17. Accessing the Sustainable Developments Principle of Protection of the Mekong River’s Water Resources

From 2009, the Mekong River’s water quantity and quality have been significantly reduced. The phenomenon happened as a result of climate change and human activities. Activities to block the flow or build dams to construct hydroelectricity or diversion in upstream countries are either the direct cause or the risk of further deterioration of the water quality and quantity of the Mekong River. The current status of the Mekong River’s water resources poses serious challenges for sustainable development of the Mekong River’s Basin. To cope with the problems, Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin 1995 (Mekong Agreement) is the only multilateral treaty directly regulating the protection of water resources in the Mekong River. The principle of sustainable development, however, is not specified in a specific article, embodied in the Mekong Agreement through the contents of this treaty. Besides, the crucial obligations lacks an monitoring mechanism and has an unreasonable dispute solution.