The study assessed the potential environmental and social impacts of the proposed Lancang-Mekong Development Plan (LMDP) and Pak Beng Hydropower Project and provided recommendations for improving the planning and management of these developments to effectively mitigate negative impacts. The study was undertaken in four phases (scoping, baseline assessment, impact assessment, and recommendations and management planning) and covered seven thematic areas:
- Hydrology and sediments;
- Aquatic biodiversity and wetlands;
- Fish;
- Amphibians and reptiles;
- Birds;
- Waterways; and
- Socio-economics and livelihoods.
By identifying the potential impacts of the proposed developments and setting out mitigation strategies, the study served to inform the deliberations of decision-makers. It may have played a role in bringing about an informal agreement between Thailand and China to halt the plan.
