Source: USAID
BACKGROUND
The Mekong subregion’s abundant biodiversity and natural resources sustain the livelihoods of an estimated 70 million people. However, fragile governance systems and limited civil society participation in the decision-making processes that govern natural resources threaten long-term social and economic development, and exacerbate the impacts of climate change.
Mekong for the Future, implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), works to improve natural resource governance in the Lower Mekong by strengthening civil society’s participation in natural resource management.
PRIORITIES
The project advocates for rights-based and inclusive approaches to address transboundary environmental challenges, and conducts policy and environmental data analysis, focused on four key thematic areas: renewable energy and regional integration; climate change adaptation for resilient rivers; transboundary infrastructure investments; and civic engagement to address shared regional governance issues. These technical themes are integrated across three primary work streams:
- Strengthening national, regional, and international civil society networks and coordination.
- Increasing the capacity of civil society organizations and citizens to effectively engage in policy development, oversight, and advocacy.
- Promoting the transparency of public and non-governmental natural resource information and improving understanding and use of that data.
KEY RESULTS
During the first half of the project’s expected five-year life cycle, USAID Mekong for the Future has:
- Piloted a project on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Climate Action Planning with the ASEAN Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), highlighting opportunities for future cross-sectoral collaboration.
- Provided technical and financial support to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) on the development of the ASEAN Environmental Rights Framework, including a USAID Mekong for the Future staff member who served as a qualified expert on the ASEAN-led working group.
- Developed a new, holistic approach to road and railway development–the “Mapping pathways: inclusive and resilient linear infrastructure development in ASEAN” study–which launched in July 2023 and will inform several ongoing regional policy updates through a focus on the environment and human rights.
- Reported on key issues impacting data and transparency in natural resource governance, including sessions on access to information rights and increasing data transparency.
- Enhanced regional freedom of information through an initiative highlighting environmental journalists through in-person trainings and virtual webinars, as well as small grant opportunities.
- Amplified the advocacy work of civil society organization partners, including locally-led activism for free-flowing Salween and Mekong Rivers, haze reduction in the Golden Triangle, ASEAN heritage conservation, and Indigenous People landscape conservation.
- Facilitated the creation of the Energy Innovation Network, a regional network of civil society organizations working in clean energy.