Plans for palm oil self-sufficiency are a pretext for consolidation of military power.
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Laos to mine Bitcoin and repay national debt
With huge power production capacity from hydropower projects, Laos is well-placed to mine cryptocurrency, coming at a time when China has cracked down on crypto mining due to its volatility and connection with criminal activity.
Republic of Korea provides US$9 million for rural development
In particular, the project aims to create rural income generation, improve infrastructure, strengthen the capacity of communities and officials, and increase agricultural knowledge to guarantee food security in the Southern provinces, the KOICA Office in Laos stated.
China-backed gold mine in Laos pollutes local river, killing fish
“The company says that it’s aware of the villagers’ complaints and has been trying to solve these problems. And as for the running water, the company has plans to fix this in the near future,”
‘There’s no Planet-B,’ PM warns
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday told world leaders that Thailand is willing to be more aggressive in addressing climate change and will strive to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, and net zero emissions on or before 2065.
Climate change: the implications for regional security
Jakarta, Manila, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City are all at sea level. Indeed parts of all four cities are below sea level, and all them are sinking because of the depletion of their aquifers. All four of these megacities experience mass flooding for longer periods of time each year. Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, has also been stricken with record flooding during the past week.
Vietnam targeting carbon emission neutrality by 2050
Vietnam will embark on a roadmap to reduce coal-fired power generation. Instead the country aimed to double the installed wind and solar power generation capacity to 31-38 gigawatts by 2030.
Southeast Asia tipped to become world’s largest floating solar market
Regionally, the most ambitious country is Vietnam with 9.9 GW at different stages of development by 2030, reported Rystad.
Stung Treng Fisheries head calls for dolphin revival plan
Stung Treng provincial Fisheries Administration officials warn that the Irrawady dolphins in the Ochheuteal dolphin pleasance in Borei O’Svay Sen Chey district’s Preah Rumkel commune are now faced with extinction as there is only one dolphin left remaining of the pod that was living there until recently. The officials called on all relevant parties to come up with a rehabilitation plan to increase the number of dolphins in the area.
Registration open for 11th MRC regional stakeholder forum on proposed Mekong dam
The 11th MRC RSF aims to provide a unique opportunity for stakeholders to exchange views on responsible hydropower development and management, on the first day. On the second day, it will share the latest information on the 684-megawatt Sanakham dam that the Lao Government has proposed to build on the mainstream of the Mekong River,