China has approved the construction of what will be the world's largest hydropower dam, kicking off an ambitious project on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau that could affect millions downstream in India and Bangladesh.

China has approved plans to build the world’s biggest dam set to produce three times as much power as the current record-holder. The Chinese government plans to spend 1trillion yuan (£109billion) building the new massive dam over the Yarlung Tsangpo River,

Beijing's approval of a controversial mega dam in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which flows from Tibet autonomous region into India, has sparked concerns about the environmental impact of the project,