China Approves Controversial Hydropower Project in Tibet Despite Environmental and Political Concerns

China has sanctioned the Motuo Hydropower Project, the world's largest hydroelectric power plant. The project will assist China in shifting to renewable energy and responding to growing electricity demands. However, concerns regarding natural hazards, environmental issues, and tensions with India and Bangladesh have made it a highly controversial option.

Hydropower Expansion and Renewable Energy Targets

China is also investing massively in renewable energy, with $890 billion being spent on hydropower, solar, and wind power alone in 2023. One of China's projects to peak carbon emissions by 2030 is the Motuo Hydropower Project, which will generate three times as much energy as the Three Gorges Dam. The new dam could also end water shortages in Tibet, where residents rely on meltwater from glaciers, which are shrinking due to climate change.

But the dam will be built on the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, a seismically active area along the India-China border. The canyon, formed by the collision of tectonic plates, is prone to glacial collapse and landslides. A massive landslide in 2021 pushed water levels on the river up over 10 meters, threatening communities and infrastructure. Past landslides that occurred in 2018 also induced temporary river obstruction and flooding. Increased frequency of occurrence via climatic change remains a concern towards long-term stability of the project.

Environmental and Geopolitical Risks

The risk of glacial instability and landsliding in the region guarantees the dam could structurally be exposed to danger with potential downstream damage and flooding if the reservoir reaches overflow. Further, the construction of the dam will have the added impact of driving Tibetan people away, although figures have not been released by China on the number of people about to be relocated. Past undertakings such as the Three Gorges Dam relocated over one million people, and protests are already being witnessed against other hydroelectric projects within Tibet.

Aside from domestic complications, the Motuo Hydropower Project also has geopolitical ramifications. The Yarlung Tsangpo River flows into India as Siang or Dihang and later the Brahmaputra and Jamuna in Bangladesh. Both India and Bangladesh have also complained about how the project might influence water flows and supplies. India has claimed that it can build its own dam on the Brahmaputra to make sure it has a supply of water, further heightening tensions between nations and Bangladesh's water supply.

Balancing Renewable Energy and Local Impact

While cleaner than coal, the risks of the Motuo Project indicate the challenge of balancing increased renewable energy consumption and environmental and social implications. Exclusion of local communities and surrounding states from the approval process has enhanced criticism. If it is built without addressing those concerns, it could lead to future conflict concerning water security and displacement issues.

Conclusion

China's commitment to renewable energy is exemplified in the Motuo Hydropower Project, but the fact that it is sited in a landslide-prone and politically unstable region makes it a risk-borne venture. Its impact on native inhabitants, water resources, and regional security are in doubt. As China steams full-speed ahead with its construction, unfinished environmental and geo-political considerations remain to undermine the fate of gigantic hydropower projects in sensitive habitats.

Source: Earth Institute at Columbia University, "China approves contentious hydropower project in landslide area of Tibet" by Jenna Travers