The political ecology of Chinese large dams in Cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the Kamchay Dam

Given the opportunities offered by foreign investment in energy infrastructure mostly by Chinese firms, the Government of Cambodia is giving high priority to developing hydropower resources for reducing energy poverty and powering economic growth. Using a "Political ecology of the Asian drivers...

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Main Authors: Siciliano, Giuseppina, Urban, Frauke, Tan-Mullins, May, Pichdara, Lonn, Kim, Sour
Format: Article
Published: MDPI 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47349/
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author Siciliano, Giuseppina
Urban, Frauke
Tan-Mullins, May
Pichdara, Lonn
Kim, Sour
author_facet Siciliano, Giuseppina
Urban, Frauke
Tan-Mullins, May
Pichdara, Lonn
Kim, Sour
author_sort Siciliano, Giuseppina
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Given the opportunities offered by foreign investment in energy infrastructure mostly by Chinese firms, the Government of Cambodia is giving high priority to developing hydropower resources for reducing energy poverty and powering economic growth. Using a "Political ecology of the Asian drivers" framework, this paper assesses China's involvement in the development of large dams' in Cambodia and its impacts on the access of natural resources such as water and energy by dam builders, local communities and the government. This analysis is based on 61 interviews and 10 focus group discussions with affected communities, institutional actors, Chinese dam builders and financiers in relation to the first large Chinese dam built in Cambodia: the Kamchay dam. Based on the results of the analysis this paper makes recommendations on how to improve the planning, implementation and governance of future large dams in Cambodia.
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spelling nottingham-473492020-05-04T18:11:53Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47349/ The political ecology of Chinese large dams in Cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the Kamchay Dam Siciliano, Giuseppina Urban, Frauke Tan-Mullins, May Pichdara, Lonn Kim, Sour Given the opportunities offered by foreign investment in energy infrastructure mostly by Chinese firms, the Government of Cambodia is giving high priority to developing hydropower resources for reducing energy poverty and powering economic growth. Using a "Political ecology of the Asian drivers" framework, this paper assesses China's involvement in the development of large dams' in Cambodia and its impacts on the access of natural resources such as water and energy by dam builders, local communities and the government. This analysis is based on 61 interviews and 10 focus group discussions with affected communities, institutional actors, Chinese dam builders and financiers in relation to the first large Chinese dam built in Cambodia: the Kamchay dam. Based on the results of the analysis this paper makes recommendations on how to improve the planning, implementation and governance of future large dams in Cambodia. MDPI 2016-09-18 Article PeerReviewed Siciliano, Giuseppina, Urban, Frauke, Tan-Mullins, May, Pichdara, Lonn and Kim, Sour (2016) The political ecology of Chinese large dams in Cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the Kamchay Dam. Water, 8 (9). p. 405. ISSN 2073-4441 hydropower; political ecology; social and environmental impacts; Cambodia; China https://doi.org/10.3390/w8090405 doi:10.3390/w8090405 doi:10.3390/w8090405
spellingShingle hydropower; political ecology; social and environmental impacts; Cambodia; China
Siciliano, Giuseppina
Urban, Frauke
Tan-Mullins, May
Pichdara, Lonn
Kim, Sour
The political ecology of Chinese large dams in Cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the Kamchay Dam
title The political ecology of Chinese large dams in Cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the Kamchay Dam
title_full The political ecology of Chinese large dams in Cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the Kamchay Dam
title_fullStr The political ecology of Chinese large dams in Cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the Kamchay Dam
title_full_unstemmed The political ecology of Chinese large dams in Cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the Kamchay Dam
title_short The political ecology of Chinese large dams in Cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the Kamchay Dam
title_sort political ecology of chinese large dams in cambodia: implications, challenges and lessons learnt from the kamchay dam
topic hydropower; political ecology; social and environmental impacts; Cambodia; China
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47349/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47349/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47349/