FUTURE RESOURCE ECONOMY AND POLICIES IN LAOS TILL THE YEAR 2020 (FREPLA)

Research summary

In terms of social wellbeing and economic activity, Lao PDR is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia. Yet it is rich in terms of natural resources and holds a huge potential in renewable energy sector. FREPLA project incorporates resource development view point into a single research and development (R&D) set-up. The project aimed at identifying interlinkages, barriers, trade-offs and synergies in using the full potential of rural energy resources and applying holistic water management in national strategic planning. The key message of the project was that it is necessary to assure that the Mekong and its ecosystem services (including national and regional agri- and aquaculture) are not excessively distrubed by hydropower or any other natural resource projects, such as mining.

Description

The following R&D methods were used and developed in the FREPLA project; adaptive foresight, decomposition analyses, material and energy flow modelling, Delphi Policy studies and interviews. The project produced several outputs; an integrated monitoring system for sustainable energy and water resources management; empirical national level resource management analyses; empirical sectoral level analyses for energy use; trend and scenario analyses of resources use; and analyses with selected set of environmental and socio-economic indicators.

Research info

Research title
FUTURE RESOURCE ECONOMY AND POLICIES IN LAOS TILL THE YEAR 2020 (FREPLA)

Research timeline
1.1.2008 - 1.12.2012

Keywords
natural resources rural energy water management

Region
Asia

Countries
Finland, Lao People's Democratic Republic

Institution
University of Turku (FFRC)
Turku School of Economics
Turku, Finland

Funding instrument
Academy of Finland

Project budget
200,000 - 500,000 euros

Head of research
Jari Kaivo-Oja

Research team
Jari Kaivo-Oja (FFRC), Sari Jusi (FFRC), Jyrki Luukkanen (FFRC), Khamso Kouphokham (MEM)

Partners
Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM), Lao PDR

Contact information
Jari Kaivo-Oja
+358 41 7530244
jari.kaivo-oja@utu.fi
Open link

Record last updated
28.5.2015