for life.
The Colorado River in America barely reaches Mexico now. Arizona, California and Nevada are fighting for that water. So what do you mean No rivers and streams and dams will dry up?
You must be dude if you don't understand that deforestation will cause the river, the streams and the dams will dry up and then Laos can't produce'electricity for sale to neighboring countries. No forest, no rain and no streams. Understand now?
If there is no forest, there is no rain, no water, no stream, no river and can't build dam. Deforestation means no trees, no greenery and all plants will die.
I am a lao person; just like many lao who live outside(laonok),or lao who live inside lao(laonaii). We are all care about our country. We all like to see our country to be prosper. All our natural resources should be in the hands of laotian people who own the land and should benefit from every single bit of it. What's happening in Laos right now and many of your laonaii don't even have an opportunity to see the real problem that the laotian people are facing today and in many years to come. I'd like to give you just one thing for all visitors who visit this website to further comment about it. That is; how much money did the lao government borrow from the IMF and other countries to develop the lao economy or something else. Who will pay for all the debts? when the payments are due! I believe, perhaps you yourself or your children and your grand children. All the loans are well spent! Think not! Well good luck to you all!
Borrowing money is a common practice for all business people. As it goes saying "fearing that we will be in debt is equally to be afraid of getting a big fortune or getting rich". That means if you keep in fear you would be poor forever.
In fact, if you know how much USA now is in debt you would be surprised.
It would be fine, as long as Lao government borrows money for Lao economic development. It's okay as long as Lao government borrows meney for doing business, but not just for eating.
Yes, Laos spends lots of money to Lao economic development. Some money from loan and some from donors' aid.
However, I do believe after 2010 Laos would be able to get lots of incomes which are from selling electricity, from mining and other businesses.
So, that's why it seems to me that repaying debts to banks seems not be a matter of our concern.
