Environment and natural resources
A rising chorus of voices condemns Laos’ planned Pak Beng dam
A damning review of plans for the controversial Pak Beng hydropower dam on the Mekong River in Laos was released this week by US-based advocacy group International Rivers, adding weight to calls for the project to be halted until new impact assessment studies are completed.The ...
Trump withdraws U.S. from Paris Climate Accord; scientists respond
Donald Trump, who called climate change “a hoax” during his campaign, has withdrawn the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, rejecting a pact that is being honored by more than 190 nations.The U.S. signed and ratified the agreement under President Obama, and it is ...
China tells Donald Trump there is an 'international responsibility' to act over climate change
There is an “international responsibility” to fight climate change, China’s Premier Li Keqiang has said in a clear message to Donald Trump ahead of his expected announcement that the US will withdraw from the historic Paris Agreement.Despite widespread reports of the US’s imminent departure, Mr ...
Hungary to initiate major credit aid for Laos
Laos is expected to receive the biggest ever fixed aid credit programme worth US$160 million from Hungary to develop a food safety system, water management and information technology. The information was revealed during Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Saleumxay Kommasith and his delegation’s official visit ...
Governor halts work on coal railway being built without permits in Indonesian Borneo
After coming under public scrutiny, Central Kalimantan Governor Sugianto Sabran halted the construction of a railroad being built to transport coal through forested areas of the province. The governor’s decision followed a May 21 report by Mongabay’s Indonesian sister site, which documented that the developers ...
Vietnam pledges to investigate massive illegal logging violations as international pressure grows
After several weeks of silence, the Vietnamese government announced that is working to begin an investigation into allegations of widespread illegal logging in Cambodia directed by Vietnamese companies and provincial government officials. Earlier this month the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) released a damning report which ...
Organisations discuss capacity for improved regional forest governance
The Center for People and Forests in partnership with the Lao Biodiversity Association and the World Wide Fund for Nature have launched a five year project to strengthen capacity in forest governance. Supported by the European Union, the project’s objective is to empower non-state actors ...
Sri Lanka deploys more troops as flood toll climbs to 180
Thousands of Sri Lankan troops battled on Monday (May 29) to get relief supplies to over half a million people displaced by the island’s worst flooding for 14 years, which has killed at least 180 people. The military said a lull in torrential monsoon rains allowed ...
Private sector can help unlock Asia's decarbonized future
Much of the world is now waking up to the idea that economic growth can be decoupled from emissions growth. With China, Japan and India leading the way, the Group of 20 leading industrialized countries is now decarbonizing at 2.8% a year. This is the ...
The Mekong and the battle for the ‘Mother of Rivers’
For wildlife enthusiasts in the region, these are exciting times. A horned lizard and rainbow-headed snake were among 163 delightful new species documented last year by scientists alongside 10 endangered Irrawaddy dolphin calves. Fewer than 90 Irrawaddy dolphins exist on the planet.But all is not ...
