Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Forum discusses challenges to sustainable energy transition
There are many things left for the country to do in terms of the sustainable energy transition, said Ngụy Thị Khanh, Executive Director of Green Innovation and Development (GreenID), citing the national grid failing to keep up with the growth of renewable energy generation, the lack of a storage system for renewable energy on a large scale, and difficulties accessing affordable and long-term funding.
Vietnam’s wildlife traffickers v. Covid-19
Could the illegal wildlife trade in the hotspot of Vietnam come back stronger after Covid-19? Reporters from Environment Reporting Collective and Media Development Initiative in Vietnam spoke with traffickers throughout 2020 and 2021 and analysed 10 years’ worth of data to find out.
Military coup clouds control over jade, gems in Myanmar
Opposition to the military’s coup has boosted ethnic armed groups, creating a new challenge to its lucrative jade and gems business.
Climate change: Growing doubts over chip fat biofuel
“Because we are buying it, they have less used cooking oil to use on the things that they were previously using it for,” said Greg Archer with Transport & Environment. “And they’re just buying more virgin oil and that virgin oil is largely palm oil, because that’s the cheapest oil available. So indirectly, we’re just encouraging more deforestation in Southeast Asia.”
Summit on future of Mekong to be held
Thailand will later this year host the 28th meeting of the council of the Mekong River Commission. At a meeting this week Thai officials discussed progress on the process of prior consultation in the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement off the Sanakham hydropower project, proposed on the Mekong mainstream between Xayaburi and Vientiane provinces of neighbouring Laos.
Mekong: Reducing Forest Crime And Deforestation
This UN-led nitiative for the Lower Mekong will promote trade and sustainable forest management (SFM) and at the same time reduce pressure on forests through improved governance in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Feeding the beast: Chiang Mai smoke seen as world’s climate change problem
From Chiang Mai air pollution to global climate change, animal agriculture is the elephant in the room — and biochar one way to tame it.
Four adaptation opportunities Myanmar can take to build resilience to climate change
Climate change has already resulted in loss of life and damage to Myanmar’s economy and put its renowned biodiversity and natural resources under increased pressure. The country’s exposure to climate impacts is high, meaning that swift adaptation efforts are necessary to protect the lives and livelihoods of its population.
Park rangers join hands with Wildlife Alliance to crack down on illegal logging
The rangers of the Wildlife Alliance and the Ministry of Environment confiscated 17 chainsaws, 5,462 cubic meters of illegal timber, including heavy timber, which were under threat.