The Thirsty Dragon: In Parched Beijing, Claims of a ‘Green’ Olympics May Not Hold Water
January 21st, 2022
Courtesy of The Washington Post, an article on China’s claims of a green Olympics: Barren hillsides broken up by thin strips of white snow are a familiar sight for regular visitors to ski resorts near Beijing. The 2022 Winter Olympics host, which is under 150 miles from the rapidly expanding Gobi Desert, is famous for cold and […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon: Water Politics Will Drive Kazakhstan’s Relations With China
January 14th, 2022
Via National Interest, commentary on the need for Kazakhstan and China to reach mutually beneficial agreements on water issues: The recent unrest in Kazakhstan quickly led to an intervention by the Collective Security Treaty Organization and triggered the appointment of a new prime minister. While events in Kazakhstan will continue to impact regional geopolitics, some issues will remain generally unaffected, […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon: Are ‘Sponge Cities’ the Answer to Shenzhen’s Water Scarcity?
January 5th, 2022
Via The Diplomat, an article on Shenzhen, which is facing its worst drought on record: Like many other countries, China is facing a multitude of water and water-related challenges, including flooding and droughts, which are linked to climate change. In the past few decades, water-related concerns in China have increased in both intensity and frequency, impacting not only society, but […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon: What Chinese Dams in Laos Tell Us About the Belt and Road Initiative
December 6th, 2021
Via The Diplomat, a look at what Chinese dams in Laos tell us about Chinese ambitions and objectives: With nearly $900 billion in investment across nearly 140 countries, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has sparked significant debate. Much of this debate has focused on the professed grand strategic aims of the project, leading to […]
Read more »Thai Water Project Clears Major Hurdle After China Shows Interest
October 28th, 2021
Via Voice of America, an article on Thailand’s recent decision to move ahead on a controversial water diversion project: Thailand is moving forward on a controversial and long-pondered water diversion project after the plan drew interest from a major Chinese firm, a move that could give Beijing a new outpost for its sweeping Belt and […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon: Red Flag River and China’s Downstream Neighbors
October 23rd, 2021
Via The Diplomat, an article on China’s proposed mega-water transfer project is already sparking fears amongst countries downstream of the impacted rivers: The Red Flag River Water Diversion Project Proposal (Red Flag River) is a new enormous inter-basin water diversion proposal in China. It is not an official project and has not received approval from the Chinese government; however, since […]
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