Environment

Vietnamese and German scientists have discovered a new species of Megophrys toad in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang, according to the Nhan Dan newspaper.

The air quality in Vietnam will improve from the end of March into the following months compared to that in the first months of 2020, the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has said.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has called for people to switch off lights and unnecessary electric devices on March 28 as a way to participate in the international Earth Hour Campaign.

Hundreds of hectares of rice fields in Binh Thuan Commune, Binh Dinh Province are being abandoned due to serious drought.

Bac Ninh is having to deal with pollution caused by rapid urbanisation, large industrial zones and craft villages.

The central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế's plan to build a bird sanctuary in Ô Lâu estuary area has been met with a groundswell of local support.

Farmers in Dong Nai Province are worried about their crops being destroyed by reoccurring elephant rampages.

Save Vietnam's Wildlife has proposed to the National Assembly to ban the eating of wild animals.

The Earth Hour 2020 will call for not only the efficient use of energy but also reduction of plastic use, according to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

The southernmost province of Ca Mau has been seriously ravaged by long drought.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) signed an agreement on March 17 to support the Mekong Delta’s response to drought and saltwater intrusion.

Various locations in Krông Ana District in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk have become overloaded with trash, upsetting local residents while posing a serious environmental threat, reported online Dân Trí newspaper.

The southern tourist island of Phu Quoc is facing water shortage due to serious droughts.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a non-refundable aid worth 30.2 million USD to help Vietnam enhance climate resilience, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

Hundreds of households in Kon Tum Province are complaining about pollution from a nearby dumping site.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed to give VND350bn (USD15m) to five provinces in the Mekong Delta region to cope with the ongoing drought and saline intrusion.

The central region of Vietnam is at high risk of saline intrusion and drought, said Vu Duc Long, deputy director of National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Education for Nature-Vietnam has launched a short film about bear farming in order to criticise the practice and call for bear protection.

The temperatures in the northern region will drop to 15-20 degrees starting from March 10.