The Australian Embassy in Hanoi will switch off its lights on March 28, and urge Hanoians to do the same, for the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour 2009 campaign. Australian ambassador to Vietnam Allaster Cox said political leadership in both Australia and Vietnam has put climate change at the top of the agenda.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) is working on a national strategy to reduce, reuse and recycle waste (3R) till 2020. Addressing a donor consultation meeting in Hanoi on March 26, MONRE Minister Pham Khoi Nguyen affirmed that implementing 3R initiative would not only mitigate environmental pollution and reduce management cost but also save land for burying solid wastes.
A seminar discussing ways to boost information dissemination in support of water pollution control was held in central Quang Nam province on Mar. 25. The event was part of a WB-funded technical assistance project to enhance Vietnam’s capacity in water pollution prevention and control.
The central province of Khanh Hoa has registered to take part in the Earth Hour campaign. Accordingly, one town in each district in Khanh Hoa and the central wards in Cam Ranh Town and Nha Trang City will be chosen for the Earth Hour on the evening of March 28.
The Scientific and Rescue Centre of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, in the central province of Quang Binh, on March 23, announced its discovery of 41 groups of Siki gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys siki), the biggest Siki gibbon community in Vietnam.
Being situated in a tropical monsoon region, Vietnam suffers from dreadful natural disasters every year. More seriously, the abnormality of weather and the levels of devastation have increased considerably over recent years.
Six months after the National Assembly ratified the Law on Biodiversity, this law will take effect as of July 1, 2009. This law was compiled by over 150 Vietnamese and foreign experts.
The United Nations will continue supporting the Vietnamese government in managing water and air resources for the present and future generations, said a UN representative.
A group of youngsters from many cities and provinces made an appointment at Ha Long Bay this weekend, not to have fun, but to collect waste on the bay.
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has presided over an online conference to discuss flood and storm prevention and safety measures this year, with the participation of leaders from 63 provinces and cities nationwide. He asked relevant agencies, cities and provinces to raise the quality of weather forecasts and to overcome the shortcomings of last year.