Environment and natural resources
The last nghien wood kingdom is being destroyed
The nghien (excentrodendron tonkinense) kingdom growing on the rocky mountains in Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang is getting smaller because of illegal logging. This is a hard, tough and durable wood with no termites, even if it is buried underground. Tay and Nung ethnic minorities like ...
Paper factory pollution under scrutiny
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has ordered the Vietnam Environment Administration to collaborate with Hau Giang province to investigate media reports about environmental pollution caused by Vietnam Lee & Man Paper Manufacturing Limited after its waste treatment plant developed problems. Media reports this week ...
Water management cooperation to flow from Laos, China joint efforts
Laos and China have agreed to further enhance cooperation in the field of water resources through a new Data and Information Centre in conjunction with river basin management plans. The centre and the River Basin Master Planning Project are set to formulate planning schemes for ...
ADB economist looks to PPP for infrastructure needs
Yasuyuki Sawada is the first Japanese national appointed as chief economist at the Asian Development Bank. In an interview with the Nikkei Asian Review, he called for private-sector funding to meet the huge demand for infrastructure in Asia. This could be achieved through public-private partnerships ...
Project review assesses progress of flood risk mitigation
Over 61,000 people in Vientiane will benefit from the Flood and Drought Risk Management and Mitigation Project (FDM) after its completion, a review meeting heard on Friday. The project has been improving flood and drought risk management on more than 20,000 hectares of land, reduced ...
Diversify food sources, experts tell forum
Cambodia needs to diversify its food sources and improve marine conservation efforts amid dwindling numbers of fish stocks in the Mekong River, which remains one of the main sources of fish for Cambodians, experts said on March 30. During a Sustainable Mekong Research Network (Sumernet) forum ...
Protected birds come under threat
A protected bird species has come under renewed threat after land-grabbers invaded Preah Vihear province’s Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary and destroyed their habitat. The lesser adjutant is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Protection of its nests started ...
Sơn Trà master plan needs amending
The central city plans to petition the Prime Minister for adjustments to the Sơn Trà Master Plan in order to better protect the eponymous nature reserve. Đà Nẵng Deputy Chairman Nguyễn Ngọc Tuấn also said at a press conference on Monday that the city will ...
Capital still struggling with waste
Phnom Penh deputy governor Ieng Aunny on March 28 acknowledged that the capital continues to struggle with waste management despite recent decentralisation measures, laying the blame with districts’ and communes’ lack of awareness of their new responsibilities, as well as what he characterised as contractor ...
Exports of logs double in 2016
Despite a ban on the export of timber to Vietnam and the creation of a much-publicised anti-logging task force, Cambodia last year still exported nearly $33 million dollars’ worth of unprocessed logs to its eastern neighbour, a volume more than double that of 2015, according ...
