Environmental Disasters in the Mekong Subregion: Looking Beyond State Boundaries

Abstract

Using a political science lens, this chapter draws on original research in the Mekong region with a special focus on environmental disasters and water (in)security using the Xayabouri Dam as a case study. Key findings include that it is important to look beyond the state boundaries, achieving a regional perspective as this is the only way to tackle transboundary challenges and increase resilience to environmental disasters as linkages between the global, regional and national level and between different levels of governance shape how disasters occur and how their impact is distributed.