Dams, International Rivers and Climate Change: The Impacts of Chinese Dams on the Mekong River
Dr. Yu-Hsiang LEI
Assistant Professor in Economics
Yale-NUS College
Conflicts over water resources are common on international rivers. This paper studies the impact of upstream dams on downstream countries by examining the case of China’s massive dams along the Mekong River near its border. Using Machine Learning and difference-in-difference strategy, we find that, on average, upstream dams smooth downstream water discharge and levels across seasons, and improve downstream agricultural efficiency. However, we further identify potential conditions that could lead to conflicts during times of water scarcity. Our finding indicates the importance of upstream countries taking responsibility to ensure effective transboundary water management, particularly in the face of climate change.
