Environment and natural resources
Pollution and waste
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 ...
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 ...
Scourge of mass fish deaths strikes again
One morning at the end of April, Nguyễn Văn Phú, a resident in Nguyên Khê Commune, Hà Nội’s Đông Anh District, woke up shocked to find that the fish in Nguyên Khê Lagoon had died en mass.He suspected polluted water in the lagoon was the ...
Deep-sea fishing banned in Formosa spill area
Fishermen from the central provinces, which saw the Formosa spill, have been warned not to catch species living in the deepest levels of the ocean for 20 nautical miles offshore. Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình issued this advisory on Wednesday during a meeting with ...
Mass clam deaths reported in Kiên Giang
Some 282 tonnes of clams and 14,000 cage-raised fish died in the days between Saturday and Tuesday in Hà Tiên Town and Kiên Lương District in Mekong Delta province of Kiên Giang, Lê Thanh Hưởng, deputy chairman of People’s Committee of Kiên Lương District told ...
Experts warn of environmental incidents as only 10% of urban waste water treated
Untreated or improperly treated waste water from treatment plants may lead to eutrophication, which causes algae blooms in rivers and lakes, leading to pollution, but also causing serious environmental incidents. According to the Vietnam Water Supply and Drainage Association, by the end of 2016, Vietnam treated ...
Mass fish deaths occur in Kien Giang
Residents Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang have discovered a large number of fish deaths on water surface along seashores of Kien Luong district and town of Ha Tien since May 7th. Director of the Kien Giang’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Mr. Nguyen ...
City waste alarms lawmakers
HCM City has advanced to this month an extraordinary meeting to discuss waste treatment and environmental pollution after National Assembly deputies from the city expressed concern over the issues, a leader said. Nguyễn Thị Quyết Tâm, chairwoman of the People’s Council, said the meeting on urban ...
What is causing the death of rivers?
Rapid population increase and urbanization have put pressure on waterways in the country. The rivers in Vinh Phuc province have turned black as they have been receiving domestic waste water and waste water from craft villages, garbage and dead animals for many years. The Phan River, originating ...
Factories urged to follow wastewater regulations
Some factories in the Mandalay Industrial Zone still fail to treat their wastewater to conform to regulations, the region’s Department of Environmental Conservation said. Its assistant director U Thant Zin Tun said the problem has been ongoing since May last year when factories, including four ...