By Fan Xiao
Originally posted October 18, 2022 on the WeChat account “HeShanWuYan” (Rivers and Mountains in Silence; 河山无言).
Translated by Probe International
A transboundary super dam proposed for occupied Tibet, near its border with India, poses significant concerns and risks. A report by Chinese geologist Fan Xiao delves into the infeasibility of the massive development, revealing it isn’t even needed.
As part of China’s long-range objectives to create a modern energy system, the country’s hydropower lobbyists have their sights set on the Great Bend of the Yarlung Tsangpo, the fifth longest river in China and the largest river in Tibet Autonomous Region. The construction of a proposed super dam (the world’s largest if built) on a transboundary river in a seismically active region carries significant risks and the potential for unprecedented costs. In addition to the concerns of Tibet and downstream nations, India and Bangladesh, analysts are voicing their alarm over the project’s environmental and geopolitical dangers.
Among them is renowned Chinese geologist and environmentalist, Fan Xiao, who breaks down what’s at stake in the following report translated by Probe International. He notes the dam is not needed “to reduce emissions” and cannot be justified as a climate change project. “In terms of Tibet’s own energy needs, there is no requirement” for a super dam in this area. Hydropower stations in China’s Sichuan and Yunnan provinces even have to release excess water due to lack of demand, he says. However, the allure of the “increased GDP, investment, and tax revenue” that such projects generate, says Fan, is a great temptation for governments and vested interest groups.
The Yarlung Tsangpo (its name in Tibet) is also known as the Brahmaputra, which flows through northeastern India and Bangladesh.