The Norwegian People’s Aid and Quang Tri province signed an agreement on April 18 to implement a project to restore the environment and neutralising the effects of the war (Photo: VNA) Quang Tri (VNA) – The Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) will provide 225 billion VND (USD) for the central province of Quang Tri to settle post-war bomb and landmine impacts in the locality. The funding comes under an agreement signed on April 18 between the NPA and the provincial People’s Committee to carry out the project “Restoring the Environment and Neutralising the Effects of the War” (RENEW). During 2018-2022, the project will focus on conducting technical and non-technical surveys to support efforts to clean up land that has been contaminated by unexploded ordnance as well as enhancing management capacity of the project. At the signing ceremony, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Mai Thuc affirmed the crucial role of the NPA in … [Read more...]

Participants pose for a photo at the 2018 Green Climate Fund (GCF) Structured Dialogue with Asia in Da Nang (Photo: VNA)   Da Nang (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam has given top priority to measures aimed at reducing Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and those that promote climate change resilience, with the aim of seeing an 8 percent GHG reduction by 2030. Vice Minister of Investment and Planning Nguyen The Phuong made these remarks at the 2018 Green Climate Fund (GCF) Structured Dialogue with Asia in Da Nang on April 17. He also said that Vietnam would hit its committed target in sustainable development if the country was to receive positive support and funding from the Global Climate Fund (GCF) and its partners in the coming year. “Many measures have been taken by the government to raise awareness among communities and businesses on the issue of climate change and GHG emissions. The Government has assigned Vietnam Electricity Group to buy renewable power from companies, and … [Read more...]

At the workshop (Source: VNA) Bac Lieu (VNA) – Measures to deal with drought and saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta region were discussed during a workshop in Bac Lieu province on April 17. Organised by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, the event drew experts, scientists and managers from research institutes and universities, and representatives from regional localities such as Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Hau Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Kien Giang. Experts assessed solutions to adapt to drought and saltwater intrusion in this year’s dry season, while discussing the efficiency of transformative economic models that have been implemented to address the problem. Coastal provinces in the Mekong Delta are mostly affected by salinity intrusion and climate change. Scientists said the best solution is to plant crops able to adapt to climate change. Associate Professor, PhD. Vo Cong Thanh from Can Tho University stressed the need to pay more attention to building … [Read more...]

Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Pereric Hogberg addressed the “7 Day Challenge” campaign in Hanoi (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The “7 Day Challenge” campaign, an initiative from Sweden, has arrived in Vietnam. It encourages the participants to eat, move and live without harming the environment. “Since I came some years ago, I met so many young Vietnamese who think very much about security and safety in daily life. It’s about air safety, water safety, food safety - what does it come from? Of course, traffic safety,” Pereric Hogberg, Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam told Vietnam News Agency on the launch of the campaign. The event was organised by the United Nations, the Swedish Embassy in Vietnam and the Live & Learn Environmental Education Centre. It has three periods, starting on April 10, April 17 or April 24 and lasts for a week. It was previously held in Kenya, Brazil, India and Indonesia. The campaign’s hashtag … [Read more...]

Prolonged heat in the southernmost province of Ca Mau has exposed 43,000 hectares of cajeput forest in U Minh Ha National Park . (Photo: VNA) Ca Mau (VNA) – Prolonged heat in the southernmost province of Ca Mau has exposed 43,000 hectares of cajeput forest in U Minh Ha National Park to high risk of forest fires, according to the local forest protection sub-department. Of the total forest areas, which have been dried up, over 4,200 hectares were given extremely dangerous level (level 5) warning and other 14,600 hectares dangerous level (level 4) warning. Forest fires are likely to affect areas in Nguyen Phich, Khanh An and Khanh Lam communes in U Minh district and Khanh Binh Tay Bac commune in Tran Van Thoi district. Relevant authorities and forest owners have arranged forces around the clock in case forest fires occur while keeping close watch on the local water level to give prompt forest fire warning and operate firefighting in a timely manner. Communication work is also … [Read more...]

A turtle believed to be of the same species as the one that lived in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi was found in the Dong Mo Lake outside the city in 2007. (Photo courtesy of biologist Ha Dinh Duc) Hanoi (VNA) - A new turtle with an appearance similar to that of the turtle that lived in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi have been found. But according to an expert, it is yet to be confirmed if they are of the same species. The Asia Turtle Programme (ATP) announced last week it had found a turtle of the same species as the Hoan Kiem turtle in a town north of Hanoi using environmental DNA testing (eDNA) techniques.  ATP considered this “a ground-breaking discovery” since the last turtle that lived in Hoan Kiem Lake – one of the last of the Yangtze giant softshell turtles, belonging to the species Rafetus swinhoei – died in January 2016. The species now has just three living specimens, two in China and one in a lake outside Hanoi. If the turtle found by ATP is of … [Read more...]

Authorities in Hai Duong Province inspect a stretch of the Bac Hung Hai irrigation channel in the province in February 2018. Stretches of the channel in Hanoi and in the provinces of Hung Yen and Hai Duong have been severely polluted in the past years, affecting several households. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) will spend 30 percent of its budget and personnel on irregular inspections of suspected environmental violations this year, said MONRE deputy chief inspector Le Vu Tuan Anh. The MONRE will conduct irregular inspections of river basins where violations of environmental regulations have been reported, such as Bac Hung Hai and Duy Tien irrigation channels, Anh said. The ministry will also conduct irregular examinations of environmental issues in Hanoi and in the northern provinces of Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Ha Nam and Nam Dinh, he added. ‘Irregular inspections’ are those conducted after environmental issues have … [Read more...]

The hail in Nam Chay commune of Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai province, blanketed the ground with hailstones 1 – 1.5cm in diameter (Photo: VNA) Lao Cai (VNA) – Hailstones accompanied by whirlwinds rained down on many places in Muong Khuong district, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, in the early morning of April 15. Pham Xuan Thinh, deputy head of the agriculture division of Muong Khuong, said the slight hail, a result of a cold snap moving from the north, occurred in early morning during 0am to 5am in almost all communes of the district, lasting from five to 15 minutes. However, he said, the hail did not cause considerable human or property damage. Residents in Nam Chay commune said the hail, along with strong winds, lasted for 15 minutes, blanketing the ground with hailstones 1 – 1.5cm in diameter. This was the second hail recorded in Lao Cai province since the beginning of 2018. It ended the hot weather and pushed temperatures down to 17 … [Read more...]

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)   Hanoi (VNA) – A conference took place in Hanoi on April 13 to review the support programme in response to climate change. The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Department of Climate Change and the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment. Speaking at the event, head of the Department of Climate Change Tang The Cuong said Vietnam has actively realised commitments mentioned at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-21). He said Vietnam’s major policies in 2019, which should be added to a policy framework to submit to the Prime Minister in June 2018, will contribute to refining mechanisms towards the full implementation of the Paris Agreement to be valid in the country from 2021. Deputy head of the Department of Climate Change Pham Van Tan said eight goals of the … [Read more...]

More than 60 Vietnamese bamboo varieties have been planted in the Gao Giong eco-tourism site in Cao Lanh district, the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap (Illustrative photo: VNA)   Hanoi (VNA) - More than 60 Vietnamese bamboo varieties have been planted in the Gao Giong eco-tourism site in Cao Lanh district, the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, as part of the site’s bamboo conservation project. The bamboo plants, including tre gai, tam vong and soc vang, have been planted in Gao Giong cajuput forest since 2014. This is the place having the largest number of bamboo trees in Dong Thap. Huynh Thanh Hien, head of the Gao Giong cajuput forest management board, said there are now 61 bamboo species planted in the forest. Most of them have adapted to local soil conditions and the atmosphere well. Bamboo trees of various species are planted across the forest, creating fresh shade and a rustic beauty for visitors to the locality. Luu Thi My Diem, a tourist from Ninh Thuan … [Read more...]