"Contested Futures in the Mekong Region" seminar, 9 June 2014, Helsinki
Mekong Region is a scene for one of the most intensive hydropower development globally. New sustainability standards for dams have become an important source of justification for the new projects but they remain highly contested. Mekong has been one of the focus regions for Finnish development cooperation. Finland has supported for example the Mekong River Commission and the Asian Development Bank. Also Finnish companies, such as Pöyry, have had an important role in the region’s hydropower development. The corporate responsibility of Pöyry in the first Lower-Mekong mainstream dam, Xayaburi, has been under public discussion in Finland as well as in the Mekong region. Currently, Finland is drafting a new development strategy for the region.
Welcome to a Mekong seminar on Monday June 9th 2014, at 9.00-12.45
Venue: University of Helsinki, Main building, Room 3, (Fabianinkatu 33)
The event will be held in English.
The seminar program can be found below and attached (pdf).
Is sustainable hydropower development possible in the Mekong Region? What is the future role of Finland in the Region? How should Finland act as a development partner? Are the Finnish private sector actors like Pöyry contradicting with the development cooperation? What kind of research is needed in the region?
Programme for the Seminar
9.00 Morning coffee
9.15 Welcome words, Jyrki Luukkanen, Finland Futures Research Centre
9.20-9.30 Introduction: Mekong and the politics of hydropower, Mira Käkönen, University of Helsinki
9.30-10.00 “Benefit sharing and sustainability of hydropower”, Louis Lebel, University of Chiang Mai
10.00-10.20 “Hydropower development in Cambodia”, Try Thuon, independent researcher / lecturer, Royal University of Phnom Penh
10.20-10.40 “Local research capacity to meet development and environmental challenges”, Dany Va, Royal University of Phnom Penh
10.40-11.15 “Finland's role and corporate accountability in the Mekong Region”, Timo Kuronen and Liisa Uimonen, Siemenpuu Foundation
11.15-12.15 Panel Discussion: Mekong futures and Finland’s role
- Maria Notley, Water Advisor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
- Louis Lebel, Director at USER, University of Chiang Mai
- Dany Va, Head of Environmental Science Department, Royal University of Phnom Penh
- Marko Keskinen, lecturer and researcher in Aalto University
- Otto Bruun, chair of Siemenpuu Foundation
- Chair of the panel Mira Käkönen
12.15-12.45 Questions and Discussion
The event is co-organised by
Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku and
Siemenpuu Foundation’s Mekong Group.
Further information and registration
Finland Futures Research Centre
Please register by June 4th to: noora.stenholm@utu.fi