Urban megaprojects and water justice in Southeast Asia: Between global economies and community transitions

• Published in: Cities Vol. 113; p. 103068
• Main Authors: Hawken, Scott, Avazpour, Behnaz, Harris, Mike S., Marzban, Atousa, Munro, Paul George
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Accountability; Case studies; Community; Ecosystem service; Human rights; Human security; Justice; Landscape; Life cycles; Literature reviews; Megaproject; Sanitation; urban design; Urban development; urban transition; Water; Water management; Southeast Asia; urban transition; Human rights; Water management; urban development; Megaproject; urban design; Ecosystem service
• ISSN: 0264-2751; 1873-6084
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2020.103068

Within the Southeast Asian context, urban megaprojects are often delivered in aquatic or semi-aquatic contexts, transforming local hydrological systems used for sanitation, agriculture, sustenance, resource use and cultural purposes by the local populations. This paper addresses a key knowledge gap on the impacts of urban megaprojects on water security and water-related human rights in Southeast Asia through a literature review, field observations and digital earth observation. Three case studies in Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar were used to develop a picture of urban megaproject impacts on urban water landscapes and the human rights of local communities. The paper adapts recent human rights frameworks developed specifically for megaproject life cycles and applies them to the selected urban megaproject case studies. The seven stages in the megaproject life cycle are linked with specific accountability measures for duty bearers. Current challenges and opportunities for the global urban development community are developed in relation to water justice and megaprojects. Further the question of a just urban transition is developed to mediate between megaproject proponents and local communities in the Global South. •Urban megaprojects have a major impact on hydrological systems.•We assessed project impacts in three case studies in Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar.•All phases of project development affected water security and human rights.•We provide recommendations for greater water security and accountability in urban megaprojects.