China approved it in late December The world’s largest hydroelectric power project To begin construction, we need to move towards economic benefits and renewable energy sources. However, opponents argue that frequent natural disasters in the region pose risks to the projects and surrounding Tibetan communities, as well as countries downstream of India and Bangladesh.
The Motuo Hydropower project is at the heart of China’s goal of reaching carbon emissions by 2030. China remains the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, but Leading in renewable energy project development,investment $89 billion In hydroelectric power generation, solar and wind energy, only in 2023, is rapidly moving away from coal output. The Motuo project is to be generated Three times more energy Today, the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River, which is the most power-generating hydroelectric project in the world, supplies 70-80 million Chinese homes a year.
According to Philippe Benoit, managing director and former auxiliary senior researcher for Global Infrastructure Advisory Services 2050 Colombia’s Global Energy Policy CentreThis energy, like other developing countries, is particularly important for China, where energy demand is projected to be seen increasingly. [seeking to meet] Their decarbonisation target. ”
China also claims that the reservoir behind Motuo station is useful Reduces water shortage On the Tibetan Plateau, where communities that rely heavily on glacier meltwater are hoping to face water shortages due to climate change and glacial retreats.
However, this project is controversial due to its location. It will be built on the station Great BendThe horseshoe-shaped section of the world’s deepest land canyon known as the Tibetan thread Tsangpo Grand Canyon. The canyon sits on the Tibetan Plateau just north of the China-India border 3 times deeperD 37 miles long From the Grand Canyon in the US. It was formed by Structural Interactions Between the Indian and Eurasian plates, these interactions and climate change are currently threatening the existence of hydroelectric projects in the river.
Basin glaciers shrink in response to climate change, landslides occur more frequently along the river. In March 2021, the glacier collapse was 100 million tons of rock and ice (Equivalent to the mass of the 302 Empire State Building). The wreckage blocked the Tsangpo River in thread just above the bend, and the water level rose. Over 10 metersOr three stories. October 2018, a A series of glacial landslides In the basin, the river was temporarily blocked and the valley was flooded. In both situations, Emergency evacuation prevented deathhowever, floods still destroyed the infrastructure.
These incidents have encouraged concerns that future landslides could create waves that could violate new dams and have devastating effects if concrete debris, landslide material and a large amount of reservoir flood the canyon. Glacier melting in this area has increased the frequency of these landslides, putting the project a significant risk, even if it is successful.
Beyond natural disasters, the construction of this dam and the resulting reservoirs are Floods and displacements The Tibetan people and the entire town China have yet to release these estimates. In an interview with GlacierHub, Brian Tilt, an anthropology professor at Oregon State University, who studies dams and development in China, emphasized that resetting infrastructure projects is “a controversial social and political issue in China today.” “Additionally, this is the Tibetan region and there is already political tension, which could lead to more conflict,” Tilt elaborated.
Three small valley dams have moved 1.4 million peopleestimates vary, and the Chinese government resettled thousands of Tibetans to build the Gangtuo Dam, known in Tibetan as Kamutuk Dam, 1,000 km northeast of the threaded tampo on the Jinsha River. Early 2024, Villagers and Buddhist monks protested The planned Gangtuo (Kamutok) Reservoir is expected to flood villages and sacred monasteries, including 700-year-old Wantee Abbey, which contains rare Buddhist murals. Although authorities quickly crack down on protesters and arrested them, many Tibetan people and organizations still resist these hydroelectric projects. Violation of their autonomy.
In addition to domestic conflicts, the dam will be built in the boundary basin known for it. Tensing border relationsjust upstream of Arunachal Pradesh, India, where the river is known as Cyan or Dihan. Further south, the river is known as Brahmaputra in most parts of India. Ultimately, the body of water flows into Bangladesh as the Jamuna River. Officials from both India and Bangladeshi are also Approve the approved Motuo Hydropower projectcites concerns water supply The issue of water data sharing with China.
It is compatible with the Motuo hydroelectric power project in India He threatened to build a dam on Brahmaputra.. “This is a lot of stuff happening when you have a river that is beyond the border, and one country builds a dam. It’s kind of a spurs race,” Tilt explained. India claims that this dam is useful Protect their water supply and economyhowever, it could further put the water supply of Jamuna in Bangladesh at risk.
The approval of the Motuo Hydropower Project raises bigger questions about how countries around the world tackle climate change and reduce risks to their communities while building renewable energy projects.
“From a climate change perspective, this is what we want to do in China. I want them to transfer coal to cleaner sauces and shift the hadro power to cleaner sauces,” explained Benoit. “But we need to find the right balance as the local population is disproportionately affected,” he added.
As the Motuo Hydropower project progresses with little acknowledgement of opinions from local communities and downstream countries, concerns about natural disasters, displacement and water supply remain unresolved.
Author’s note: The cross-border river where the Motuo hydroelectric project is approved to be built is known as Tibet’s Yarungu Tsangpo. In this article, all names were used depending on which part of the river was discussed.
Jenna Travers is a longtime author on GlacierHub and is also registered with Oregon State University Water conflict management and transformation Graduate program. This post is the first in a series covering glacial and water competition in her Capstone Project.
