Author: Huw Pohlner, ANU

At the turn of the 21st century, 22,000 of the world’s 45,000 large dams spanned Chinese rivers. Between 1949 and 2000 in China, construction of large dams proceeded at a rate of more than one per day. Whilst domestic dam-building continues apace, Chinese energy and construction companies are increasingly looking beyond their borders for new and more lucrative business opportunities in developing economies. Completed, ongoing or pending projects are scattered throughout Southeast, South and Central Asia, in the Middle East, across Africa and now also in South and Central America and Eastern Europe.

Chinese dam projects in Asia have previously, and continue to have, significant environmental and social implications, at least in part because the practices of Chinese companies are often inadequately subject to impact assessments, stringent or otherwise. Read more…