Cambodia's giant lake shrinks as climate change, Mekong dams cut fish supply

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🗞️ Driving the news: The Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake, is shrinking due to climate change and hydropower dams on the Mekong River, devastating Cambodia’s fishing communities
• In Kampong Chhnang, families depend on fishing but face declining catches, with women processing 20 kilograms of fish for only $2.48 in earnings
• The lake's natural flood cycle, crucial for fish breeding, is disrupted, affecting food security for millions

🔭 The context: Tonle Sap’s annual flood-dry cycle sustains its biodiversity and supports over a million Cambodians reliant on its fish
• However, upstream Mekong River dams have altered water flows, while climate change intensifies droughts and erratic rainfall
• These changes exacerbate poverty and force communities to adapt by fishing out of season

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Tonle Sap’s decline reflects broader challenges where hydropower projects and climate change threaten ecosystems and traditional livelihoods
• Reduced fish supply impacts regional food security and biodiversity, with ripple effects across Southeast Asia’s economy and environment

⏭️ What's next: Cambodian authorities face growing pressure to balance hydropower expansion with protecting fisheries and water cycles
• Regional cooperation is critical to regulate upstream Mekong dams and ensure sustainable resource management, while locals may need alternative livelihoods

💬 One quote: "We can't rely on the lake as before. It’s changing, and so are our lives," - a fisherman from Kampong Chhnang

📈 One stat: Fish catches from Tonle Sap have dropped by up to 40% in some areas, threatening food supplies for millions

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