Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Hydropower, Mining and Construction Material Sectors of Lao PDR

The document examines the environmental implications of booming Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Lao PDR's resource-heavy sectors, noting that while the country is well-positioned to benefit from global demand, the scale of growth is outpacing the government's ability to implement adequate policy and regulatory frameworks.

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the mining, hydropower, and construction materials sectors of Lao PDR more than doubled between 2004 and 2006, a trend expected to persist into the next decade.
• The hydropower, mining, and construction materials sectors are characterized as having large 'ecological footprints' due to their heavy reliance on natural resources, meaning their environmental impact depends on the strength of the policy and regulatory framework governing trade.
• Although the Government of Lao PDR is attempting to review FDI policies to secure economic, social, and environmental benefits, policy-makers are struggling to keep up with the rapid scale of economic growth and investment.

APA

Callander,, T. (2008). Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Hydropower, Mining and Construction Material Sectors of Lao PDR. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/environmental-impacts-trade-liberalization-hydropower-mining-and-construction

Chicago

Callander,, Tom. Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Hydropower, Mining and Construction Material Sectors of Lao PDR. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2008. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/environmental-impacts-trade-liberalization-hydropower-mining-and-construction.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Callander, |first1=Tom |title=Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Hydropower, Mining and Construction Material Sectors of Lao PDR |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=23 January 2008 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/environmental-impacts-trade-liberalization-hydropower-mining-and-construction |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{callander2008environmental, author = {Callander,, Tom}, title = {{Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Hydropower, Mining and Construction Material Sectors of Lao PDR}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2008}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/environmental-impacts-trade-liberalization-hydropower-mining-and-construction}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }