Environment

Chinese capital shuts third coal-fired plant in war on smog

China's smog-hit capital Beijing has shut down the third of its four coal-fired power plants as part of its campaign to cut pollution, with the final one scheduled to close next year, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Quang Ninh's farms asked to send bears to Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary

The government has requested Quang Ninh Province’s authorities to tranfer all the bears kept in local farms to the Vietnam Bear Sanctuary in Tam Dao District for better care.

Fierce monkey attacks tourists in Danang

Forest rangers at Son Tra Mountain in central Danang City are looking for a monkey that has recently attacked and injured some tourists.

Ca Mau launches forest programme

The Ca Mau provincial People's Committee has approved a plan to lease out forests to develop eco-tourism and breed aquatic species.

Tiger meat, bear paws openly available in Laos: NGO

A resort complex in northwest Laos targeting Chinese visitors has become a "lawless playground" for the trade in illegal wildlife ranging from tiger meat to bear paws, an advocacy group said Thursday.

Indoor air pollution concern raised after supermarket suffocation

Concerns have been raised about indoor air quality after dozens of people recently fainted at Big C Supermarket in Hanoi.

Ben Tre residents fear overloaded landfill

Hundreds of households in a village in southern Ben Tre Province are suffering from serious pollution caused by a nearby landfill.

Hanoi residents respond to Earth Hour campaign

The Hanoi-based Electricity of Vietnam launched an action month on March 16 to conserve electricity in response to the 2015 Earth Hour campaign.

Oil slicks reappear in Vung Tau

Oil slicks have appeared again along the coast of Vung Tau city in southern Vietnam in what has become an unexplained annual phenomenon.

Workshop held to raise awareness against rhino poaching

A workshop organised by the Women's Union of Hai Phong city to raise awareness about curbing demand for rhinoceros (rhino) horns was held on March 13.

Indigenous flora species found in central national park

A new indigenous flora species has been found in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park of central Quang Binh province, according to a statement from the park’s management board.

US$450 mln for HCM City’s environment, sanitation

The State Bank of Vietnam and the World Bank have signed agreements for a total of US$450 million in loans and credits to help Ho Chi Minh City improve environment and sanitation.

Mekong Delta faces increased landslide and subsidence risk

Experts from Utrecht University of the Netherlands and Can Tho University have held a seminar to discuss solutions to landslide and land subsidence in the Mekong Delta.

ADB assists in Green Urban development

Chairman of the Thue Thien-Hue People’s Committee met with a Chief Specialist of the Asian Development Bank regarding the Urban Development type II- Green City infrastructure project.

Vietnam’s central, southern regions in serious drought

Serious drought is afflicting the central, central highlands and southern regions of Vietnam with rainfall down to 20-70 that of last year.

Kenyan policeman arrested with illegal rhino horn

A Kenyan police officer has been arrested with a piece of illegal rhino horn worth tens of thousands of dollars on the black market, wildlife officials said.

HCMC, Rotterdam co-operate in climate change response

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan and Mayor of the Netherlands’ Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb signed a memorandum of understanding for a co-operative programme on climate change from 2015-2018.

Information on Vietnam forests goes digital

People will be able to send authorities information about forest safety with their mobile devices in six provinces, under a project launched in Hanoi.