Covid-19 pandemic has not slowed Beijing’s increasingly crucial plan to build a railway connecting China to mainland SE Asia
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Laos pushes ahead with sixth Mekong River dam project
The Sanakham hydropower plant, with an estimated cost of $2.073 billion, will be developed by Datang Sanakham Hydropower company, a subsidiary of China’s Datang International Power Generation Co. Ltd.
Mekong Delta fishers in distress as fish die en masse
Fishing communities on the Mekong Delta’s Tien River are blaming salinity intrusion for their fish dying in abnormal numbers, inflicting heavy losses.
Thailand’s national parks may be closed for three months each year
hailand’ is considering closing the country’s 157 national parks for three months each year, to allow the environment there to regenerate naturally and without human disruption.
Myanmar fisheries sector nears collapse as orders tumble
“Exports have collapsed. All international orders have been cancelled and we have not received any new orders from the European Union (EU) since they are all locked down.”
Navy defends forest use plan
Local communities rely on the forest to live. It should be reserved for environmental reasons and community use.
Biodiversity needs proper protection measures
Biodiversity has been rapidly degraded in all three forms of ecosystems, species and genetic sources in both quality and quantity.
COVID-19: Why saving our forests can help stop the next pandemic
“Pandemic risk is linked to habitat loss and exploitation of wildlife. Spillover of zoonotic viruses is more common than we realise and is happening at a rate that is faster than ever,
PM calls for thrifty power use as shortfall looms
Vietnam depends on coal-fired power and hydropower. But major dams have kept running out of water due to lack of rainfall attributed to climate change, while many thermal power projects are behind schedule.
Air pollution clearing up in Southeast Asia
Through the crisis, we have had a glimpse of what life can be like with more breathable air. But turning this into a daily reality can only be achieved by enforcing air quality standards and rapidly reducing fossil fuels.