Vietnam rules with light hand on environment law violators

VietNamNet Bridge 25 November 2013 The highest punishment level for a behavior of violating the environment law is the fine of VND500 million. A behavior will be considered as the violation only if it is recognized by five competent agencies, while it takes the agencies a lot of months to come to final conclusion. The light punishment and the complicated procedures both prompt enterprises Read More…

New film explores trade-offs between food and hydropower in Cambodia

Phys.Org 22 November 2013 A new, short film titled Hydropower Impacts and Alternatives was released in Cambodia this month, focusing on the potentially harmful effects and unintended consequences of the ongoing and future development of 42 dams in Cambodia's 3-S basin within the Greater Mekong River system. Recognizing the importance of hydropower to Cambodia's economic development, but also Read More…

On Tonle Sap, collusion, corruption mean overfishing

Voice of America 18 November 2013 PHNOM PENH - Members of a fishing community in Battambang province say overfishing has increased in recent years, fueled in part by collusion between criminals and the authorities responsible for protecting them. Cambodia is facing a growing crisis from overfishing, as major fish stocks in the Tonle Sap lake are being depleted, diminishing a major source Read More…

ASEAN chief justices explore legal solutions to environmental threats

Bernama 15 November 2013 BANGKOK -- Legal responses to cross border threats from climate change, pollution, deforestation and the illegal trade in wildlife and timber are at the top of the agenda at a meeting of Chief Justices from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Bangkok, Thailand. "Southeast Asia, one of the world's most bio-diverse regions, faces huge shared Read More…

‘Asian Unicorn’ spotted in remote Vietnam

Christian Science Monitor 13 November 2013 In a jubilant moment for conservationists, the so-called “Asian Unicorn” was seen on a camera in one of Vietnam’s remote provinces, the WWF said on Wednesday. The sighting of the saola, a doppelgänger for an antelope, suggests that efforts to rescue Vietnam’s endangered animals are making progress, the agency said. The saola (pronounced Read More…

Vietnam to open tra fish distribution centre in EU

New Straits Times 13 November 2013 The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and Belgium's Port of Zeebrugge have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the establishment of a tra fish distribution centre in the European Union (EU). The move is part of an agreement between the Vietnamese and Belgian governments to bolster the country's seafood exports and Read More…

Scientists announce discovery of new fish species in Indonesia

Jakarta Globe 13 November 2013 Indonesian scientists working together with counterparts from the University of California have announced the discovery of a new species of fish in East Nusa Tenggara. The new species was named Parcheilinus rennyae in honor of ichthyologist Renny Hadiaty of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI). “I’m deeply honored by this recognition, not only Read More…

GEF and FAO approve project to improve sustainability of tuna…

Merco Press 11 November 2013 Global Environment Facility (GEF) CEO Naoko Ishii approved a project coordinated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to improve the health and sustainability of tuna fisheries worldwide by reducing illegal catch and supporting related marine ecosystems and species. The GEF, an international institution uniting 183 countries to address global Read More…

The environment in focus

Aljazeera 26 October, 2013 From air pollution in China, to a new dam on the Mekong River in Cambodia, to oil exploration in South America, this week we take a look at environmental stories from all over the world. Smog is thick and heavy over China. The country has a growing problem with air pollution, but will throwing hundreds of billions of government dollars at the issue make any Read More…

Marine protected areas approach 3% of global ocean cover

Wildlife News 24 October, 2013 New maps have been released by the International Union of Nature Conservation (IUCN) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which show that 2.8% of the world’s oceans are now protected conservation zones. The maps were produced from data kept by the World Database on Protected Areas. The figures show that the 2010 agreement to protect 10% of the Read More…