Second Mekong Resources Forum opens
The second Mekong Resources Forum on investment cooperation and the sustainable development of the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) - was held in the northern province of Vinh Phuc on May 10, 2013.
Central coastal areas turn topsy-turvy with mineral exploitation
The whole land strip in the central region, which is believed to possess big tourism potentials with beautiful beaches, has been damaged by the mineral exploitation activities. For the last many years, central region’s people have been nourishing the dream…
Improving the economic efficiency of the mining industry
On March 20, 2013, in Binh Dinh, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh, People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature) and Consultancy on Development Institute (CODE) have jointly organized the workshop on "Revenue management measures and improvement of the economic efficiency of…
Bear rescue center escapes eviction in surprise decision
Vietnam’s sole bear sanctuary, facing eviction on spurious grounds allegedly cooked up in a corruption-ridden land dispute, has got the Prime Minister’s backing to stay put in a move that has surprised many. Activists see it as a welcome, rare…
Damning evidence no match for dam pushers
By normal standards, the scrapping of two controversial dams planned in a protected area should have been a done deal by now. But victories for the environment have become extremely rare in Vietnam in recent years and opponents of the two dams, to be built in the core of the UNESCO-recognized Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, appear to be seeing the writing on the wall.
Environment risks overlooked when banks fund industrial production projects
Making profit is the most important task for every commercial bank, because of which the environmental risks are sometimes overlooked when banks approve the lending. In general, credit officers do not pay much attention to the possible environmental risks when…
Giant Laos dam underway… What’s next?
For those who had believed that Laos would stick to its pledge to shelve construction of the controversial Xayaburi dam, November 7 was a black day. It was on that day that Laos broke ground on the US$3.8-billion project despite vehement objections from environmental groups and its neighbors who said the 810-meter (2,600ft) dam would unleash massive ecological changes on a river that feeds around 60 million people.
Vietnam may evict bears from ‘protected’ park land
Bears, some of them blinded or maimed, play behind tall green fences like children at school recess. Rescued from Asia's bear bile trade, they were brought to live in this lush national park, but now they may need saving once more. The future of the bears' sanctuary has been in doubt since July, when a vice defense minister ordered the nonprofit group operating the $2 million center not to expand further and to find another location. U.S. politicians and officials in other countries are among those urging the military to back off.
Hydropower lucre hides major fault lines
The controversy over the flawed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) done for the Song Tranh Dam, now blamed for causing many tremors and quakes in the central province of Quang Nam since last November, has exposed major problems in the assessment and approval process of such projects.
Viet Nam loses ‘green’ image
Viet Nam was enduring adverse affects to the environment after 25 years of economic development, said environmental experts. The comment was made at a recent workshop on harmonising economic development and environmental protection held in the northern province of Ninh…