Medog Dam Threats on Tibet’s Yarlung Tsangpo River Raised at UN Human Rights Council
On 20 March 2025, Phuntsok Tobgyal, UN Advocacy Officer at the Office of Tibet in Geneva, delivered an address during the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), highlighting the significant risks posed by the planned construction of the Medog (Metok) Dam on Tibet’s Yarlung Tsangpo River. The dam project seriously threatens the environment, people, and regional stability. Phuntsok Tobgyal emphasised that such large-scale infrastructure development would severely damage Tibet’s fragile ecosystem and jeopardise water security for millions across South Asia.
Tibet, often referred to as the “Third Pole” of the world, plays a critical role in global environmental stability. The construction of the dam threatens this balance through extensive deforestation, increased seismic risks, and disruptions to glacier melt patterns—all of which could accelerate climate change. The project may also contribute to extreme weather events, altered monsoon patterns, and worsen global environmental challenges.
Tibetans inside Tibet will experience the most severe impacts of this project, including habitat destruction, desertification, and the collapse of traditional agriculture. These impacts threaten Tibetan livelihoods, increase food insecurity, and could result in population displacement, further marginalising the Tibetan people in their homeland.
The Yarlung Tsangpo River, known as the Brahmaputra in India and Bangladesh, is a vital water source for millions. Dam construction along its course could drastically alter its natural flow, heightening the risk of water scarcity and catastrophic flooding downstream. Such developments could also escalate geopolitical tensions between regional countries, jeopardising peace and stability in South Asia.
Phuntsok Tobgyal urged the international community to prioritise environmental sustainability over short-term economic interests. He called for transparent, cooperative action among nations to prevent irreversible ecological damage. Addressing the climate crisis and protecting vulnerable ecosystems require global solidarity. Projects that endanger both people and the environment must be stopped and withdrawn. The Office of Tibet, Geneva, continues to appeal to governments, environmental organisations, and international bodies to mobilise efforts to halt the Medog Dam project before irreversible damage occurs.
