VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam joins the 150 or so countries around the globe to celebrate World Environment Day on June 5th with a series of events starting yesterday, June 3, in Quang Ninh Province. The United Nations Environment Programme raised the question: "Green growth: Does it include you?" as a global theme for this year's celebration. The discussion seemed to be quite positive at a televised ceremony held at Bai Chay Youth Summer Camp overlooking the stunning Ha Long Bay. About 1,000 participants from all walks of life, including Government leaders, local leaders, workers and youth, braved the scorching sun to attend this outdoor activity. This year's host site lends itself well to the theme, highlighting the importance of green growth against the backdrop of ever-serious environment pollution and resource depletion. The northern coastal province of Quang Ninh epitomises the classical development-environment dilemma which developing countries like Viet Nam face. … [Read more...]
Youth speak out on environment
Young residents of big cities like HCM City and Hanoi are expressing their concerns about pressing environmental problems by urging residents and authorities to actively take part in reducing pollution levels. Youth volunteers clean up the Binh Phu residential area in HCM City. Young people have become actively involved in activities to raise public awareness about proper disposal of waste. — VNA/VNS Photo The Anh Nguyen Thi Kim Duyen, a second-year student, writing in an essay on green topics, said the careless use of plastics bags by urban residents could lead to what she called an unhealthy "invasion" of the environment. Duyen said shoppers were relying on plastic bags for convenience, throwing them away after a short period of use and thus, heavily polluting the … [Read more...]
Dam projects destroy environment
It is a serious mistake to build so many hydro-power dams around the country since they ravage the environment, a seminar on the subject held in the Central province of Quang Nam's Tam Ky City on Monday heard. Le Phuoc Thanh, head of the National Assembly delegation from Quang Nam, told the conference named "Sustainable Development of Hydro-power Projects: Lessons and Warnings" that dams have destroyed forests, caused floods in the lower sections of rivers, and swallowed a lot of arable land. Investors, and not common people, benefit mostly from them, he added. Dinh Van Thu, deputy chairman of the Quang Nam People's Committee, said: "We made a big mistake by allowing the development of so many hydro-power projects. It is a little bit late to correct the fault." Prof Vu Trong Hong, chairman of the Viet Nam Irrigation Association, said some 800 medium and small dams are blocking off and "killing" all the country's rivers, especially in the central and Central Highlands … [Read more...]
Green theme for Environment Day
HA NOI — Viet Nam will celebrate this year's World Environment Day on June 5 under the theme of "Green Economy: Does it include you?" in Quang Ninh Province's Ha Long City. The event will form part of Viet Nam's efforts in reiterating its commitment to pursuing green growth to transform current development patterns towards sustainable development. This year's event will afford attendees an opportunity to learn more about green economies and assess the process as implemented by the Government, private sector, civil societies and communities. Speaking at the press briefing yesterday, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Bui Cach Tuyen said Viet Nam was developing a green growth strategy for 2011-20 period with a vision towards 2050 and that many challenges lay ahead, including limited resources. He said the next step would entail preparing relevant policies and mechanisms as well as the institutional framework to ensure the effective implementation of such strategy. … [Read more...]
Gold mine destroys environment
VietNamNet Bridge – A local gold-mining company is being investigated for failing to restore the environment to its original condition, as required by law, after completing its operations. An inspection team from Lao Cai last Thursday visited the site of operations by the Ecotech gold-mining company in Van Ban District in northern province of Lao Cai after receiving a report about company violations. According to the Lao Cai Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Ecotech has not restored the surrounding environment to its previous condition. In addition, the company is alleged to have mined for gold in Nam Xe Commune without receiving permission from provincial authorities. The department added that the company was issued with a mining licence in 2010 covering the communes of Hoa Mac, Duong Quy, Minh Luong and Son Thuy. The provincial People's Committee froze the company's mining activities in May. Doan Van Huong, deputy chairman of the provincial People's … [Read more...]
Trade villages threaten the environment
Rubbish from trade villages is dumped without being treated into a pond in Ha Noi's Chuong My District. The living environment around the capital's trade villages is threatened by water, air and land pollution. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Lam HA NOI (VNS)— The city needs a total of VND1.35 trillion (US$64.3 million) to deal with environmental pollution in surrounding trade villages from now to 2030, according to the municipal Department of Industry and Trade. According to the department, the living environment in the city's trade villages is seriously threatened by water, air, noise and land pollution. As many as 37 per cent of villagers suffer from eye and digestive diseases, while 20 per cent and 31 per cent have respiratory and skin diseases. Specifically, from now to 2020, the city will have to spend VND750 billion ($35.7 million) on building pollution treatment systems in 50 major trade villages, while VND600 billion ($28.6 million) is needed to build such systems in … [Read more...]
National event for Int’l Environment Day launched in Hue
Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan (R) watered a newly-planted tree in Thua Thien Hue Province in an event held yesterday for International Environment Day.—VNS Photo Phuoc Buu Phuoc Buu THUA THIEN HUE (VNS)— Environmental pollution must be stopped, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said at an International Environment Day event in Thua Thien Hue this morning. Like other developing countries, Viet Nam faces major environmental problems. Most daily waste in rural areas and nearly one-fifth of solid waste in urban areas is not collected for treatment, according to Deputy PM Nhan. The wastewater from industrial parks is poured directly into the environment, as few cities have qualified treatment plants. The annual production of more than 40 million tonnes of rice exerts more pressure on the environment, as rice hay and husk burning results in huge carbon dioxide and dust emissions. Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan and the province chairman watered a newly-planted tree in Thua … [Read more...]
ASEAN ponders measures for environment consensus
HA NOI (VNS)— Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have discussed how to reach a common position to enhance their capability in implementing multilateral environmental agreements. They were attending the 17th meeting of ASEAN Working Group on Multilateral Environmental Agreements. The three-day meeting, that ended yesterday in Ha Noi, was also attended by ASEAN Secretariat and delegates from international organisations. Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Bui Cach Tuyen said that concrete programmes and activities to implement these agreements remained absent because ASEAN member states had yet to reach common position so far. He called for more effort from ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat to find out effective ways to reach a common position in implementing the agreements, contributing to building the ASEAN Community by 2015. The meeting also reviewed activities and events relating to chemicals, … [Read more...]
Binh Thuan titanium exploitation projects pose threat to environment
VietNamNet Bridge - Binh Thuan provincial authorities have been wavering between choosing titanium mining, which brings high profits but seriously damages the environment, and ecotourism projects, which ensure sustainable growth but need a green environment. The exploitation and processing of titanium ore in central coastal provinces have caused adverse impacts and hindered the development of other business fields. There are high risks for the environment, including the spread of radioactive substances, pollution of underground water, destruction of the protective forests and desertification. That is the conclusion of a report from the Binh Thuan provincial authorities which was submitted to the PM after a period of implementing the government’s titanium exploitation plan. The province in the southern part of the central region has the highest titanium reserves in Vietnam with estimated reserves of 599 million tons, or 92 percent of the nation’s total reserves. Twenty … [Read more...]
The environment has reached the threshold of tolerance: Minister
VietNamNet Bridge - "After a series of incidents, the environment has reached the threshold and this cannot be sustained anymore," Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha told the National Assembly. Speaking to the National Assembly this afternoon, Minister Tran Hong Ha said that in order to solve the environmental problem, it is necessary to replace the economy relying on the use of natural resources with high environmental costs with a new one. "After a series of incidents, we have realized that the environment has reached the limit and it cannot be tolerated anymore. Therefore, renovation is defining a new position for the environment, "the Minister said. He said that the environment has been behind development, but now must go ahead and be included in each investment project and in the planning strategy. The environment needs to be considered right from the start. Immediately after the natural disaster caused by Formosa in the Central Region, the Government … [Read more...]