132-1-transboundary flows_lebel.pdf

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TRANSBOUNDARYFLOWSDr. Louis LebelUnit for Social and Environmental ResearchChiang Mai [email protected], [email protected]

Co-authors: Sopon Naruchaikusol,Muangpong Juntopas

Mekong Environmental Symposium5-7 March 2013, Ho Chi Minh City
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Transboundary flowsTransboundary flows cross shared

international borders

Three questions:1. What are the main patterns in and

drivers of transboundary flows?

2. What are the consequences of

transboundary flows fordevelopment and the

environment?

3. How do transboundary flows

interact and inter-connect? 2


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Types of flowsTypes Examples

Resource Water, fossil-fuels, timber and other natural resourcesFish or wildlife that migrate or move across borders

Pests, weeds and diseases (affecting animals or plants)

Regulatory and supporting ecosystem services

Clean atmosphere (transboundary air pollution)

People Migrants and refugeesTourists

Traders and border communities

Goods Food and agriculture products

Manufactured items e.g. textiles, automobiles, electronic equipmentNarcotics

Solid wastes and scraps

Non-

material

Financial as in investments, insurance, loans, and bank guarantees

Information as in news, science, education, and cultural products

Cultural services provided by ecosystems

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Resource flows Water

Fish & wildlife

Timber

Energy

Can be natural, disrupted or

assisted

Disruption of fish migration by

hydropower dams

Illegal trade in wildlife or timber

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People flows People move across

borders with varying

degrees of freedom

Refugees Border peoples

Labor migrants

Tourists

the benefits migrationbrings to source and

destination communities

are often overlooked but

can be substantial


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Ex. Migrant labor flows to Thailand

Migrant workers registered in Thailand from the three main

sources in the Greater Mekong Sub-region


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Goods flows: value of GMS Trade

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Ex. Importance of trade within GMS


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Non-material flows Investment and financial

services

Information and communication

technology services Mass media and Popular

culture

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Ex 1. FDI Flows1999-2008

For China and Thailand transboundary investment from other GMS

countries is relatively small to total FDI inflows

For Laos key sources are Thailand, China & Vietnam and mostly

related to mining & hydropower & agro-industries

Myanmar has also depended a lot on investment from neighboring

countries in many sectors

Total FDI inflows


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Ex 2. Telecommunication Indicators

Per hundred inhabitants 2009

Again indirect indicator only of transboundary information flow!


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Q1. Patterns & drivers The transboundary flows of goods and services are not as

large as promised or assumed in many discourses

Those for flows of resources and people are often not wellunderstood and easily underestimated

Roads and border institutions are critical to transportlogistics and thus flow speeds and volumes


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Q2. Consequences Transboundary flows create opportunities, risks and

burdens for social development, economic growth and

environmental sustainability

Consequences can be very important locally while

relatively insignificant elsewhere or modest at larger scale

For example: Transboundary flows can have important

consequences for land-use (e.g. concessions)

For some flows borders are critical sites where states

(and local actors) exercise their authority and influence

But for many flows key drivers and decisions are made in

major cities


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Q3. Interactions & interconnections

Transboundary flows are not independent of each other.

E.g. Flows of migrants to Thailand create new networks through

which information and money are exchanged

E.g. Expansion of rubber combines elements of good, resource and

people flows.

regional integration creates new markets, reduces

production costs, and takes advantage of

complementarities in resources and industries of

neighboring countries, but, similarities among the economies means that there is

also significant competition between them for exports

Regional integration alters the function of borders as

boundaries

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Significance and limitationsA focus on transboundary flows draws attention to

common processes, interactions, drivers and

consequences at both-ends and at borders

It acknowledges that there are a set of flows and flow-likerelationships that should be considered jointly when

thinking about region and transboundary relations

Examination of flows can help evaluate regional

economic integration discourses and claims Transboundary flow metaphor is not appropriate for all

types of interactions important to understandingsustainability & security (e.g. power relations)

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Conclusions Places may be transformed by flows in sources, borders

and destinations

Control of flows typically lies beyond authority of single

country and may be modified at borders

Transboundary flows often take on a life of their own in

public discourse and perception that may not be closely

related to evidence about size or impact

Therefore, suggest influence of transboundary flows

should be assessed relative to other internal and external

flows

More critical and integrative research on transboundary

flows is needed

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Framework for

analyzing

transboundaryflows

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132-1-transboundary flows_lebel.pdf

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