Environment and natural resources
Laos prepares for timber trade agreement with EU
The Technical Working Group of the Lao Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) process has elaborated a first draft Timber Legality Definition in preparation for the first face-to-face FLEGT/Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) negotiations between Laos and the European Union. The two-day workshop brought together 50 ...
New protected forest areas revealed
At a workshop on 25 April, Environment Minister Say Sam Al revealed the five areas to be included within 900,000 hectares of new protected forest would include parts of Prey Lang, Krovanh Khang Tbong, Preah Rokar, Siem Pang Khang Lech and Vern Sai forests with further ...
Fish die en masse along coast in central Vietnam
A report released by Quang Binh Province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said toxic substances in water were the cause of mass fish deaths in the locality in the past week. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha on 20 April asked relevant ...
Myanmar's new FM to clarify foreign policy
According to deputy director-general of the Political Department of the Foreign Ministry U Ko Ko Shein, Myanmar government’s foreign policy is oriented to the protection of national interests, security, economic development, justice, stability and environmental sustainability. Keep reading ...
Prime Minister targets water crisis
Speaking at the session to recommend targets for the committee in Hanoi on 19 April, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said, “We can’t blame lack of capital for not ensuring enough fresh water for our residents.” Phuc ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ...
Vietnam seeks Japan’s assistance in climate change response
President Tran Dai Quang asked for Japan’s continued assistance in responding to climate change, especially drought and saline intrusion in the central, Central Highlands and southern regions, while receiving Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Fukada Hiroshi in Hanoi on 19 April. The State leader thanked Japan for ...
Low reservoir levels in Siem Reap affecting thousands
More than 1,000 families in Siem Reap province, Cambodia are facing clean water shortages as the water level at Baray Teuk Thla reservoir has fallen for the first time in several years due to the especially harsh drought conditions confronting the Kingdom in recent months. Keep ...
Mekong water crisis compounded by rice-killing drought
The 3.6 hectares in southern Vietnam that double as rice paddy and shrimp pond for farmer Nguyen Thi Tam have become a wasteland. After the worst drought in 90 years, almost nothing grows. It’s not that easy to switch, said Nguyen Trung Kien, vice chairman of ...
Gov’t thanks Chinese for keeping dam open
“The discharge of water into the Mekong River proves again the good cooperation on water resource management between the Mekong countries and China,” the Cambodia’s Foreign Affairs and Water Resources ministries said in a joint statement. Keep reading ...
Yok Don national park still threatened by hydropower project
The Drang Phok Hydropower Plant project, which was started way back in 2007 and criticised for its impact on the ecosystem, has still not been scrapped despite continued opposition. In 2007, the chairman of Dak Lak Province at that time, Lu Ngoc Cu, granted his approval ...
