Environment and natural resources

Environmental and biodiversity protection

One man’s fight to save the lake

In a bamboo stilt house surrounded by kayaks, bicycles and other trappings of nature tourism, Zwe Zaw Zaw Hein is teaching village children about the value of their local environment. The 22-year-old is one of around 30 young people involved in an eco-tourism initiative called Inn ...

Authorities make fresh call for aquatic life protection

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Livestock and Fisheries Department has once again asked fishermen to help preserve protected wildlife and aquatic species in Laos. The warning comes in the wake of an image of a fisherman with a giant Mekong Stingray being posted on Facebook ...

How Buddhist monks are battling deforestation in Cambodia

Cambodia has one of the world’s highest deforestation rates. But a group of Buddhist monks are stepping up efforts to save forests by publicly revealing wrongdoings and mobilizing local villagers. Ate Hoekstra reports. In Cambodia, where over 90 percent of the population is Buddhist, monks enjoy ...

EPF extends support to environmental protection

The Environmental Protection Fund has decided to forecast a budget of over 2.5 billion kip to support its environmental protection activities in four target provinces of LuangNamtha, Phongsaly, Oudomxay and Bokeo, all of which have ample natural resources and valuable preserved wildlife habitats in the north ...

Mineral exploitation pollutes towns, harms people's health

Mineral exploiters reap major benefits, but local residents living near the mines suffer as ore exploitation has negative consequences.On June 16, a red mud reservoir containing waste sludge from the titanium exploitation project of Tan Quang Cuong Company in Binh Thuan province broke down, leaving ...

Gov’t signs off on Koh Rong protected habitat

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries signed an agreement late last week designating more than 400 square kilometres as a protected marine management area around the islands, located 20 kilometres off the coast of Sihanoukville in a bid to save the Koh Rong Archipelago’s coral ...

Popular Thai beach forced to close to tourists before 'damage is beyond repair'

Authorities in Thailand are set to close the island of Koh Tachai because of the impact heavy tourism has had on natural resources and the environment. “We have to close [the island] to allow the rehabilitation of the environment, both on the island and in the ...

Leaders of Mekong nations urged to consider environment at summit

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will chair the meeting in Sanya on 23 March, which will also involve the leaders of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. They will discuss the formulation of initiatives and measures under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation.  At Wednesday’s meeting the discussion will focus on a ...

Vietnam police search for creator of Facebook ads for tiger, bear claws

Police in Kon Tum Province in the Central Highlands are looking for the person advertising tiger and bear claws on Facebook. Keep reading   ...

Cambodia ranks low on global green list

Cambodia has performed poorly in the 2016 edition of a recent environmental report, ranking a dismal 146 out of 180 countries. The Kingdom returned one of the lowest Environmental Performance Index (EPI) scores in the region, narrowly edging ahead of Myanmar and Laos. Keep reading View the report ...

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