SEI Science Forum 2017 will be organized by SEI Asia from 30 May to 2 June in Bangkok. Prominent policy-makers, scientists and researchers, from across the Asia-Pacific region, are expected to attend to share ideas and perspectives, build partnerships and propose solutions to many of the urgent environmental challenges we face in Asia today. SUMERNET partners will be involved in a panel on "Enhancing Research and Policy through a Partnership Approach" on 31st May.

SUMERNET will hold a policy forum on 30 March in the Sunway Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The policy forum is titled "Opportunities for regional research and partnership approach in supporting the implementation of water security-related Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030". The event is part of the SUMERNET Annual Meeting during 28-30 March 2017.

The 1st Regional Stakeholder Forum on the Pak Beng Hydropower Project organized by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) last month debated whether the transboundary social and environmental impact assessment done for the proposed Pak Beng is adequate given the serious environmental and social concerns surrounding this mainstream Mekong dam.

SEI is rated as the world’s most influential think tank on environmental policy issues in the University of Pennsylvania’s 2016 Global Go To Think Tanks Index, billed as the “premier database and measure of world think tanks”. The index, which is based on a survey of thousands of journalists, policy-makers, donors and topic and regional specialists around the globe, using a detailed list of criteria including leadership and staff; quality and reputation of the research produce

SEI Asia Centre is looking for a Senior Research Fellow to work with the Centre’s "Water Cluster" to lead research on water resources management and application of Geographic Information System (GIS), integrating disaster risk management, and supporting the Cluster research.

At the recently concluded 2016 Greater Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy held in Bangkok, SUMERNET talked to Prof. Lu Xing, Institute of Southeast Studies, Yunnan University to obtain his insights into the working of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Framework and China’s aspirations for greater dialogue and cooperation with downstream Mekong countries.

SUMERNET partners will be organizing a panel on the Robust Decision Support (RDS) tool for policy decision-making on water issues at the 2016 Greater Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy in Bangkok during 9-11 November. The panel (session no. 18) will be held on Thursday 10th November from 1.30-3.00 pm at Room No. 3, Patcharawadee 1 at Prince Hotel, Bangkok. 

Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, a long-time friend and supporter of SEI and SUMERNET, has been appointed today as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Thailand.

We wish him all success in his new position.