Great rivers form the cultural and economic backbone of South Asia. The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin contributed to the rise of some of the earliest civilizations in history, and today it’s a source of livelihoods for millions, nourishing rich ecosystems and irrigating millions of hectares while supporting some of the highest population densities in the world.
The GBM is the third-largest freshwater outlet to the world’s oceans, after the Amazon and the Congo rivers. Approximately 630 million people live in the GBM river basin.
The basin comprises three rivers: the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna. Together, the drainage basin crosses India, China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan before the rivers join together just a few hundred kilometers before the river’s mouth in the Bay of Bengal.
Our Work In the Ganges Brahmaputra Meghna Basin
Unfortunately, water diversions, dams, pollution and climate change are taking their toll on the river basin’s health – with major implications for the millions who rely on it. We are working to amplify the voices of river communities, focusing particularly on the historically under-represented voices of women. We support the growing river protection movement and work with communities to find sustainable solutions to new challenges posed by climate change.
We are also forging connections across borders, taking first steps towards a transboundary treaty or common understanding between China, India and Bangladesh to ease diplomatic hostilities around the basin’s governance. We work with civil society groups and peoples’ movements throughout South Asia to improve environmental governance for these transboundary rivers, boost communities’ climate resilience, and promote a socially-just development path.
Blocking turbines for Lower Subansiri Dam, by International Rivers 
Rangit River meets the Teesta River (right) in West Bengal, India by International Rivers.
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Latest Updates
- Advancing Pico / Micro Hydropower in the Ganga, Meghna, Brahmaputra, and Salween River Basins
By Hydro Empowerment Network (HPNET) Originally published on HPNet’s website The river basins of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Salween (GBMS) Rivers are endowed with rich natural resources, exceptional biodiversity,… - How to Win Legal Rights for South Asia’s Rivers
By: Ayesha DSouza, South Asia Program Coordinator & guest writer Sarah Bardeen What is a river? The dictionary defines a river as “a natural stream of water of usually considerable… - Renewable Energy Exchange 2019 (TROSA)
By: Ayesha DSouza Working on the Transboundary Rivers of South Asia program to advance uptake of small scale, renewable energy as an alternative to large dams, our teams in the… - Working Transboundary: Building Resilience and Democratizing Governance in the Brahmaputra Basin
The Brahmaputra River has repeatedly been the centre ground of diplomatic hostility between China, India and Bangladesh. With no transboundary treaty or common understanding between the countries sharing the river,…