Protocol training for the Lower Mekong Initiative in Bangkok

IHA Sustainability partnered with Pact, USAID, the U.S. Department of Interior (USDOI), and the Lower Mekong Initiative to deliver a training workshop for ministry officials of the Mekong region. The workshop was held on September 6-9 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop was facilitated by PACT and delivered by representatives from the International Hydropower Association (IHA Sustainability Ltd), USAID, and the U.S. Department of Interior (USDOI). Participants included a total of 37 ministry officials from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as representatives from the European Commission and the U.S. Embassy.

The workshop was designed to meet four high level objectives:

• Build understanding of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol as a method for assessing and improving the sustainability performance of hydropower projects;
• Build understanding of environmental topics which require consideration when developing and operating hydropower projects;
• Generate dialogue on hydropower issues within energy and environmental regulatory ministries and between nations in the Lower Mekong region; and
• Share experiences from U.S. hydropower regulatory and science agencies.