Event
Date: 2nd April 2019
GMS Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP): The proposed TA will build on accomplishments of the two phases of the Core Agriculture Support Program and support the implementation of Strategy for Promoting Safe and Environment-Friendly Agro-Based Value Chains in the GMS and Siem Reap Action Plan, which was endorsed by the GMS Agriculture Ministers in late 2017. The SAFSP interventions will focus on areas such as (i) climate-smart and gender-conscious agricultural value chains, (ii) food safety and quality, and (iii) water-food-energy nexus in a warming world (through the adoption of climate-friendly agricultural adaptation practices and technologies).
SAFSP will focus on ADB’s value addition in advancing the use of advanced digital technologies, leveraging investments and applying integrated solutions on the safe, environment and climate-friendly agro-based value chains in the GMS. The TA will assist GMS towards becoming a more integrated, prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable subregion, by focusing on principles such as “food safety for all, climate-friendly agriculture, inclusiveness of small farmers, gender empowerment, corporate social responsibility, good governance, benefits for all GMS countries, and integration with ASEAN”.
The SAFSP will have the following themes to be implemented over 5 years:
1. Greening of agribusiness supply chains
2. Inclusive and gender-conscious food value chains
3. Financing climate-friendly agribusinesses
4. Food safety and quality standards, certification and traceability
5. Cross-border animal health and value chain development
6. Water for food security in a changing climate
7. Agricultural adaptation in the context of water-food-energy nexus
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) organized a workshop on the GMS SAFSP on 3-4 April 2019in Kunming, People’s Republic of China. The workshop was divided into six sessions, where each session discussed (i) key challenges for each seven themes, (ii) current status (e.g. policies, building capacities and mobilizing investment for infrastructure), and best practices that could be replicated, (iii) key priorities for action, and (iv) advantages or disadvantages in adopting a regional approach.
More than 80 participants attended. Delegates included senior government officials from 6ADB developing member countries, senior staff from international and regional development organizations, including ADB, non-government organizations, academia, and the private sector.
The agenda and presentation materials can be downloaded below.
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Event
Date: 31st March 2019
The 24th Annual Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Working Group (WG) on Environment reviewed the achievements of the GMS Core Environment Program Phase II and discussed the way forward. WGE AM-24 was hosted by the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) with support from ADB through the GMS Environment Operations Center.
The WGE AM-24 was followed by thematic discussions that covered the proposed new programs entitled: "GMS Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Program (CCESP)" and "GMS Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP)" which are aligned with three out of seven operational priorities of Strategy 2030 approved by the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board in 2018.
The CCESP will focus on ADB Strategy 2030’s operational priority: tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability, while SAFSP will focus on ADB Strategy 2030’s operational priority: promoting rural development and food security. Both programs will support ADB Strategy 2030’s operational priority: fostering regional cooperation and integration.
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Event
Date: 31st March 2019
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Climate Change and Environment Sustainability Program (CCESP): The proposed knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) on CCESP will build on the key achievements of two phases of the Core Environment Program and support the implementation of the GMS Core Environment Program Strategic Framework and Action Plan 2018-2022, which was endorsed at the Fifth GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting held in 2018. The CCESP will focus on creating enabling conditions to leverage additional investment in priority areas such as (i) green technologies and sustainable infrastructure; (ii) natural resources and ecosystem services; and (iii) green growth, climate resilience and disaster risk management.
more detailsEvent
Date: 13th March 2019
To assess current status of application of digital technologies in four areas:
1.Sustainable agriculture
2.Food traceability
3.Climate action (mitigation and adaptation)
4.Environmental sustainability
To solicit views from the representatives of the government, private sector, development partners and academia on most appropriate technologies, needs and gaps, and future priorities for action in the GMS
To identify opportunities for public-private partnerships in deployment of digital technologies in the GMS
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Publication
Date: 11th December 2018
Cambodia’s National Environment Strategy and Action Plan, 2016–2023 (NESAP) aims to ensure that environmental protection and sustainable natural resource management are pillars of the country’s socioeconomic development.
more detailsPublication
Date: 9th December 2018
This publication shows how strategic environmental assessments can help the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries create sustainable national power development plans.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th December 2018
In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, a community is creating products without damaging the environment, and empowering women in the process.
more detailsNews
Date: 3rd December 2018
A project in Yunnan Province helped bring the People’s Republic of China closer to its neighbors and drive local development.
more detailsNews
Date: 26th November 2018
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved over $100 million in financing to help the Government of Viet Nam install eight modernized irrigation systems in five drought-affected provinces, which will improve agricultural productivity, especially among farmers growing high-value crops such as coffee, peppers, grapes, dragon fruits, and mangoes.
more detailsPublication
Date: 19th November 2018
This brochure overviews the achievements of the GMS Core Environment Program during 2012-2018 and introduces its new 5-year strategy and action plan.
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Date: 23rd October 2018
This report examines the environmental situation in the Greater Mekong Subregion based on a 10-year environmental performance assessment.
more detailsPublication
Date: 9th September 2018
Drawing on a decade of CEP experience, this brief provides an overview of land use planning challenges and opportunities in the subregion.
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Date: 9th September 2018
This publication highlights how the Greater Mekong Subregion Core Environment Program (CEP) has contributed to sustainable development over the last decade.
more detailsPublication
Date: 16th July 2018
This brief summarizes the diverse pollutants and their sources that are harming the natural environment and people’s well-being in the Greater Mekong Subregion. It looks at how the Industrial Pollution Projection System (IPPS) has been used in the subregion to help identify current and future pollution risks, and makes recommendations for its future application.
more detailsPublication
Date: 11th July 2018
These guidelines aim to help GMS climate change practitioners and planners to embrace more robust, participatory, and integrated watershed planning processes that anticipate climate change vulnerabilities and identify opportunities to minimize them. The guidelines introduce the basic concepts of watershed vulnerability and adaptation assessments (W-VAAs), key principles and steps to conduct them, and overviews the tools that can be used.
more detailsPublication
Date: 21st June 2018
This report discusses opportunities for safe and environment-friendly agriculture products in the Greater Mekong Subregion and highlights the Siem Reap Action Plan, 2018–2022.
more detailsNews
Date: 4th June 2018
Natural capital has been a key contributor to the Greater Mekong Subregion’s (GMS) rapid economic growth over the past 3 decades. However, the subregion’s key natural capital stocks are in a state of decline...read the blog here.
more detailsNews
Date: 4th June 2018
The final English version of Cambodia’s new National Environment Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) is now available online.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th May 2018
Senior agriculture officials from the six member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) agreed to increase regional cooperation in food safety, boost the trading of climate-friendly agriculture products, and accelerate the implementation of the five-year GMS Strategy and Siem Reap Action Plan endorsed by the Second GMS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting...read the full news release here.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
The Core Environment Program (CEP) has led efforts since 2007 to promote the use of strategic environmental assessments (SEAs) as a key approach for sustainable development planning in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
Tourism in Myanmar is booming. In 2011, the country had less than 1 million visitors; in 2015 it had 4.6 million visitors, who spent $2.2 billion during their stay.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
Cambodia’s ambitious new environment plan, the National Environment Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP), aims to ensure environmental protection and sustainable natural resource management are pillars of economic development.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
Land use is constantly changing in the GMS. Yet government planners are often poorly informed on land use processes, which risks decisions being made that may lead to social and environmental costs that outweigh the intended benefits. For example, a forest cleared for timber or commercial plantations might, due to poor land use planning, affect water and soil quality and negatively impact nearby agriculture.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
Forest biologist professor Yongut Trisurat has been an ardent advocate of the CLUMondo land use change model since he began using the software during a CEP training course in 2007. These days he regularly trains trainers on using CLUMondo to help build land use planning capacity in Thailand.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
From 2007 to 2011, the CEP worked with the six GMS countries to strengthen their monitoring capacity and produce a second round of environmental performance assessment (EPA) reports.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
The CEP has taken on a leading role in assisting Myanmar to develop an environmental impact assessment (EIA) system to safeguard the country from the adverse environmental effects of economic development.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
When Chea Leng learned about environmental impact assessment (EIA) in the mid-1990s it was a concept few in Cambodia knew much about. Two decades on, the country’s attempts to mainstream EIA have met with mixed results. But Leng, who is the deputy director of the Ministry of Environment’s Environmental Impact Assessment Department, believes that is soon going to change.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
In 2014, the CEP conducted a study to assess how risk financing could help strengthen the climate resilience of rural households. Such financing mechanisms have been set up in other parts of the world, but little was known about their potential in the GMS until this study.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
Heng Hong grew up in a rice farming family near Santuk Mountain, one of Kampong Thom province’s most sacred sites. According to locals, the dry season is getting longer — a pattern seen across Cambodia and one of the most obvious signs of climate change. The dry and wet seasons usually last for 6 months each, but recent years have seen the dry season lasting 8 months.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
The GMS Roundtable on Climate Change Adaptation was launched by the Environment Operations Center in 2013 as forum for Bangkok-based regional organizations working on climate change to regularly meet, share information, and collaborate on climate challenges. Since its inception, roundtable partners have identified critical research gaps, developed adaptation tools and methodologies, and collaborated on new knowledge resources.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
In Guangxi, near the border with Viet Nam, a concrete slab was laid in a small village to give its children somewhere to play basketball. A long way to the east, a Dai ethnic man in southern Yunnan Province was able to buy 500 chickens to start a new livelihood. Down south to the Tenasserim Mountains in western Thailand, local people gathered on a royal holiday to plant trees to help restore a damaged forest. These are just a few examples of how people are using village development funds (VDFs)—revolving funds that provide low interest loans to local people in some of the poorest areas of the GMS—to improve livelihoods.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
In 2015, the CEP organized the 4th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, with the theme “Increasing Investments in Natural Capital.” The event highlighted the important role the CEP plays in forging partnerships for environmental sustainability solutions.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
The GMS countries share many common environmental challenges and each country is testing solutions to suit their national priorities and contexts. This creates fertile ground for the six countries to exchange experiences and ideas. Sometimes, the spark for a country to try new approaches can be created simply by bringing people together to inspire and learn from each other, as is happening in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th March 2018
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao today congratulated the six member countries at the Summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) on 25 years of successful regional cooperation. He reaffirmed ADB’s continued support to the program, with $7 billion expected over the next 5 years to help the subregion achieve inclusive growth and sustainable development...read the full story here.
more detailsNews
Date: 14th March 2018
After centuries of agricultural dependence, GMS countries have pursued industrialization in recent decades. As a result, their economies are now more diversified and consumer-driven. Although this has brought many socioeconomic benefits, it has created pollution problems, which are worsening.
more detailsNews
Date: 8th March 2018
Border areas have historically been a source of conflict and strife in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Nowadays, with over 20 years of continuing peace and growing prosperity, border areas are focus points for countries in the subregion to work together. To this end, governments and their development partners are working hard to better connect the GMS through transport infrastructure, customs procedures, and border management.
more detailsNews
Date: 1st March 2018
It is late morning on a hot September day as our car winds around the edge of a valley and enters Manxing village. The narrow streets look paved in gold, but the illusion is dispelled as we soon see they are carpeted in maize kernels, there to dry on the warm concrete.
more detailsPublication
Date: 1st March 2018
The GMS Core Environment Program (CEP) has been working with China's Guangxi Environmental Protection Department (GEPD) since 2006 to pilot biodiversity conservation initiatives in the Sino-Viet Nam Transboundary Biodiversity Landscape (TBL).
With its unique and vast karst formations, spread out across more than 40% of its land surface, the biodiversity conservation corridor pilot sites are located in southwest Guangxi stretching down to the borders of Viet Nam. CEP has supported the two environment agencies of Cao Bang and Guangxi provinces achieve significant restoration and conservation of the limestone forest and biodiversity in the region as well as the ecological integrity of gibbon habitats.
The brief entitled “Guangxi’s Biodiversity Landscape & Livelihood Project” entails the origin of the project, and milestones of the biodiversity landscape and corridor management, including key community-based conservation practices that improve ecosystem integrity and the living condition of surrounding communities, provincial support unit, strengthened transboundary cooperation on biodiversity conservation, and project outlook.
more detailsNews
Date: 27th February 2018
Every day, tens of thousands of rural folks get together in small groups to patrol Viet Nam’s forests. On their rounds they record evidence of illegal logging, hunting, and other forms of encroachment. They assess the condition of the forests that they are protecting, keeping an eye out for recent landslides and signs of animals.
more detailsNews
Date: 25th February 2018
Jira Charoen, a family-owned road transport company, joined the Green Freight Initiative to help achieve its social and environment goals.
more detailsPublication
Date: 21st February 2018
This publication outlines the strategic priorities and actions for the third phase of the GMS Core Environment Program, from 2018-2022. It was endorsed by environment leaders at the 5th GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting on 1 February 2018.
more detailsNews
Date: 12th February 2018
Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to work together to protect wildlife and ecosystems along their borders. The environment ministries of the two Mekong countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 31 January 2018 to jointly strengthen conservation efforts in transboundary forest areas.
more detailsVideo
Date: 11th February 2018
This video introduces how green freight approaches can provide environmental and economic win-wins for the transport sector in the GMS.
more detailsVideo
Date: 4th February 2018
Government and development partners talk about the importance of regional environmental cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion, with a focus on the GMS Core Environment Program. The film was launched at the Fifth GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on 1 February 2018.
more detailsNews
Date: 1st February 2018
The Bangkok Post and China Daily were among five media outlets that published an OpEd about the role of technology in spurring green growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
more detailsEvents
Date: 31st January 2018
Environment ministers from the six GMS countries gathered in Chiang Mai, Thailand on 1 February 2018 to review the Core Environment Program’s (CEP) progress and achievements and endorse its new Strategic Framework and Action Plan, 2018-2022.
more detailsNews
Date: 31st January 2018
Environment ministers from the six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) endorsed a 5-year environment agenda that includes more than $540 million worth of priority projects to spur green investments and increase environmental cooperation to help the subregion achieve sustainable growth.
more detailsEvents
Date: 30th January 2018
On 31 Jan, regional development partners discussed potential areas of collaboration under the Core Environment Program’s Strategic Framework and Action Plan, 2018–2022 and drafted statements to present to enviroment leaders at the 5th GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting.
more detailsEvent
Date: 29th January 2018
Every 3 years the environment ministers from the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries gather to review progress and set the agenda for environmental cooperation in the subregion under the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.
more detailsEvents
Date: 28th January 2018
The forum aimed to identify barriers and opportunities, including for financing and technologies, to scale up green growth approaches in the GMS.
more detailsPublication
Date: 12th December 2017
This publication summarizes Myanmar’s progress in building a national EIA system and how the Asian Development Bank has contributed to its development. It also overviews the basic elements of EIA, how it can will help achieve environmental sustainability in the country as well as challenges and next steps.
more detailsNews
Date: 21st September 2017
Watershed experts, community development planners, and climate change specialists from the six GMS countries gathered in Bangkok this week at a workshop to test new guidelines for assessing watershed climate vulnerability.
more detailsEvent
Date: 20th September 2017
more detailsNews
Date: 10th September 2017
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries have endorsed a 5-year strategy to establish the subregion as a leading supplier of “safe and environmentally-friendly agriculture products.” The 2018-2022 GMS Strategy and Siem Reap Action Plan was approved at the 2nd GMS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-2) in Siem Reap on 8 September.
more detailsNews
Date: 28th August 2017
News Release: The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in a report launched today, has proposed the creation of national green financing vehicles to catalyze environmentally and financially sustainable infrastructure investments in Asia and the Pacific.
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Date: 11th July 2017
The 23rd Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Environment reviewed Core Environment Program achievements and challenges during 2016 and discuss progress and priorities for CEP Phase III planning.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th July 2017
Proposed projects for regional environmental cooperation were discussed by senior officials from the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries at a ‘green growth’ event held in Siem Reap on 11 July.
more detailsEvent
Date: 10th July 2017
This workshop brought together environment and other GMS officials with international experts to explore green growth opportunities in the subregion.
Topics included:
The workshop participants also discussed emerging environmental priorities and potential investments in the subregion as identified by recent CEP country consultations as part of the CEP Phase III planning process.
The workshop, held the day before the GMS Working Group on Environment's 23rd Annual Meeting, was the second in a series of three under the green growth theme that will be held in the lead up to the 5th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled for early 2018. The first was in Bangkok in March, titled “Green Growth in the GMS: Trends and Priorities.”
Presentations and other materials from the event can be downloaded below.
more detailsNews
Date: 10th July 2017
At the southernmost tip of the Mekong Delta, Vietnamese shrimp farmers are going organic and restoring mangrove forests to help protect coastal communities against sea level rise.
more detailsNews
Date: 2nd July 2017
Most of Ngin Phon’s friends had already left the village by the time he decided to go. A job at a rubber plantation might allow him to earn enough money to one day run a profitable farm. But he’d have to leave home to get it.
more detailsNews
Date: 26th June 2017
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting Electricite Du Cambodge (EDC) in setting up a national solar park program to exploit Cambodia’s abundant solar resources.
more detailsEvent
Date: 22nd June 2017
At this Roundtable, the edited version of the Watershed-scale Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment guidelines will be reviewed.
more detailsNews
Date: 21st June 2017
Vulnerable towns in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Viet Nam are using “green infrastructure” to stave off the impacts of climate change.
more detailsActivity
Date: 18th June 2017
Land use is constantly changing in the Greater Mekong Subregion. At the same time, land use planning processes are often poorly informed, risking decisions that may lead to social and environmental costs that outweigh intended benefits.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th June 2017
Safe, organic food is becoming popular across the Greater Mekong Subregion. A pilot program in Thailand is helping farmers meet the growing demand and leave chemicals behind.Read the full article here.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th June 2017
Fractured roads, shattered rail links, ruined water wells, broken power lines. They’re distressing facts of life for many communities in Asia and the Pacific, even as countries invest more than ever to improve their infrastructure.
more detailsEvent
Date: 12th June 2017
Environment officials from the six GMS countries met in Jinghong, PRC, to share biodiversity conservation experiences and to plan initiatives for increased cooperation in transboundary areas.
more detailsEvent
Date: 30th May 2017
Under the theme "Discover GMS - Asia’s Natural Hub," the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture is organizing a pavilion, chef shows, coffee and tea demonstrations, and two policy forum events at THAIFEX-World of Food Asia 2017.
more detailsPublication
Date: 25th May 2017
The GMS Core Environment Program has been working with China's Yunnan Environmental Protection Department (YEPD) since 2006 to pilot biodiversity conservation initiatives in the province.
more detailsNews
Date: 22nd May 2017
Please click here for our e-news featuring the latest environment updates from the GMS Core Environment Program, ADB, the environment ministries of the six GMS countries, and WWF's Greater Mekong Programme.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th May 2017
A forum for decision makers and experts to deliberate and draft guiding principles for planning, designing and financing climate-resilient and ecologically sound transport infrastructure.
more detailsPublication
Date: 15th May 2017
Rural communities in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) are vulnerable to climate-related disasters. In 2008, tropical cyclone Nargis killed 84,500 people and impacted the livelihoods of 2.4 million people. In 2011, large-scale floods in Thailand affected 14 million people and caused $45.7 billion in damages.
more detailsActivity
Date: 11th May 2017
Viet Nam is a country with rich biodiversity, possessing natural ecosystems from tropical jungles to dry forests, mountains, wetlands, and marine ecosystems. Forests cover 43% of the land and provide ecosystem goods and services that are essential to sustain the livelihoods of much of the population.
more detailsNews
Date: 8th May 2017
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Myanmar today held the Forum for Off-grid Renewable Energy Investment in Nay Pyi Taw to discuss investment towards Myanmar’s off-grid renewable energy sector.
Read the full article here.
more detailsNews
Date: 24th April 2017
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has backed Singapore’s Sunseap Group’s project to build Cambodia’s first large-scale solar power project under a long-term agreement with Electricité Du Cambodge (EDC).
more detailsNews
Date: 23rd April 2017
The GMS Core Environment Program (ADB RETA 7987) implemented by NIRAS is seeking a qualified company/research team to conduct a study on Green Freight Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) for Viet Nam.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th April 2017
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new database presenting detailed figures and insights on projects supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts as the institution moves closer to its $6 billion annual climate financing commitment by 2020.
more detailsEvent
Date: 23rd March 2017
Every three years the environment ministers from the six GMS countries gather to review progress and set the agenda for environmental cooperation in the region under the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.
more detailsEvent
Date: 22nd March 2017
This two-day workshop was the first in a series of three events that will feed into the 5th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled for early 2018.
more detailsEvent
Date: 15th March 2017
Led by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, Viet Nam’s Natural Capital Platform aims to integrate natural capital considerations into development planning.
more detailsPublication
Date: 14th March 2017
Examining the SDGs goal by goal shows that governments will confront many common and fundamental challenges as they work to advance sustainable development.
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Date: 13th March 2017
Local authorities, forest owners, and development partners met to initiate a new project to develop and test an M&E framework for payments for environmental services in Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue provinces.
more detailsEvent
Date: 13th March 2017
This two-part workshop brought together government and private sector transport sector representatives to discuss the results, challenges and opportunities of the Core Environment Program’s GMS Green Freight Initiative.
more detailsEvent
Date: 8th March 2017
This workshop brought together members of the GMS land-use change modeling network to share project results and develop proposals for future work.
more detailsNews
Date: 2nd March 2017
Click here for our e-news featuring the latest environment updates from the GMS Core Environment Program, ADB, the environment ministries of the six GMS countries, and WWF's Greater Mekong Programme.
more detailsNews
Date: 23rd February 2017
Heng Hong grew up in a rice farming family in the shadow of Santuk Mountain, one of Kampong Thom province’s most sacred sites. There, as in much of Cambodia, a major shift in seasons is one of the most obvious signs of climate change.
more detailsNews
Date: 19th February 2017
The GMS Core Environment Program and the World Wide Fund for Nature are working on a monitoring and evaluation framework to improve Viet Nam’s Payments for Forest Environmental Services (PFES) scheme.
more detailsEvent
Date: 14th February 2017
The third and final workshop in CEP’s training module on integrating climate change adaptation into local planning focused on identifying and implementing adaptation options.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th February 2017
In 60 years working the land, Phung Minh has been at the mercy of the rains. They have nourished his crops but they have also destroyed them. Viet Nam’s current drought, the worst in decades, has wreaked havoc on farms. But when the skies open, the damage can also be severe.
more detailsEvent
Date: 12th February 2017
Information on how future development may unfold is essential for land use change modeling.
more detailsNews
Date: 6th February 2017
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $3.7 billion in climate finance investments in 2016, according to recently released figures — marking a 42% boost from the $2.6 billion reached in 2015.
more detailsPublication
Date: 24th January 2017
This ADB Working Paper assesses the low-carbon economy in Asia: how large it is today and how well it will fare in the future.
more detailsNews
Date: 22nd January 2017
A new website recently launched by the Asian Development Bank provides ‘one-stop’ access to information about the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Cooperation Program (ECP).
more detailsNews
Date: 17th January 2017
An improved version of the CLUMondo land use change modelling tool is now available on the GMS Information Portal.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th January 2017
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed today a $75 million loan with Everbright Financial Leasing (EFL) to put more low-emission buses on city roads in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
more detailsNews
Date: 2nd January 2017
As the burners are fired up at full blast to stave off the biting winter cold, Beijing and its surrounding area started the New Year engulfed in smog.
more detailsNews
Date: 2nd January 2017
Imagine that you are a farmer. Your crops are withering as weather patterns become more volatile, your well water is too salty to drink and rice is too expensive to buy at the market. So, you leave home in search of a better life.
more detailsNews
Date: 20th December 2016
Asia’s spending on growth-boosting infrastructure is set to get a tailwind from development financing while the safeguard systems used by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other development banks as conditions for their loans are under international scrutiny.
more detailsEvent
Date: 13th December 2016
more detailsPublication
Date: 13th December 2016
Green infrastructure can play a significant role in offsetting losses from climate-related disasters and contribute to building resilience through rehabilitation and expansion of natural ecosystems within built areas.
more detailsNews
Date: 12th December 2016
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved €458 million ($499.6 million) for a financing platform to support green and pollution-reduction projects in the greater Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region, which faces the worst air pollution in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This follows a first loan of $300 million approved last year for regulatory reform in Hebei Province.
more detailsNews
Date: 7th December 2016
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $450 million investment program to promote cross-border economic activities between Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and northern Viet Nam. The program will focus on developing the North-South Economic Corridor (NSEC) under the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Cooperation Program.
more detailsEvent
Date: 6th December 2016
more detailsNews
Date: 4th December 2016
Welcome to issue 12 of the GMS Environment Update, a compilation of recent environment news from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, the WWF Greater Mekong Programme, and the governments of the six GMS countries.
more detailsEvent
Date: 4th December 2016
Key stakeholders overseeing Cambodia’s National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) met to review the latest draft in preparation for its submittal to the government for approval.
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st December 2016
With the first joint knowledge product on Watershed-scale Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment guidelines now finalized, this 12th Roundtable event will discuss a dissemination plan and capacity building plan.
more detailsNews
Date: 1st December 2016
A major expansion of economic corridor networks and new areas for economic investment will strengthen links between the capital cities of Mekong countries, and provide unprecedented opportunities for cross-border trade and investment under an agreement reached today by officials attending the 21st Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Ministerial Conference.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th November 2016
Opening statement by ADB Vice-President Stephen Groff at the 21st GMS Ministerial Conference held 1 December 2016 in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
more detailsNews
Date: 28th November 2016
The 38 key indicators on the GMS Core Environment Program's Information Portal have now been updated with the latest available data from government sources.
more detailsNews
Date: 28th November 2016
ADB has approved a $75 million loan to help strengthen Myanmar’s agriculture production and value chain development by improving and modernizing irrigation systems in three regions of the country’s central dry zone.
more detailsPublication
Date: 23rd November 2016
The People’s Republic of China practices “eco-compensation” to promote environmental protection and restoration. This study examines the theory, practice, and legislation governing this in selected ecological areas.
more detailsNews
Date: 10th November 2016
A new CEP-supported land demand allocation model was introduced to a global land science audience in Beijing in late October.
more detailsNews
Date: 10th November 2016
On Nov. 10, together with the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, the Asian Development Bank held a symposium commemorating the 30 years of strong partnership between China and ADB at the Asia-Pacific Finance and Development Institute in Shanghai.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th November 2016
WWF News Release: Economic growth in the Greater Mekong region depends on the Mekong River, but unsustainable and uncoordinated development is pushing the river system to the brink, a new report from WWF finds.
Governments, businesses, and communities in the region must come together to better manage the river in a way that respects the ecosystem’s limits if economic growth is to continue.WWF’s Mekong River in the Economy report explores the critical role of the river in the economy, highlighting important risks and opportunities for each country and key business sectors.
The Mekong underpins everything from agriculture and fisheries to energy production and manufacturing, and its natural resources provide huge economic value - its fisheries alone are valued at $17 billion a year[1]. All economic activity in the region is directly or indirectly linked to the river and therefore vulnerable to any negative changes to the river.
“Water is liquid capital and it flows through the economy just as much as it does through our rivers and lakes,” says Stuart Orr, Leader of the WWF Water Practice. “Water underpins our agricultural systems, our energy production, manufacturing, ecosystems, food security and our wellbeing as humans.”
The Mekong’s rich natural resources have contributed to an average 5 – 8 percent economic growth rate in the region, which is currently undergoing a construction and urbanisation boom: by 2050, 50 percent of the Greater Mekong subregion is expected to be urbanised.
Development projects in the Lower Mekong River basin (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam) such as hydropower dams, in-channel sand mining and irrigation are intended to harness the Mekong’s natural resources for further economic growth. However, if their cumulative impacts are not carefully considered, they could instead undermine the very basis of the economy and their impacts will be felt for decades to come.
“Governments, companies and communities in the Mekong region must come together to develop joint solutions to water governance challenges,” Orr adds. “These challenges are difficult but not unsolvable. Mekong decision makers can draw on good examples from around the world of using public-private partnerships and financial innovation to effectively conserve natural resources for everyone’s benefit.”
According to the report, economic development is putting a strain on the very river system that sustains it:
“Twenty years ago, the Mekong was one of the last large healthy tropical systems,” says Marc Goichot, WWF-Greater Mekong Water Lead. “Today, water quality is degrading fast, last year’s drought was the worst on record, floods are more frequent, fish catches are declining and the entire riverbed and river bank are eroding. Meanwhile, the Mekong delta is literally sinking and shrinking. All of this is pushing more freshwater species such as river dolphins to the brink of extinction, while also causing serious limitations to economic growth.”
In order to sustain economic growth, the private sector must come together with governments’ economic and finance planners to better manage the river’s resources across sectors and national borders, the report authors say. There is a wealth of scientific assessments available that could guide better economic decisions and financial investments, but often these go unseen by the relevant planners. The Mekong River in the Economy report connects the dots between the public and private sectors to create a more complete vision of the Mekong and the risks and opportunities it faces.
The report goes on to propose concrete steps and policies to improve river governance and sustainable resource use. These include economic incentives to use resources more sustainably, such as taxes, subsidies, tradable permits or compliance offsets. The business sector can coordinate and engage in water governance through a corporate water stewardship platform. Development agencies, donors and direct foreign investors can support policies that encourage systemic, integrated economic planning and private sector engagement.
“Too often, economic development planners and water resource planners operate in isolation. They may not realise how dependant they are on the Mekong River, or how they affect the ecosystem and other economic sectors,” Goichot adds. “Without seeing this big picture, they may not measure all the risks that poor management of the Mekong poses to their ventures and opportunities to overcome them. We need to understand all the benefits the Mekong River provides and make sure everyone has a voice in water governance, so together we can conserve the ecosystem that underpins the economy and ensure a prosperous future for all.”
more detailsNews
Date: 9th November 2016
President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao reaffirmed that ADB will deepen and widen the partnership with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) at a symposium held in Shanghai today to commemorate the 30 years of ADB-PRC partnership.
more detailsEvent
Date: 5th November 2016
This workshop will look at how Thailand's first biodiversity conservation corridor - in the Western Forest Complex - has made a difference to biodiversity and local livelihoods over the past decade.
more detailsNews
Date: 2nd November 2016
The 2016 edition of Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific has just been released. Key Indicators 2016 provides the latest available economic, financial, social, and environmental statistics for the 48 regional members of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
more detailsEvent
Date: 31st October 2016
More than 100 government planners and development partners shared experiences on how multicriterial spatial analysis (MCA) using GIS can help decision makers with environmental management.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st October 2016
The Key Indicators presents key statistics on development issues concerning Asia and the Pacific and includes the latest available economic, financial, social, and environmental indicators for ADB's 48 regional members.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st October 2016
The Fifth Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chief Justices’ Roundtable on Environment provided a platform for leaders of ASEAN judiciaries to discuss, share experiences, and decide on how to further strengthen collective action in addressing transboundary environmental challenges.
more detailsEvent
Date: 31st October 2016
Vietnamese government officials and development partners met to discuss arrangements to formalize a Natural Capital Platform (NCP).
more detailsNews
Date: 27th October 2016
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Myanmar today inaugurated a solar photovoltaic (PV) mini-grid system in Mandalay.
more detailsEvent
Date: 25th October 2016
This training workshop was the second in a series of three that aim to build the capacity of government planners in the GMS to work with communities to integrate climate change adaptation into local level development planning.
more detailsNews
Date: 25th October 2016
In a couple of weeks, the Paris Agreement on climate change will enter into force. Its goal of holding global warming to below 2°C by the end of this century is the first major salvo against the key challenge of our time. But the real battle against climate change won't be fought in air-conditioned meeting rooms.
more detailsEvent
Date: 12th October 2016
Government officials from Cambodia and Thailand met to look at ways to increase biodiversity conservation cooperation in border areas of the Cardamom and Elephant Mountains landscape.
A draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was tabled for discussion, outlining areas of potential collaboration, with a focus on:
The meeting was facilitated by the GMS Core Environment Program and was attended by more than 60 government officials from both countries. Lead agencies were the Department of National Parks (Thailand) and the General Directorate of Local Communities, Ministry of Environment (Cambodia). Both agencies will undertake a review of the MOU with the aim of endorsing it in early 2017.
more detailsEvent
Date: 29th September 2016
Viet Nam is in the process of developing an Environmental Protection Planning (EPP) Circular to improve environmental management within the country. This workshop aimed to build stakeholder awareness of environmental protection and planning and draws on international and national best practice and experience.
more detailsActivity
Date: 28th September 2016
Viet Nam has dramatically reduced poverty over the past two decades through rapid economic development. However, this process has included some poorly planned industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural intensification, which has led to pollution, resource depletion, and environmental degradation.
more detailsEvent
Date: 27th September 2016
more detailsNews
Date: 26th September 2016
Economic developments in Cambodia in 2016 have broadly unfolded as expected, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report released today.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th September 2016
The latest news, events, and other information from the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.
more detailsEvent
Date: 11th September 2016
Following up on similar trainings delivered in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville in late 2015, this 3-day workshop trained 48 provincial authorities on how to commission, design, review, and report on EIA documents.
more detailsNews
Date: 7th September 2016
This summer has seen Asia and the Pacific rocked by intense and unstable weather, bringing into even greater focus the need to build resilience against climate change and extreme weather. Read the full article here.
more detailsVideo
Date: 1st September 2016
Biodiversity corridors have been introduced in threatened tropical areas of Yunnan province, People's Republic of China, with ADB support. The program is ensuring the survival of rare plant and animal species, while eco-farming practices provide local communities with sustainable livelihoods.
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Publication
Date: 31st August 2016
Asian policy makers are willing partners in the global effort against climate change. But the region can and must go beyond current national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and hold global warming short of catastrophe.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th August 2016
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th August 2016
A Green Freight and Logistics Day was held as a pre-event to the 9th Better Air Quality Conference in Buson, South Korea, to highlight green freight intiatives in Asia and key lessons and opportunities for future scaling up.
more detailsNews
Date: 25th August 2016
Welcome to Issue 11 of the GMS Environment Update, a compilation of recent environment news from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, the governments of the six GMS countries, and the WWF-Greater Mekong Programme.
more detailsDate: 23rd August 2016
Truck drivers from over 100 freight companies in Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam have undergone eco-driving training as the Green Freight Initiative tests ways to lessen the environmental impacts of freight transport in the GMS.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th August 2016
This workshop was the first in a series of three that aim to build the capacity of government planners in the GMS to work with communities to integrate climate change adaptation into local level development planning.
more detailsDate: 16th August 2016
As part of CEP's Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change activity, this series of three training workshops aim to build the capacity of government planners in the GMS to work with communities to integrate climate change adaptation into local level development planning.
more detailsNews
Date: 16th August 2016
In 2015, world leaders adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030. More than 200 development indicators need to be tracked to assess the status of each of the 17 goals.
more detailsNews
Date: 14th August 2016
Six images showcasing differing approaches to environmental cleanup in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have won prizes in the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB’s) “My View” photo contest.
Read more here.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th August 2016
Truck drivers from over 100 freight companies in Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam have undergone eco-driving training as the Green Freight Initiative tests ways to lessen the environmental impacts of freight transport in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th August 2016
On August 10th, more than 150 national stakeholders gathered in Phnom Penh to review the first draft of Cambodia’s new National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP).
more detailsVideo
Date: 9th August 2016
This film highlights the environmental challenges facing China's Southwestern province of Yunnan as well as ongoing efforts to protect the unique biodiversity in the province's Xishuangbanna prefecture.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th August 2016
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised $1.3 billion to help finance climate change mitigation and adaptation projects with the issue of dual-tranche 3-year and 10-year green bonds, following its inaugural green bond issue in 2015.
more detailsEvent
Date: 9th August 2016
The aim of this national workshop is to present and gather feedback on the first draft of Cambodia's National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP).
more detailsVideo
Date: 1st August 2016
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic has built a new road with help from ADB linking the tourist town of Luangprabang with the country’s border with Thailand. Finished in 2014, the 367-km road provides access to goods, services and jobs and new businesses are flourishing along its length.
Watch the video here.
more detailsPublication
Date: 1st August 2016
This ADB publication provides a snapshot of the GMS subregion's performance from 1992-2014, highlighting growth in output and merchandise trade, developments in ICT, and trends in subregional integration.
more detailsNews
Date: 31st July 2016
At the 13th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Agriculture (WGA AM-13) of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), agriculture officials discussed ways to improve food safety and trade, climate friendly agriculture and bioenergy and biomass management.
more detailsEvent
Date: 27th July 2016
The 13th Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Agriculture (WGA AM-13) is hosted by Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
more detailsNews
Date: 27th July 2016
In the center of the of the People’s Republic of China’s coast, immediately north of the great cities of Shanghai and Nanjing, lies Jiangsu province, home to one of the most important wetlands in the country.
Click the link below to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 25th July 2016
This 22nd Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Environment (WGE AM-22) was hosted by Viet Nam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in cooperation with the GMS Environment Operations Center (EOC).
more detailsNews
Date: 21st July 2016
Recent storms in China affecting especially cities along the Yangtze River and even in the northern part of the country show current water engineering approaches are not offering enough protection from flooding disasters. It is both the failure of local flood defense systems and the lack of effective river-basin-wide management that amplify flood disasters.
Read the full article here.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th July 2016
In 60 years working the land, Phung Minh has been at the mercy of the rains. They have nourished his crops but they have also destroyed them. Viet Nam’s current drought, the worst in decades, has wreaked havoc on farms. But when the skies open, the damage can also be severe.
Click the link below to read the full story.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th July 2016
Today more people live in cities than in the countryside worldwide. We look to our cities for economic opportunities and for all things bigger, better and newer. To quote United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon, "Urbanisation is a driving force as well as a source of development. It has the power to change and improve the lives.” Yet, cities will only remain engines of growth if they are made far more resilient to the growing threat of natural hazards.
Read the full article here.
more detailsVideo
Date: 10th July 2016
Livestock farms in Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China, are converting pig waste into clean energy. This is helping to manage an environmental threat, contribute to the national energy grid, and boost the incomes of farmers.
more detailsEvent
Date: 3rd July 2016
more detailsPublication
Date: 1st July 2016
This publication captures the proceedings of the Second Asian Judges Symposium: "Natural Capital and the Rule of Law" held 3–5 December 2013 in Manila, the Philippines.
Following the success of the First Asian Judges Symposium in 2010, senior judges, environment ministry officials, prosecutors, legal professionals, and civil society representatives considered the state of ecosystems and the benefits people obtain from ecosystems in the region, with focus on the concept of natural capital and the rule of law. Against this background, participants shared insights about law and its enforcement challenges, including the role of judges in adjudicating cases affecting natural capital. The symposium also launched the Asian Judges Network on Environment, a platform for Asian judiciaries to share developments regarding environmental issues across the region.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th June 2016
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $150 million dollar loan for a comprehensive project to restore degraded ecosystems and improve water resource management in the flood-prone and polluted Qihe River Basin, which includes Hebi City.
Read the full story here.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th June 2016
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $150 million loan that marks its first ever investment targeted specifically at protecting strained groundwater resources in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Read the full story here.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th June 2016
Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Cambodia are receiving support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help communities tackle climate change impacts and natural disasters, through a civil society support scheme officially launched today.
more detailsNews
Date: 20th June 2016
Asia’s economic growth over the last decade has been relentless, bringing with it a rising population and an influx of people from the countryside to the cities in search of prosperity.
more detailsNews
Date: 20th June 2016
We believe it is fair to say some of the Chinese government's more stringent standards issued at the national level and tightened in key provinces have indeed started to have some impact. Now, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region (or Jing-Jin-Ji, as it is referred to in China) has high targets for air, water and soil quality.
Read the full article here.
more detailsNews
Date: 16th June 2016
The President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao met with Viet Nam’s State President Tran Dai Quang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during his two-day visit to discuss ADB’s deepening partnership with the country and priorities for future cooperation.
Read the full news release.
more detailsActivity
Date: 15th June 2016
Viet Nam’s 10-year Land Use Plans undergo revisions every 5 years, a process led by the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MONRE).
more detailsNews
Date: 14th June 2016
Welcome to Issue 10 of the GMS Environment Update, a compilation of recent environment news and articles from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, the governments of the six GMS countries, and the WWF-Greater Mekong Programme. This product aims to keep GMS stakeholders up-to-date on the latest sustainable development happenings in the subregion. If you would like to receive future issues direct to your inbox, please sign up to our mailing list here.
more detailsNews
Date: 14th June 2016
Many parts of Asia have been gripped by searing temperatures and the worst drought in decades. Millions of people face shortages of food or water, leading to the loss of lives, livelihoods, crops, and livestock. As water shortages depress productivity, reduce energy output at hydro plants, and cut food exports, economies are suffering.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th June 2016
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao met with Myanmar’s President U Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to discuss Myanmar’s development prospects, macroeconomic and structural priorities, and ADB’s support to the new administration.
Read the full news release.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th June 2016
Farmers in western Guizhou province in the People's Republic of China wake up early every morning to help dig wells 100 feet deep, hoping there will be enough water to maintain crops. Nearby lake levels are decreasing and there used to be water close to the surface, they say.
more detailsNews
Date: 6th June 2016
Thailand’s first large-scale solar power plant demonstrates the feasibility of large, private sector solar farms, and leads the way to a greener future.
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News
Date: 5th June 2016
The uncertain global economic outlook threatens to undermine the resolve of countries in Asia to implement urgently needed investments and policies to help put their economies on an environmentally sustainable growth path, warns a report by Independent Evaluation at the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
more detailsNews
Date: 1st June 2016
Historically, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has had some of the highest poverty rates in Southeast Asia but a mix of energy and mineral exports, manufacturing, services, tourism, construction and agriculture are coming together to grow the economy, create jobs and lift people out of poverty.
more detailsNews
Date: 1st June 2016
“Greening” road freight in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) will help participating countries achieve their Sustainable Development Goals, as well as providing economic benefits, delegates at a workshop in Bangkok heard today.
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st June 2016
Government officials, international experts, and private representatives from Southeast Asian countries met in Bangkok for two days to develop a regional agenda to scale up ‘green freight’ in the region.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st May 2016
This report summarizes the $2.47 billion of investments in clean energy made by ADB in 2015, condensing information from project databases and formal reports in an easy-to-reference format.
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Publication
Date: 25th May 2016
This second progress report provides the status of the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Investment Framework Implementation Plan as of 31 December 2015, for all sectors, both investment and technical assistance projects.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th May 2016
Since 2005, responsibility for dealing with the environmental review of projects less than $2million has been delegated to Cambodia’s Provincial offices.
more detailsEvent
Date: 15th May 2016
Provincial authorities will have a key role in implementing policies and programs that stem from Cambodia's National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP). This 2nd consultation workshop bought together government officials from the country's northeastern and northwestern provinces to inform them of the NESAP concept, process, and proposed policies and programs and seek their collaboration in its implementation.
Specific objectives included:
Activity
Date: 11th May 2016
Although Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been a legal requirement in Cambodia since 1999, many poorly planned investment projects continue to have major environmental and social consequences.
more detailsEvent
Date: 10th May 2016
The GMS Core Environment Program hosted a session on strategic environmental assessment (SEA) at the 36th Annual Conference of International Association of Impact Assessment.
more detailsEvent
Date: 9th May 2016
Provincial authorities will have a key role in implementing policies and programs that stem from Cambodia's National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP).
more detailsNews
Date: 9th May 2016
Cambodia, which was once a country synonymous with conflict and poverty, now has one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. The country’s gross domestic product has grown by 7 percent or more since 2013 and is expected to keep up that pace through 2017, according to the Asian Development Bank’s Asian Development Outlook 2016.
more detailsPublication
Date: 9th May 2016
This latest GMS e-Newsletter features updates from the GMS Economic Cooperation Program for the period October 2015 to April 2016.
more detailsEvent
Date: 8th May 2016
At this meeting, the Inter-Ministerial Task Force will review and comment on key draft chapters of Cambodia's National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP).
more detailsNews
Date: 1st May 2016
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Liqun Jin signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the sidelines of ADB’s 49th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors.
more detailsPublication
Date: 29th April 2016
For the past 5 decades, ASEAN and ADB have both supported poverty reduction, sustainable development, and regional cooperation and integration in Southeast Asia. This ADB publication provides an overview of cooperation between ADB and ASEAN, and how it has contributed to a more connected, competitive, and integrated region.
more detailsVideo
Date: 29th April 2016
More than 68 million tons of cargo crossed Asian borders between 2011 and 2014 thanks to better regional connectivity. Sanguan Sonklinsakul of Thailand’s Chiang Rai Chamber of Commerce says trade with neighboring countries has increased markedly due to the many news roads in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Click the link below to access the video.
more detailsNews
Date: 27th April 2016
In an increasingly fragile, interconnected world, where humanitarian and development needs are a burden on budgets, cooperation is a buzzword. The scale of the challenges facing humanity, and the scope of ambitions to leave no one behind under the new global development roadmap, have placed collaboration in the spotlight. This holds true for regional development as well as humanitarian initiatives.
more detailsNews
Date: 20th April 2016
This latest GMS e-Newsletter features updates from the GMS Economic Cooperation Program for the period October 2015 to April 2016.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th April 2016
After decades of isolation, the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar is roaring ahead with the fasting growing economy in Asia in 2016, according to the Asian Development Bank’s Asian Development Outlook 2016.
more detailsVideo
Date: 13th April 2016
In Nanjing, People's Republic of China, a $240-million project improved the water quality of the Qinhuai River, dredging the water way of sludge, constructing sewage pipelines and pumping stations, and transforming flood-prone villages into scenic wetlands.
more detailsNews
Date: 6th April 2016
Greater Mekong Subregion
Lower Mekong thirsts for more water
The amount of water that will be released from a Chinese dam until 10 April could be too low to help alleviate drought-stricken South-East Asia.
Source: SciDev.Net (23 March 2016)
China should compensate victims of dams: Mekong River network
China should apologise to people hit hard by their dams and compensate them for losses caused by changes in the river’s ecology, the Thai People in Eight Mekong Provinces Network said yesterday.
Source: The Nation (24 March 2016)
No great hopes for China's Mekong release
Though praised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China’s release of Mekong River water from the Jinghong dam on March 15 is unlikely to bring much relief to downstream countries like Cambodia, water experts said yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (22 March 2016)
China releases water from dam to alleviate SE Asia drought
A southwest China hydropower station has increased water discharges to up to 2,190 cubic meters per second on a trans-boundary river, in order to provide emergency water supply to Vietnam and other countries in the drought-afflicted Southeast Asian region, Chen Lei, Minister of Water Resources said on Wednesday.
Source: China Daily (16 March 2016)
Building an Asian community of shared destiny
Last year, six countries through which one of the world's longest rivers runs agreed to establish the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation framework to coordinate development works and promote the well-being of the people living in the subregion.
Source: China Daily (23 March 2016)
Hemmed in by Mekong dams
The massive expansion of hydropower along the Mekong River is putting 18 per cent of the world’s freshwater fish supply at risk as well as food security in the Mekong region.
Source: SciDev.Net (24 March 2016)
Water diplomacy by China offers drought relief
China has embarked on an unprecedented "water diplomacy" mission to alleviate the ongoing drought in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam by discharging massive quantities of fresh water downstream from one of its dams in its southern region.
Source: The Nation (19 March 2016)
China offers $11.5 billions in loans, credit to Southeast Asia
China will offer $11.5 billion in loans and credit lines to five Southeast Asian countries for infrastructure and other projects, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday.
Source: Reuters (23 March 2016)
Drop in timber smuggling gives ‘breathing space’ to Myanmar’s forests
After snowballing for years and culminating in a peak of nearly a million cubic meters of wood smuggled in 2014, the illegal timber trade between Myanmar and China appears to be faltering. The Environmental Investigation Agency reports a sharp downturn in the cross-border flow of wood in the last six months.
Source: Mongabay (10 March 2016)
Laos vows to limit dam impacts
The head of Laos’ ruling party reportedly pledged to limit the downstream impacts of the controversial Don Sahong hydropower dam in his meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen in Vientiane on Saturday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (14 March 2016)
China's rising influence in Laos
The recently signed Joint General Scheme of Mohan–Boten Economic Cooperation Zone is the first cross-border economic cooperation zone that China has established in Laos and, for that matter, in the whole of Southeast Asia. The deal hints at the Asian giant’s goal to expand its economic ties with its southern neighbors.
Source: The Diplomat (3 March 2016)
More varsities embrace climate change education
As many as 63 universities in the Asia-Pacific region, including Thailand, are rolling out climate-change education. The classes are based on the curriculum developed by the US Agency for International Development Lowering Emissions in Asia's Forests (USAID LEAF) adjusted to local contexts.
Source: The Nation (23 March 2016)
Asia needs innovation for sustainable development: Deputy PM
Asia should take innovation and creativity as key driving forces for sustainable development, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said at the 2016 Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) opened in China’s Hainan province on March 24.
Source: Vietnam Net (24 March 2016)
Cambodia
Cambodia’s PM reshuffles Cabinet to speed reforms
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is pushing ahead with his controversial reform agenda with a midterm cabinet reshuffle designed to win back political ground lost to the opposition in 2013 elections.
Source: VOA News (25 March 2016)
Laws for protection of nature to be merged
The Kingdom’s disparate laws on protecting forests, fisheries, wildlife, natural resources and the environment in general will be merged into a single document early next year, according to the Environment Ministry.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (21 March 2016)
Villagers torch ELC guard posts in land dispute protest
More than 200 people from five villages in Preah Vihear and Siem Reap provinces on Monday burned two rubber company guard posts to the ground in protest of the planned clearing of at least 1,000 hectares of disputed farmland and forests.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (23 March 2016)
Cambodia's zeal for rubber drives ethnic group from land
For generations, the indigenous Bunong were famous as the elephant keepers and masters of the forests in eastern Cambodia. They called the fertile, rolling hills of their ancestral homeland "meh ne," or mother. From its rich red soil, they harvested rice, pumpkins and bananas. From the forests, they gathered honey, resin and medicinal plants. Under the leafy canopies, they buried their dead and worshipped spirits.
Source: Associated Press (26 March 2016)
NGO implicates gov’t in forestry graft
Government rangers, environment department officials, military and police officers tasked with protecting the Phnom Oral Wildlife Sanctuary in Kampong Speu are allegedly taking bribes from illegal timber haulers at six different checkpoints, according to an undercover operation by a local NGO.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (22 March 2016)
Land cleared in Samlot Protected Area
Since November, another 60 hectares of forest have been illegally cleared in the Samlot Protected Area, which straddles Battambang and Pailin provinces, local officials said yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (18 March 2016)
Details of PM's cabinet reshuffle announced
Three ministers are set to retire from their posts and eight ministries expected to change hands in a proposed shakeup of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s cabinet, the details of which were revealed on Friday in a document released by a senior official.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (22 March 2016)
Amidst the drought, diversifying farming systems can protect food security in Cambodia
Climate change is threatening both rice production and fisheries that are the staple food of millions of people in Cambodia. Cambodia’s farmers and fishers can cope with the impacts of climate change through efforts at raising awareness, promoting capacity building and building diversified farming systems to ensure food security.
Source: Mekong Commons (23 March 2016)
The cost of Cambodia’s development
When Ieng Ty first stepped onto Otres beach in southern Cambodia, it was empty. He stood for a while, looking over translucent green waters to the hazy blue sky. Behind him, scrubby trees swayed in the firm breeze. An upsetting memory surfaced and, for a second, the surf sounded like the raspy breath of those people he’d seen starve in dry rice fields. He shuddered and wondered what to do next.
Source: The Diplomat (11 March 2016)
Women seek more influence in protecting Cambodia’s community forests
Women are often at the forefront of protecting forests in the Mekong region. In Cambodia, women are strengthening their voices in formal institutions and decision-making to better protect and manage their community forests.
Source: Mekong Commons (30 March 2016)
Holdouts reject new offer to leave dam site
More than 90 villagers in Stung Treng province on Tuesday rejected compensation packages for the land they will lose to the under-construction Lower Sesan 2 hydropower dam, a local official said.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (23 March 2016)
FA blocks Oddar Meanchey military unit from taking truck
A stand-off broke out yesterday after Forestry Administration officials in Oddar Meanchey province impounded a military truck belonging to a unit from Intervention Division 2’s Brigade 4, which was seized loaded with illegally felled timber.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (29 March 2016)
Laos People's Democratic Republic
Laos announces hydropower push at international conference
More than 500 delegates from over 50 countries attended the International Water Resources conference in Vientiane, Laos last week focusing on water resources and hydropower development across Asia.
Source: Voice of America News (9 March 2016)
Struggling with riverbank erosion by Nam Theun 2, villagers act themselves
Phuk Pheua is a dusty village, located along the Xe Bang Fai River, in Savannakhet province, Central Laos. Traditionally, in this area people like to live along the riverbank, where they grow crops in riverbank gardens, and plant rice nearby. Since 2010, however, these river banks have started to rapidly erode, causing hardship for the village people.
Source: Mekong Commons (21 March 2016)
Water supply distribution to expand in Vientiane
The Lao government has set a water connection rate goal for Vientiane of 90 percent by 2020 while the current rate remains at around 80 percent and the existing water treatment plants already operate at overload capacity.
Source: Vientiane Times (25 March 2016)
Proper policies needed to promote rattan conservation
Lao businesses will find sourcing rattan difficult in the near future with declining supplies around the country so proper policy support from the government is needed, an official advised.
Source: Vientiane Times (25 Mach 2016)
Myanmar
Environmental factors cause 1 in 4 deaths
Living or working in unhealthy conditions is leading thousands of people in Myanmar to an early grave, according to a new report by the World Health Organization.
Source: Myanmar Times (18 March 2016)
Climate change could cause 4450 deaths in Myanmar
Researchers have predicted that climate change will have such severe impact on food production that it could lead to 4450 deaths in Myanmar by 2050. The expected toll puts the country at the 10th-worst spot out of 155 nations in terms of deaths per capita.
Source: Myanmar Times (7 March 2016)
NLD under pressure to scrap hydropower projects
Huge hydropower projects along the Thanlwin River must be halted, civil society organisations said yesterday, in an appeal to the incoming National League for Democracy government launched from the banks of Southeast Asia’s longest free-flowing river.
Source: Myanmar Times (15 March 2016)
Yangon water supplies to outlast hot season, says YCDC
Yangon has nothing to fear from El Niño, city officials say, despite warnings that the weather phenomenon will bring drought to many parts of the country.
Source: Myanmar Times (9 March 2016)
Despite Myanmar dam blockage, China confident about ties with Suu Kyi government
Beijing is seeking to overcome blockages with a controversial Chinese-invested dam in Myanmar, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.
Source: Diplomacy and Defence (8 March 2016)
ADB sees 8.4% growth and falling inflation
Rising economic growth and three successive years of falling inflation were among the highlights from the Asian Development Bank’s 2016 predictions for Myanmar as part of its annual economic outlook for Asia.
Source: Myanmar Times (31 March 2016)
Myanmar races ahead as we back-pedal
All eyes have been on Myanmar this week as it finally voted a new president, Htin Kyaw, into office, in so doing becoming the latest debutante into the democratic club. A close aide (for many he is a proxy) of democracy icon Aug San Suu Kyi, who is blocked from taking up the role due to constitutional hurdles, Htin Kyaw is the first civilian leader of the country since 1962.
Source: Bangkok Post (17 March 2016)
Farmers fight doctors for Nay Pyi Taw land
Farmers have responded furiously after Nay Pyi Taw’s municipal authorities began to parcel off plots of unused but disputed land and hand it over to doctors.
Source: The Myanmar Times (15 March 2016)
People’s Republic of China
China's climate action since the 12th Five-Year Plan
China’s 13th Five-Year Plan released on March 17 outlined a plan to steer its heavily resource-based economy towards one that is increasingly service-oriented, diversified and less carbon-intensive.
Source: China Dialogue (18 March 2016)
Will China's environmental law help to win "war on pollution"?
Since China’s minister for environmental protection, Chen Jining, took office a year ago, public interest in – and scrutiny of – environmental issues has intensified.
Source: China Dialogue (22 March 2016)
China and the Mekong Delta: water savior or water tyrant?
The Mekong Delta is facing its worst drought in recent history, causing food and water shortages for over half a million people. The Chinese government has made headlines amidst the disaster for its decision to release water from upstream dams within China’s borders. Chinese ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a news briefing that China “hopes it can be of help in alleviating the drought downstream.”
Source: The Diplomat (23 March 2016)
China’s log imports fall sharply
China’s log imports fell sharply in 2015, according to official customs data.
Source: Mongabay (3 March 2016)
River diversion to flush pollution out of Yunnan’s Dianchi Lake
Residents of Yunnan province’s capital Kunming caught their first glimpse of an awesome new sight on 1 January 2016. The Kunming Waterfall Park, a 400-metre wide waterfall where farmland once sat, opened to the public on New Year’s Day capping off nearly three years of frantic work. The feat of engineering is a harbinger of drastic environmental changes being made to the region.
Source: China Dialogue (7 March 2016)
Yu Xiaogang wins prize for community conservation
Yu Xiaogang is one of China’s leading environmentalists. He is director of Green Watershed, an NGO in south-west China’s Yunnan province, where he has been working to protect the environment for over 20 years. Yunnan sits in the eastern foothills of the Himalayas and harbours 50% of the country’s biodiversity and the headwaters of six major rivers, including the Lancang (Mekong) and Nu (Salween) are located there.
Source: China Dialogue (30 March 2016)
China's green push gives clout to once "embarrassing" ministry
An affable academic who cracks jokes and cycles to work, Chen Jining is the face of China's clean-up, turning his environment ministry from "most embarrassing" to a powerhouse that has taken on those driving growth at all costs.
Source: Reuters (2 March 2016)
Small hydropower stations on Nujiang River to be closed
All the small-scale hydropower stations on Nujiang River will be closed, said Yunnan provincial party chief Li Jiheng in a penal discussion during the annual session of the National People's Congress on March 7, 2016.
Source: People's Daily Online (16 March 2016)
Thailand
China's Mekong dam release 'nothing special'
Local activists have accused China of using the Mekong River's water resources to increase its political power in the region.
Source: Bangkok Post (23 March 2016)
Huge dam release kills Songkran for Mekong residents
People who live near the Mekong won't be able to enjoy Songkran in the middle of the river this year, because of the amount of water released from a Chinese dam.
Source: The Nation (22 March 2016)
Backing for Thailand’s renewable energy strategy
Supportive policies, such as feed-in tariffs and programmes that promote investments, have played a key role in encouraging the growth of solar energy in Thailand, propelling the Kingdom to its current position as the largest producer of solar energy in Southeast Asia.
Source: The Nation (27 March 2016)
Haze crisis soars in Chiang Rai
Air hazard levels in Chiang Rai have risen to nearly 300 micrograms of pollutants per cubic metre, the worst in the country so far this year, which has caused thousands of haze-affected residents to seek medical treatment.
Source: The Nation (24 March 2016)
Chiang Mai's headache: Corn-fed smoke haze
It's 32 deg C in Chiang Mai as cars on the highway speed towards an invisible mountain. Doi Suthep, which usually looms over the city, has vanished into the ash-coloured horizon.
Source: Straits Times (21 March 2016)
Ex-official backs convicted couple in encroachment case
The Kalasin couple, who were awaiting a Supreme Court ruling over their appeal against a lower court’s 15-year prison sentence for forest-reserve encroachment in 2010, yesterday brought a key witness to testify to their innocence at the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) yesterday.
Source: The Nation (23 March 2016)
Special rate to be proposed for excessive water usage in April
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking of the three private institutions (JSCCIB) plans to propose that the government charge people at a special rate for water that exceeded their normal usage rate in April when compared with last April.
Source: The Nation (23 March 2016)
Thailand to go it alone on Thai-Sino high-speed rail
Thailand has decided to wholly invest in the Thai-Sino railway project after it failed to agree in talks with China on the terms of the arrangement which has set back progress for months.
Source: Bangkok Post (24 March 2016)
Power usage plummets in capital during Earth Hour
Bangkok’s power consumption dropped 2,020 megawatts during the hour on Saturday night that residents were asked to turn off non-essential lights as part of Earth Hour 2016.
Source: The Nation (21 March 2016)
Viet Nam
Vietnam hit by worst drought in 90 years
Vietnam is suffering its worst drought in nearly a century with salinisation hitting farmers especially hard in the crucial southern Mekong delta, experts said Monday (Mar 1).
Source: Channel News Asia (1 March 2016)
Thousands of households in Trà Vinh suffer from drought
More than 13,000 farming households in the Mekong Delta province of Trà Vinh are suffering damage from the prolonged drought and saltwater infiltration, said an official from the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Source: Vietnam News (10 March 2016)
Long-term solutions sought for VN drought
China has decided to double the release of water from its Jinghong reservoir on the Mekong River to help Vi?t Nam mitigate the impact of a severe drought in the Mekong Delta provinces.
Source: Vietnam News (21 March 2016)
PM issues urgent instruction to cope with saltwater influx in Mekong Delta
Currently, nine of 13 provinces and cities with nearly 40 percent of land in Mekong Delta have been impacted by saltwater influx. Nearly 20, 000 hectares of winter spring rice crops, fruit orchards were destroyed and 155, 000 households are facing to the shortage of water for their life and farm.
Source: Saigon-GP Daily (13 March 2016)
Mekong Delta localities supported in searching fresh water
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has provided maps of underground fresh water distribution for all thirteen Mekong Delta localities, aiming to facilitate their search for fresh water resources to deal with the ongoing drought.
Source: Nhan Dan (24 March 2016)
More public, private firms partner on transportation
Vi?t Nam is expected to attract a number of investors of transport infrastructure projects under the public-private partnership (PPP) model this year.
Source: Vietnam News (25 March 2016)
Green cities project gets US$224m boost
Prime Minister Nguy?n T?n D?ng has approved the funding of nearly US$224 million for Secondary Cities Development Project (Green Cities).
Source: Vietnam News (12 March 2016)
Air pollution control system invented
Scientists of Technology University under Vi?t Nam National University have successfully developed an air pollution management system using satellite photos.
Source: Vietnam News (11 March 2016)
Binh Thuan to invest over 159 mln USD to build sea dykes
About 100 kilometres of sea embankment in the south central province of Binh Thuan will be built at an estimated capital of 3.5 trillion VND (159 million USD).
Source: Vietnam Plus (29 February 2016)
Proper irrigation helps Mekong Delta cope with water crisis
A workshop was held in Can Tho on March 11 to seek proper irrigation methods to preserve water in salinity-affected areas in the Mekong Delta.
Source: Nhan Dan (11 March 2016)
News
Date: 4th April 2016
Welcome to Issue 9 of the GMS Environment Update, a compilation of the latest environment news from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, the governments of the six GMS countries, and WWF's Greater Mekong Programme.
more detailsNews
Date: 27th March 2016
The government of Lao PDR is preparing legislation for a scheme that will see industrial enterprises pay for the pollution they cause.
more detailsEvent
Date: 17th March 2016
The Eleventh Roundtable saw partners continue reviewing and drafting regional guidelines on watershed-level climate vulnerability and adaptation assessment (VAA). The guidelines will synthesize the shared knowledge and experience of the Roundtable partners in developing frameworks for, and implementing, VAAs in the Greater Mekong Subregion over the past decade, including project experience using watersheds as an organizing principle for VAA.
more detailsNews
Date: 16th March 2016
Last year, economic growth in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) fell to 6.9%, the first time in a quarter century that growth fell below 7%. This was the culmination of a downward drift in growth since 2011, according to the newly released ADB report, Moderating Growth and Structural Change in the People’s Republic of China: Implications for Asia and Beyond.
Click here to read more.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th March 2016
Sustainability and resilience were on the lips of most policymakers and activists at last year’s COP21 climate talks in Paris. We need to translate that into action on the ground in cities in Asia.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th March 2016
The completion of work on a 105km section of highway from Phisanulok to Lomsak to expand it from two lanes to four, supported by Asian Development Bank (ADB), is expected to generate greater economic activity and increase local competitiveness along the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) EastWest Economic Corridor.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th March 2016
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) have signed an agreement for a $27 million loan to support road asset management and maintain over 300 kilometers (km) of national and local roads in the provinces of Attapu, Salavan and Xekong.
click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 9th March 2016
The objective of the second meeting of the National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan Inter-ministerial Task Force was to present, discuss and obtain comments on draft Chapter One of the NESAP (Brief Introduction) and Chapter Two (State of Environment).
more detailsNews
Date: 9th March 2016
Last year was a historic year for climate change. While December’s Paris Agreement gave hope that countries could commit toreducing dangerous greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, we also witnessed the hottest year in recorded history and a resurgentEl Nino cycle that wreaked havoc on many ecosystems.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th March 2016
Last year was a historic year for climate change. While December’s Paris Agreement gave hope that countries could commit to reducing dangerous greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, we also witnessed the hottest year in recorded history and a resurgent El Nino cycle that wreaked havoc on many ecosystems.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 8th March 2016
This workshop brought together more than fifty international experts and government staff to review current PES initiatives in Cambodia and identify implementation lessons and experience as well as enabling policy conditions.
more detailsEvent
Date: 8th March 2016
more detailsEvent
Date: 2nd March 2016
This workshop brought together environment officials in Lao PDR to initiate work to develop a National Pollution Control Strategy (2016-2025).
more detailsNews
Date: 1st March 2016
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Trade Finance Program and two Vietnamese banks—Ho Chi Minh City Development Bank and Saigon Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB)— today signed agreements enabling the program to provide guarantees of up to $100 million a year to support trade finance in Viet Nam.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 29th February 2016
more detailsNews
Date: 29th February 2016
Greater Mekong Subregion
Help at hand for countries desperately seeking climate cash
Several big international funds, including the U.N. Green Climate Fund, are trying to dole out billions of dollars to countries and communities to help them tackle climate change by adapting to extreme weather and adopting renewable energy.
Source: Reuters (18 February 2016)
Coal power on the rise: Mekong Region digs in
While initiatives by the Asian Development Bank, ASEAN, United States, Japan, France and the private sector aim to advance renewable energy within the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), coal-fired power plants are slated to become an increasingly larger share of the region’s electricity generating portfolio.
Source: The Mekong Eye (15 February 2016)
The Mekong river: damned if you do
The greatest of all South-East Asia’s waterways and the world’s 12th-longest river, the Mekong, is a natural wonder that ties together the destinies of half a dozen countries.
Source: The Economist (13 February 2016)
Thailand diverts Mekong, Vietnam put in danger
Thailand has begun taking water from the Mekong River and pumping it into its northeastern areas, which are suffering from drought.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (16 February 2016)
Thai communities vow to appeal against Laos dam
Even after losing a battle in the Thailand Administrative Court, a group of Thai villagers are not giving up. They have filed appeal after losing the first community-led lawsuit in the region to challenge a large dam on the Mekong river.
Source: China Dialogue (18 February 2016)
Illegal logging has become more violent than ever
After a productive day—they’d encountered a gang of illegal loggers and confiscated six chain saws—the four patrollers in Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Protected Forest strung up their hammocks and settled in for the night.
Source: National Geographic (3 February 2016)
Forest losses in Asia-Pacific alarm FAO
Access to technology and knowledge about forests is necessary for communities and smallholder farmers to achieve sustainable forest management and halt deforestation.
Source: Scidev Net (29 February 2016)
China’s Belt and Road initiative ripe with possibilities
Following the launch of its ambitious Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (Belt and Road) initiative in a big way, China followed it up with last month’s official inauguration of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which is now operational.
Source: The Nation (3 February 2016)
What a new Vietnam-Russia deal says about the Mekong’s future
It is potentially an unusual business transaction. While the prospect of a Vietnamese company taking over a Russian group in of itself is unusual, the buyout of a strategic stake in a major fish distributor is also a reflection of changing attitudes to the management of the Mekong River.
Source: The Diplomat (13 February 2016)
Energy for ASEAN’s less developed countries
The access to reliable and affordable sources of energy plays a critical role in the economic development of any country. This Bloomberg video presents the challenges of Myanmar and Laos to manage their energetic resources and develop their economy in relation with their Southeast Asian neighbors.
Source: Asean Up (11 February 2016)
Climate model sees warmer Southeast Asia
Study predicts the ‘strongest warming’ up to 5°C to occur in the region’s mainland in the next 100 years.
Source: Ecobusiness (2 February 2016)
Feasibility study of Laos-VN railway line begins
The transport ministry will conduct the feasibility study of a 550km-long railway line, linking Laos' Vientiane to Vung Ang in Ha Tinh, Viet Nam, from December 2015 to December 2017.
Source: Vietnam News (22 February 2016)
Cambodia
PM gives ministers an 'F', lashes out at illegal logging task force
Prime Minister Hun Sen unleashed a tirade against underperforming government officials in a pair of speeches yesterday – musing aloud about reshuffling his Council of Ministers and wondering why rockets had not yet been deployed in the Kingdom’s recent “crackdown” on illegal logging.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (26 February 2016)
Kingdom ranks low on global green list
Cambodia has performed poorly in the 2016 edition of a recent environmental report, ranking a dismal 146 out of 180 countries.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (18 February 2016)
Hun Sen orders rocket attacks on Cambodia’s illegal loggers
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has ordered the head of a recently established anti-logging committee to get tough on the country’s illegal timber trade by blasting smugglers with rockets fired from helicopters.
Source: Radio Free Asia (26 February 2016)
Official gets called out in sanctuary logging case
Two men have been arrested over, and a military official implicated in, illegal logging that took place at the protected Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary last week.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (16 February 2016)
Seeds of destruction?
At Think Biotech, reforestation starts every morning to the buzz of chainsaws. Workers feed logs into the company’s sawmill, while excavators dump loads of timber into the surrounding lumberyard, which stretches for hundreds of metres.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (23 February 2016)
Logs seized in Stung Treng
The recently created nationwide anti-logging commission seized 300 logs of illegal timber at a sawmill near a Vietnamese graveyard in Stung Treng province on Friday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (15 February 2016)
Preah Vihear blaze razes timber
A blaze authorities have attributed to a forest fire ripped through a nearly 4,000-cubic-metre timber stockpile on a social land concession in Preah Vihear’s Kulen district on the weekend, although the company yesterday said it suspected a case of arson.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (29 February 2016)
Bribes alleged at Phnom Oral sanctuary
Government rangers, paid to protect the Phnom Oral Wildlife Sanctuary, allow loggers to process and transport illegally felled timber in exchange for bribes, an NGO alleged yesterday after conducting an undercover operation in the protected forest.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (11 February 2016)
Villagers opposed to new forest sanctuary
The Cambodian government has moved to protect a tract of land in Tbong Khmum province in a bid to preserve wildlife near the Vietnam border, but local villagers and the rights group Adhoc say the step will disenfranchise small-scale farmers.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (18 February 2016)
Vietnamese loggers charged; officers under investigation
The Mondolkiri Provincial Court has charged nine Vietnamese nationals with illicit use of chainsaws and illegally entering Cambodia after authorities arrested the group of would-be loggers on Wednesday, while authorities are investigating the soldiers and police who allegedly let them in.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (29 February 2016)
Prey Lang network calls for protections in logging crackdown
The Prey Lang Community Network has called on the government to include the protection of the sprawling Prey Lang forest in the remit of the recently established committee to crack down on illegal logging.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (9 February 2016)
Tonle Bassac dredging necessary, say officials
In order to aid waterway transport, sand-dredging – largely banned since a 2011 decree – will soon begin reappearing at dozens of locations along the Tonle Bassac river, a spokesman from the Ministry of Mines and Energy confirmed yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (24 February 2016)
Koh Kong sand dredging impact studies due
The Ministry of Mines and Energy plans to release the environmental impact assessments of two controversial sand-dredging companies in Koh Kong “soon”, ministry spokesman Meng Saktheara said on Monday
Source: Phnom Penh Post (17 February 2016)
Minister keen to shed fish and forests in decentralisation push
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Ouk Rabun on Monday asked Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng to formalise the transfer of forestry and fisheries duties from the ministry to provincial- and city-level departments.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (12 February 2016)
Agro sector on a growth path
The tonnage of Cambodia’s agricultural exports increased by over 20 per cent last year, led by a surge in shipments of dried cassava chips, according to the latest Ministry of Agriculture data.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (23 February 2016)
Expanding Pailin gem mine to be inspected
Environmental officials are scheduled to investigate a gem-mining site in Pailin province today, amid villager reports of an increase in large-scale extraction and alarming levels of pollution flowing into a river close to the mine.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (18 February 2016)
Aust company brings solar to Cambodia
Before dawn breaks, Houk Kymia and Wen Suen begin to make coffee they will later sell on the streets of Phnom Penh, all this aboard their "tuk tuk," a three-wheeled light delivery van which runs on solar energy and is helping them make a decent living.
Source: The Australian (26 February 2016)
Company provisionally charged over record ivory seizure
The Preah Sihanouk Provincial Court has laid provisional charges against the director of an import-export and freight-forwarding firm over his alleged role in smuggling more than 3,000 kg of elephant tusks into Cambodia in 2014—the largest haul of ivory ever seized in the country.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (29 February 2016)
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Laos dismisses reports of illegal ivory trade
Lao authorities have dismissed reports by Thai media, which allege companies in Laos have been smuggling elephant ivory through Thailand with the media citing the kingdom's authorities as seizing tusks.
Source: Vientiane Times (29 February 2016)
Meet the people determined to save the elephants of Laos
The elephant urinated in a fire-hose gush and his mahout (driver/keeper) cheered. ‘See?’ he said in Lao, pointing at the torrent of water darkening the red-earth road. ‘It’s clear!’
Source: Telegraph (20 February 2016)
Myanmar
Private sector could fill annul $2.5b gap in energy
The private sector could help cover a US$2.5 billion annual investment shortfall in Myanmar’s power sector and the government is urging international investors to help the country meet its electricity needs, an official has said.
Source: Myanmar Times (23 February 2016)
Coal power central to gov’t energy plans
Myanmar's energy sector will require investment of between US$30 billion and $40 billion over the next 15 to 20 years, and should focus on coal power, according to the government’s Energy Master Plan, published last month.
Source: Myanmar Times (8 February 2016)
Kachin state authorities continue illegal timber seizures, Myanmar Official says
Kachin state government authorities in northern Myanmar seized more than 20,000 metric tons (22,046 U.S. tons) of illegal timber near the country’s border with China over the last five years, a high-ranking forestry official said Thursday.
Source: Radio Free Asia (18 February 2016)
MOEP eyes to provide electricity to 230,000 more households by 2017
The Ministry of Electric Power (MOEP) said it will provide electricity to roughly 230,000 more households in the country by 2017.
Source: Myanmar Business Today (9 February 2016)
Community tourism begins to pay in Magwe
The men left to find work. The women stayed to create jobs. Community-based tourism is finally paying off in rural Magwe Region, says a local NGO official.
Source: Myanmar Times (10 February 2016)
Foreign firms’ future in Myanmar mining hangs on details
A new amendment has the potential to fundamentally alter the economics of mining in Myanmar and draw a new round of foreign companies to the country.
Source: Myanmar Times (17 February 2016)
People’s Republic of China
China drives water cooperation with Mekong countries
China is more closely involved in cross-border cooperation on hydropower and water management after the six countries that share the Mekong River signed a landmark agreement late last year.
Source: China Dialogue (1 February 2016)
How China’s economic downturn could delay promised CO2 peak
Advocates of big carbon cuts in China have had many reasons for optimism lately. Coal consumption and steel consumption are falling after a long period of overproduction. Hopes are high that carbon emissions will peak soon after an apparent high water mark in coal demand and industrial commodities.
Source: China Dialogue (26 February 2016)
China downplays energy efficiency gain
While China's economic growth continues to lag, the country is making greater gains in energy efficiency, at least according to official reports.
Source: Radio Free Asia (16 February 2016)
Interview: China’s environmental challenges
Judith Shapiro first became interested in China’s environment while teaching English in Hunan province in the late 1970s. It was here that she was inspired to write a book on Mao-era environmental degradation.
Source: China Dialogue (9 February 2016)
Beijing raises 'red alert' threshold for air pollution warning
Beijing is to raise the thresholds for issuing its highest air pollution warnings, the state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday, two months after acrid smog triggered the city’s first ever “red alert”.
Source: The Guardian (22 February 2016)
Beijing, 5 other cities to fight smog together
The national environmental authority has launched a new plan that targets Beijing, Tianjin and four neighboring cities with tough restrictions in an effort to curb severe smog in the northern region.
Source: China Daily (19 February 2016)
China struggles to implement swift ban on ivory trade
On January 13, in his New Year policy address, Hong Kong’s chief executive Leung Chun-ying announced a plan to ban ivory trade within the region.
Source: China Dialogue (4 February 2016)
Govt boosts new energy vehicle purchases
China is to increase to more than half the proportion of new energy vehicle purchases made by some government departments, the State Council said on Wednesday.
Source: China Daily (25 February 2016)
Yunnan park shores up security after wild elephant rampage
A large nature reserve in South China says safety measures are being taken to better prevent conflicts between wild elephants and visitors after an incident during Spring Festival.
Source: China Daily (26 February 2015)
Thailand
Thailand plans measures worth $285 million to help drought-hit rice farmers
Thailand, the world's second-biggest rice exporter, on Friday announced measures worth around $285 million to help farmers in the country who have been hit hard by a severe drought and low prices for their crop.
Source: Reuters (26 February 2016)
Drought may result in B62bn in damages
The farming sector could face damages totalling up to 62 billion baht if the drought lasts until June, says economist Witsanu Attavanich.
Source: Bangkok Post (3 February 2016)
Thung Yai shows way to end forest evictions
Plu Jibong has a burning question: Why must Karen forest dwellers in Kaeng Krachan National Park suffer violent eviction and forced resettlement when his Karen peers in Thung Yai-Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary can live in peace?
Source: Bangkok Post (17 February 2016)
Ministry summons officials in Klong Dan inquiry
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has summoned eight politicians and senior officials involved in scrapping the Klong Dan waste water treatment project for further investigation to determine whether they should foot the 9.8 billion baht compensation bill which the state must pay the construction company.
Source: Bangkok Post (17 February 2016)
Against the flow
Songkhram River is a little-known tributary of the Mekong River. Yet staying under the radar has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for the placid 420km river has been left untouched from development projects such as dams and major construction.
Source: Bangkok Post (17 February 2016)
Viet Nam
Environmental protection fees for mining announced
The Government has issued a Decree on environmental protection fees for mining businesses.
Source: Vietnam Plus (23 February 2016)
Environment Ministry worried for mineral overexploitation in Delta
Plans to evaluate mineral reserves and marine natural resources and to help residents better adapt to climate change nationwide - especially in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region, the area predicted to suffer the most from climate change – are high up on the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment's agenda this year.
Source: Vietnam News (15 February 2016)
Vietnam gears towards low-carbon economy
Vietnam is making all-out efforts to build a low-carbon economy towards green growth in order to realise the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Source: Vietnam Plus (12 February 2016)
Drought, saline intrusion prevention – urgent task
The Government considers the prevention of drought and saltwater intrusion its urgent task, said deputy head of the Government Office Nguyen Khac Dinh at the regular Cabinet press conference on February 29.
Source: Vietnam Plus (29 February 2016)
Saltwater threatens Mekong Delta
Saltwater is likely to intrude as far as 70km in the Tien and Hau rivers, the two main tributaries of the Mekong River in the Mekong Delta, the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said.
Source: Vietnam News (22 February 2016)
Mekong Delta sees worst drought in 90 years
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered relevant ministries and Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces to prioritise the fight against drought and saltwater intrusion which have severely affected agriculture and fisheries and caused a crippling water shortage.
Source: Vietnam Net Bridge (19 February 2015)
More severe drought forecast this year in VN
The water shortage, drought and salt intrusion in the central region and the Central Highlands provinces this year is forecast to be more severe than last year.
Source: Vietnam News (15 February 2016)
Cold weather blamed for hampering afforestation effort
The Vietnam Forest Administration has blamed the recent severe cold weather for partly slowing afforestation progress during the first two months of 2016.
Source: Vietnam Plus (26 February 2016)
Vinh Tan power plant still polluting residential areas
Pollution caused by Vinh Tan Thermal Power Complex in southern Binh Thuan Province still persists despite local authorities' efforts to prevent cinders and ash from blowing into nearby residential areas.
Source: Vietnam News (1 February 2016)
Projects to provide thousands of households with electricity
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved 22 projects aiming to provide electricity to rural areas and islands this year.
Source: Nhan Dan (17 February 2016)
Accurate forest data to be integrated this year
Sixty provinces and cities are expected to complete the work of integrating adequate and accurate forest data by the end of 2016, the Viet Nam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) said.
Source: Vietnam News (17 February 2016)
1.3 billion USD for Mekong Delta water supply project
The interprovincial water supply system project across the Mekong Delta region will receive financial support of 1.3 billion USD, said Nguyen Tuong Van, deputy head of the Technical Infrastructure Department at the Ministry of Construction.
Source: Vietnam Plus (25 February 2016)
Binh Thuan to invest over 159 mln USD to build sea dykes
About 100 kilometres of sea embankment in the south central province of Binh Thuan will be built at an estimated capital of 3.5 trillion VND (159 million USD).
Source: Vietnam Plus (29 February 2016)
Pangolin education centre opens
The Viet Nam's first pangolin education centre officially opened on Saturday on the occasion of World Pangolin Day in Ninh Binh Province's Cuc Phuong National Park, the oldest in the country.
Source: Vietnam News (22 February 2016)
Agencies, companies active for environmental protection
The Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with Coca-Cola Vietnam have agreed to jointly implement a green programme in Vietnam.
Source: Vietnam Plus (25 February 2016)
Tram Chim National Park deserves Ramsar title
Located in Tam Nong district of the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, Tram Chim National Park boasts a rich biodiversity that turned it into the world’s 2000th Ramsar site in 2012.
Source: Vietnam Plus (11 February 2016)
Event
Date: 29th February 2016
At this two day meeting, Lao PDR environment officials revieweed a draft Presidential Provision on Environmental Taxation prepared by the Department of Environmental Quality.
more detailsActivity
Date: 24th February 2016
As Lao PDR continues its impressive development trajectory, the need to strategically and systematically prevent and mitigate pollution becomes increasingly urgent. Trends such as population growth and urbanization, increased consumerism, agricultural intensification, and industrial expansion are among many drivers of pollution in the country.
more detailsNews
Date: 23rd February 2016
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today kicked off a photo contest for young people to submit their best images depicting efforts in addressing environmental issues in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 23rd February 2016
In line with ADB’s commitment to support youth’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ADB and the world’s largest youth-run organization AIESEC, along with founding partners PVBLIC Foundation, Kinetic, Mekanism, and UN Habitat, launched the “Youth for Global Goals” (#Youth4GG) campaign at the Global Leaders’ Summit in Morocco on 16 February. More than 250 young leaders from 130 countries joined the event.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th February 2016
Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam are among five countries targeted by the Swedish International Development Agency’s (Sida) upcoming international Strategic Environmental Assessment training program.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th February 2016
The Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Board of Directors has endorsed a new country partnership strategy with China for 2016-2020.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 2nd February 2016
Greater Mekong Subregion
Thailand's forest rangers step up training in violent 'blood wood' war
It’s dawn in Thailand’s Eastern forest, and the sound of combat boots echoes through the jungle mist at Ta Phraya national park’s headquarters.
Source: The Guardian (5 January 2016)
Asean members urged to speed up tariff reductions
To deepen Asean collaboration, each of the 10 member states has accelerated reduction of its import tariffs for many sensitive products and continues to work on drafting an Asean master plan for 2016-25.
Source: The Nation (27 January 2016)
Thai-Myanmar trade expected to double in 2 years
Thailand and Myanmar are set to double bilateral trade to between Bt350 billion and Bt420 billion within two years, while also promoting cross-border trade to Bt300 billion, under closer cooperation through the Joint Trade Commission (JTC) and Asean integration.
Source: The Nation (7 January 2016)
Mekong drought plan raises concerns
Non-governmental organizations have expressed concern about a government decision to tackle the drought crisis by diverting water from the Mekong River.
Source: The Nation (29 January 2016)
Mekong diversion under way in Thailand
The Thai government’s planned diversion of billions of cubic metres of water from the Mekong River, described last week by a Thai Ministry of Water Resources representative as being as far as two years away, has already begun.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (26 January 2016)
Chinese solar panel makers shift to Thailand for growth
Rising costs and steep anti-dumping duties in the United States and Europe, coupled with a desire to expand overseas, are increasingly driving major Chinese solar panel makers' new investments away from the domestic market, the world's largest, to neighboring Thailand.
Source: China Daily (25 January 2016)
Vietnam to import power from Laos
Importing electricity from neighbouring countries, including Laos, is one of several measures being adopted to help Viet Nam meet the electricity demand for socio-economic development.
Source: Viet Nam Net (30 January 2016)
Laos and China come to terms on loan interest rate for railway project
Laos and China have reached an agreement on the interest rate for a U.S. $480 million loan to build the high-speed Lao-China railway, according to the Lao government official in charge of the multibillion-dollar project, although the figure has not been publicly disclosed.
Source: Radio Free Asia ( 4 January 2016)
Video: New Myanmar govt faces pressure on Chinese infrastructure projects
The incoming administration must introduce better accountability mechanisms and international standards for projects undertaken by Chinese companies, according to observers.
Source: Channel News Asia (4 January 2016)
Cambodia
WWF mapping project shows Mondulkiri forest in danger
A sophisticated new environmental analysis software package has painted a grim picture of Mondulkiri province’s future environmental health.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (27 January 2016)
Wonder of the aquatic world under threat from plans for Mekong dams
In a few months’ time, monsoon rains will more than quadruple the size of Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap, south-east Asia’s greatest lake and one of the wonders of the aquatic world. The huge flood will reverse the seaward flow of the river that feeds into the lake, submerge forests, make a perfect wetland for spawning fish and will replenish soils for a rich rice harvest.
Source: The guardian (8 January 2016)
New body to address Sesan dam concerns
The Ministry of Mines and Energy has created a committee to resolve compensation and resettlement issues for 1,000 families displaced by the controversial Lower Sesan II hydropower dam in Stung Treng province.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (27 January 2016)
Timber tycoon back in spotlight
Tycoon Try Pheap is denying any link to a Chinese-owned company under investigation for illegal logging in the northeast by the committee set up by Prime Minister Hun Sen in a mid-January to crack down on forest crimes.
Source: Khmer Times (31 January 2016)
PM defends logging tycoons
Prime Minister Hun Sen has defended the actions of two prominent tycoons accused of logging vast stretches of forest in Cambodia’s protected Virachey National Park as “legal,” according to a letter obtained by the Post.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (26 January 2016)
Timber burned at Mondulkiri ELC
Hundreds of logs of timber, including luxury wood, as well as sawmill camps were torched at a controversial Vietnamese-owned economic land concession in Mondulkiri province’s Keo Seima district in an apparent bid to destroy evidence of illegal logging ahead of a raid by a new anti-logging committee.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (25 January 2016)
More timber burns in Mondulkiri as NGO calls for answers
Timber stockpiles in two former Mondulkiri economic land concessions went up in flames over the past few days, with authorities blaming forest fires, an explanation one observer characterised as an “excuse”.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (28 January 2016)
Report that new ELCs were granted to logging barons ‘false’
In an open letter to the Ministry of Environment, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) asked yesterday for confirmation of a January 19 report in the Cambodia Daily that said new economic land concessions (ELCs) had been given to two tycoons despite a ban on granting ELCs.
Source: Khmer Times (27 January 2016)
Environmental activists briefly held in Laos
Two Cambodian environmental activists were reportedly detained by Lao authorities yesterday while photographing construction of the Don Sahong dam near the border with Cambodia’s Stung Treng province.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (25 January 2016)
Cambodians toxic love affair with plastic
An Association of Cambodian Recruitment Agencies (ACRA) survey has found that the average person living in a Cambodian city uses roughly ten times the number of plastic bags as their counterparts in China and various countries in Europe, according to a Monday press release.
Source: Khmer Times (26 January 2016)
Water birds make comeback in Battambang
Water bird numbers are making a big comeback in the Prek Toal conservation area on the Tonle Sap lake in Battambang province, the Wildlife Conservation Society said in a report released on Saturday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (25 January 2016)
Video captures wild Asian elephants roaming in Cambodian forest
Wild Asian elephants roam through the forest in the Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia is a video released on Friday by the environmental group Conservation International.
Source: Reuters (15 January 2016)
People’s Republic of China
Pressure mounts on AIIB for greater clarity on green lending
The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) formally came into existence on January 16, but many environmental campaigners want to see greater clarity from the world’s newest multilateral development lender.
Source: China Dialogue (27 January 2015)
China launches new AIIB development bank as power balance shifts
Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a new international development bank seen as a rival to the U.S.-led World Bank at a lavish ceremony on Saturday, as Beijing seeks to change the unwritten rules of global development finance.
Source: Reuters ( 17 January 2016)
New environmental guidelines shift focus, add two more air pollution targets
China's new five-year national development plan shifts the country's environmental focus and expands by two the airborne pollutants targeted for reduction in an effort to control severe smog.
Source: China Daily (22 January 2016)
China's coal-burning in significant decline, figures show
Coal-burning in China is in significant decline, according to official figures released on Tuesday, signalling a major turnaround for the world’s biggest polluter.
Source: The Guardian (19 January 2015)
Top court upholds record penalty of $26m for water pollution
China's top court rejected on Thursday an application for a new hearing of an environmental public interest case, upholding the original ruling.
Source: China Daily (22 January 2016)
Sessions call out leaders on pollution
Chinese environmental authorities summoned leaders from five cities over the past two days to reprimand them for severe pollution in their jurisdictions and for illegal - and damaging - mineral explorations in nature reserves.
Source: China Daily (15 January 2016)
Smog smells like big profits for tour firms
Tourism companies are cashing in on North China's smog woes by offering "clean air getaways" for residents looking for a breather.
Source: China Daily (8 January 2016)
Roundtable: what are the benefits of China's ban on new coal mines?
On the final day of 2015, China’s central government said it would suspend the approval of new mines, with the ban starting in 2016, cutting coal’s share of national energy consumption to 62.6% in 2017, down from 64.4% currently.
Source: China Dialogue ( 14 January 2015)
China seeks strength beyond size
Last year's big-ticket developments in China's nuclear power industry signify two key themes: the country's inexorable shift towards clean energy, in line with its commitment to be a responsible, climate-conscious economic giant, and its determination to be a leading global nuclear player in the decades to come.
Source: China Dialogue (25 January 2015)
UK’s finance sector aims to bolster green lending
As countries prepare to implement the Paris climate agreement, London-based financial institutions make new push to expand green finance, write John McGarrity and Charlotte Middlehurst
Source: China Dialogue ( 15 January 2015)
Vehicle exhausts a growing scourge, environmental authority reports
China has over 16 million aging vehicles with excessive emissions, making vehicle exhaust an increasingly larger source of smog, the national environmental authority said on Tuesday.
Source: China Daily (19 January 2016)
Guangxi boosts ASEAN trade
The Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which has a long history of contact with Southeast Asia, thanks to its affinity in language, culture and customs, is set to become China's pathway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, forming a new strategic pivot in Southwest and Central China's opening up. China Daily spoke with Peng Qinghua, the region's Party chief, to find out more.
Source: China Dialogue ( 13 January 2015)
Sino-Myanmar Railway Bridge with longest span in the world starts construction
Construction begins on the Nu River Bridge, a project along the Sino-Myanmar Railway, on Jan. 24. It will be the steel truss railroad bridge with the longest span in the world.
Source: People's Daily Online ( 25 January 2016)
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Cabinet meeting approves National Human Resource Development Through 2025
The monthly cabinet meeting for January considered and approved a strategic draft of national human resource development through 2025 and its action plan for 2016-2020.
Source: Lao News Agency ( 28 January 2016)
Convoy of Lao trucks transports logs to Vietnam, despite ban on timber exports
Laos has continued to transport logs from its forests to Vietnam, despite a government ban on timber exports that took effect in August and a leaked report by an international environmental group two months ago, revealing huge increases in illegal logging with the implication of government collusion.
Source: Radio Free Asia ( 4 January 2016)
What the AEC means for Laos
The ASEAN economic community (AEC), which will be enacted on 31 December 2015, presents new opportunities for Laos, but it also underlines significant challenges.
Source: East Asia Forum ( 1 January 2016)
Myanmar
Activists demand open logging discussions with China
About 80 civil society organisations are demanding more transparency on discussions between Myanmar and China over a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU) that is being signed, according to environmental activist Htet Htet.
Source: Nation Multimedia (8 January 2016)
Myanmar, Japan-linked consortium reach agreement on new airport plan
The Myanmar government and a consortium that includes Japanese engineering firm JGC Corp. has reached a broad agreement over a plan to construct a new airport on the outskirts of the country’s largest city, Yangon.
Source: Japan Times (31 January 2015)
Energy crisis predicted after 2020
Myanmar may face an energy crisis after 2020 as oil and gas production has declined and the newly discovered sites are not ready to fill the gap, according to Than Tun, an adviser to Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprises under the Ministry of Energy.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (17 January 2016)
Activists threaten to expose mining bribery
The representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) said they would reveal government corruption in their next Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report.
Source: Eleven Myanmar ( 21 January 2016)
Four hydropower projects get green light
Four hydropower plants are being planned on the Doketawaddy River and expected to generate around 1,150 megawatts, according to state newspapers.
Source: Eleven Myanmar ( 17 January 2016)
Low water hinders Kayah hydropower plants
Water levels supplying the Baluchaung hydropower plants in Lawpita, Loikaw Township, Kayah State, have been declining for a month.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (3 January 2016)
Jade mines stepping up operations: activist
Hpakant’s jade mining companies are speeding up their work despite widespread criticism, resident say.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (9 January 2016)
Thailand
Thailand scrambles to drill wells amid drought and water shortages
Thai authorities are rushing to drill thousands of wells across the country to ensure enough water for drinking and washing, as farmers grapple with a drought and a months-long water shortage.
Source: Reuters (January 19, 2016)
PM blames past policies for drought
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has blamed past policies that heavily promoted cash crops as a root cause of floods and drought.
Source: Bangkok Post (29 January 2016)
Drought hits half of country, but rice bowl seen surviving
Slightly more than half of the country is facing water shortages, but the Royal Irrigation Department remains confident the Central Plain will survive the dry season.
Source: Bangkok Post ( 11 January 2016)
Asia shrimp farmers restock mangrove "supermarket" by going organic
Surakit Laeaddee walks along the narrow banks of earth dividing his organic shrimp and fish ponds, rests under the shade of a tree he recently planted, and points to the lush mangroves marking out his plot.
Source: Reuters (31 January 2016)
Critics savage 99-year land lease scheme
Criticism has flared over the government's plan to amend a law to allow foreign investors to lease state land for up to 99 years.
Source: Bangkok Post (28 January 2016)
Activists blast S44 use to kick-start power projects
Environmental activists and community residents have voiced opposition to the orders issued under Section 44 of the interim charter to clear the way for the construction of several power plants stalled by protests.
Source: Bangkok Post ( 23 January 2016)
Sustainable Thailand
The Tourism and Sports Ministry plans to promote community-based tourism (CBT) to attract quality tourists and to increase earnings within local communities.
Source: Bangkok Post ( 28 January 2016)
Protest mounts over irrigation project
A Department of Royal Irrigation project to build water sluice gates over the Loei River could cause heavy flooding during the rainy season, villagers in Loei warned Thursday.
Source: Bangkok Post (22 January 2016)
Viet Nam
Environment sector declares 2016 aims
The Vietnamese environment sector's main tasks this year include administrative reform, tightened controls on natural resources and more measures to tackle climate change.
Source: Viet Nam News (7 January 2016)
How much economic value does the Mekong River bring to Vietnam?
The fish caught from the Mekong River alone make up 3.1 percent of Vietnam’s GDP.
Source: Viet Nam Net ( 25 January 2016)
Impact of climate pact on VN mulled
The impact of the Paris Agreement reached at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) on Viet Nam and the country's preparations for implementing the deal were analysed and discussed at a workshop in Ha Noi yesterday.
Source: Viet Nam News ( 22 January 2016)
Forum to prepare VN for implementation of 2015 Paris Agreement
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will invite heads of international development partners to a high-level policy forum in March to prepare for Viet Nam's implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Source: Viet Nam News ( 20 January 2016)
Vietnam defines priorities for ASEAN co-operation in 2016
At the regional level, ministries agreed to effectively implement the ASEAN Community Vision to 2025 and master plans to strengthen the pillars of politics-security, economics, and culture-society, particularly, initiatives on enhancing connectivity between member countries and narrowing development gaps.
Source: Nhan Dan (9 January 2016)
Over 4,600 units, people punished for violating environment rules
More than 4,600 units and individuals violating natural resources and environment regulations have been punished over the past decade, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) Chu Pham Ngoc Hien said.
Source: Vietnam Plus ( 28 January 2016)
Gia Lai works to preserve Kon Ka Kinh national park
The Central Highlands province of Gia Lai has implemented a number of measures to make the Kon Ka Kinh National Park become a biodiversity reserve hub in accordance with environmental protection and ecological tourism.
Source: Vietnam Plus ( 29 January 2016)
Printing firm pollutes river with untreated wastewater
Police in the southern Tay Ninh Province caught a Chinese company in the act of discharging untreated wastewater into a local river yesterday.
Source: Vietnam Plus (13 January 2016)
Agricultural sector urged to drastically implement development measures
The agricultural and rural development sector needs to drastically and synchronously implement measures to promote its achievements as well as overcome difficulties and limitations to fulfill all tasks and targets in 2016.
Source: Nhan Dan ( 5 January 2016)
Wood business contaminates town in Dak Nong Province
The Long Viet MDF Wooden Technology JSC has been slow to improve its environmental protection practices even though the Dak Nong Province authorities have punished them several times.
Source: Viet Nam News ( 4 January 2016)
Event
Date: 1st February 2016
Partners at the 10th Roundtable reviewed their recently drafted guidelines for watershed/landscape-scale vulnerability and adaptation assessments. They also discussed how the guidelines could be effectively disseminated, including the potential of developing training modules.
more detailsNews
Date: 28th January 2016
Welcome to the GMS Environment Update-Issue 8. It is a compilation of recent environment news and articles from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, and the governments of the six GMS countries.
more detailsNews
Date: 27th January 2016
A feature article in this special report by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) argues that business-as-usual approaches cannot continue if road freight transport is to be environmentally sustainable in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). The feature draws heavily on analysis and work conducted by the GMS Core Environment Program’s (CEP) Green Freight Initiative. NDF is a CEP co-financing partner.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 26th January 2016
more detailsNews
Date: 26th January 2016
Myanmar’s recently launched Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy (2015-2025) is now available online, as is a supplementary report on the status of conservation and tourism issues in 22 of the country’s protected areas designated for eco-tourism.
Both the strategy and assessment were developed with support of the GMS Core Environment Program.
more detailsNews
Date: 19th January 2016
Water is a particular problem. Agriculture accounts for the bulk of the region’s water resources—about 80% on average. But aging infrastructure, inefficient institutions and poor water management result in low productivity and inefficient use of water for food production.
Click here to read more.
more detailsEvent
Date: 13th January 2016
More than 200 government and non-government participants attended this Myanmar event which saw the launch of a new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedure and National Environmental Quality (Emissions) Guidelines, both of which were developed with support from the GMS Core Environment Program.
Speeches and presentations can be downloaded below.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th January 2016
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar (14 January, 2016) - The Government of Myanmar today announced new requirements, developed with assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), for assessing the environmental and social impacts of investment projects.
more detailsNews
Date: 12th January 2016
Greater Mekong Subregion
Paris climate change agreement: the world's greatest diplomatic success
In the final meeting of the Paris talks on climate change on Saturday night, the debating chamber was full and the atmosphere tense. Ministers from 196 countries sat behind their country nameplates, aides flocking them, with observers packed into the overflowing hall.
Source: The Guardian (December 14, 2015)
Paris agreement gives hope in fight against climate change
A global agreement driven by diplomacy and furnished with some of the tools required to combat global warming has been adopted at the Paris summit of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Source: China Dialogue (December 12, 2015)
ADB boosts climate funds
The pool of climate finances available to Southeast Asia is set to expand following an announcement by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) that it plans to double its climate funding to the region by 2020 – a move welcomed by the Cambodian government and climate NGOs yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 16, 2015)
Mekong Region: Asia’s new growth center and strategic frontier
The Mekong countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam are emerging to be not only the new growth center but also a new strategic frontier in Asia.
Source: Khmer Times (December 10, 2015)
Border markers’ inauguration reflects Vietnam-Cambodia’s joint resolve
The inauguration of two border markers along the Vietnam-Cambodia border on December 26 demonstrated the two countries’ resolve to build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung said.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 27, 2015)
Road link to Laos-Myanmar bridge nears completion
The final unpaved section of Road No. 17B linking the Laos-Myanmar Friendship Bridge to Luang Namtha province is currently being surveyed prior to asphalt being laid.
Source: Vientiane Times (December 29, 2015)
Laos, Vietnam agree to extend cooperation
The Intergovernmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation between Laos and Vietnam convened its 38th meeting in Vientiane on December 27 to consider the execution of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Agreement since 2011.
Source: Vientiane Times (December 29, 2015)
Boten-Mohan border checkpoint, a gateway to strengthen Laos-China-ASEAN cooperation
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic shares a 505-km borderline with the People’s Republic of China in the north.
Source: KPL Lao News Agency (December 15, 2015)
Thai investments in ASEAN countries increase
Thailand invested 64.75 billion baht (about US$1.9 billion) into other ASEAN nations, accounting for 27 per cent of the total of 242.9 billion baht channelled overseas from January to September this year, according to the Bank of Thailand.
Source: Bernama (December 29, 2015)
Cambodia
Minister confirms purchase of shares in China-led development bank
The government will spend $62.3 million to buy 623 shares of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), paving the way for it to obtain funds from the bank for infrastructure development, Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Porn Moniroth confirmed during a meeting at the National Assembly on Monday.
Source: Khmer Times (December 23, 2015)
Responding to climate change
As COP21 comes to a close, it would be best to remember that tackling climate change won’t happen overnight. It will be a long road ahead and the Paris conference should serve as a roadmap for longer term climate action.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 11, 2015)
CSOs seek input on climate policies
Civil society and government representatives met at the Royal University of Phnom Penh yesterday to discuss how both sides can cooperate to formulate climate change policies that fulfill the Kingdom’s treaty obligations in the wake of the historic climate accord reached in Paris earlier this month.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 25, 2015)
Gov’t warns big dry spell, extreme weather coming
The country is headed for a prolonged dry spell for the first half of next year as the El Nino weather phenomenon hits hard, the government warned yesterday, urging people to put water conservation plans into effect now.
Source: Khmer Times (December 23, 2015)
Rosewood exports down
In the first nine months of 2015, exports of Cambodian rosewood to China – the Kingdom’s largest market for the protected species – have declined by as much as 95 per cent compared with the same period last year, data released by NGO Forest Trends show.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 28, 2015)
Cambodia inaugurates 6th Chinese-built hydropower plant
Cambodia has inaugurated its sixth Chinese-built hydro power plant, bringing the country's total power supplies by dams of up to 927 megawatts.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 24, 2015)
Cambodia PM stands by hydropower, dismisses critics as 'extremists'
Cambodia's prime minister defended his government's energy policy on Wednesday and hit back at environmentalists opposed to hydropower plants by suggesting their electricity be cut off and they should use resin torches instead.
Source: Reuters (December 23, 2015)
Cambodia seeks Chinese money for power grid
As Cambodia talks cooperation on a nuclear power plant and expertise with Russia, Prime Minister Hun Sen is urging China to increase its lending to help the country boost its electricity production.
Source: Khmer Times (December 23, 2015)
Tycoon senator opens up on Thai power deal
Cambodia’s electricity generation reached 2.714 billion kilowatt hours last year, of which 1.851 million KWh was generated by hydro dams and 863.02 million KWh by coal-powered plants. Household access to electricity rose 18.8 percent, compared to 2013, according a report from Cambodia’s Electricity Authority.
Source: Khmer Times (December 27, 2015)
Last talks on compensation for Phnom Penh railway residents
Authorities in Tuol Kork district’s Toek Laok I Commune on Saturday informed 22 families living along the Asia Development Bank (ADB)-funded railway line that they need to discuss compensation directly with Australian company Toll Holdings within the next month, officials said.
Source: Khmer Times (December 27, 2015)
New Vietnam border markers feted
Prime Minister Hun Sen inaugurated two border markers with Vietnam over the weekend, including one in Ratanakkiri province close to where some 40,000 hectares in land concessions were revealed last week to be controlled by the Vietnamese military.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 28, 2015)
Villagers seek land dispute intervention in capital
Representatives of 253 families embroiled in a land dispute with government officials in Preah Vihear province yesterday came to Phnom Penh to seek intervention after being ignored by provincial authorities, they said.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 24, 2015)
Rosewood bust at Tbong Khmum pepper field
Officers from Tbong Khmum provincial police’s anti-economic crime unit yesterday seized 36 pieces of luxury rosewood timber dumped in a pepper field in Memot district’s Memot commune.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 30, 2015)
Officials raid four ‘anarchic’ gold mines in Prey Lang forest
About 70 officials raided four illegal gold mines in Kompong Thom province’s Sandan district on Wednesday but made no arrests as all the camps had been abandoned, officials said on Thursday.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (December 25, 2015)
People’s Republic of China
For China, climate deal is imperfect but huge step forward
For China, the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter, the global climate accord reached in Paris marked a huge step toward greener growth that safeguards its sovereignty while falling short on funding for cleaner energy.
Source: Reuters (December 13, 2015)
China's environment in 2015: a year in review
This year saw China introduce bold new regulation to tackle its environmental crisis. But can these laws be enforced effectively?
Source: China Dialogue (December 23, 2015)
China pays heavy environmental price for economic growth
Over the last half century China’s economy has grown 80-fold, but a huge environmental price has been paid. A recent report from WWF has tracked 2,419 populations of 682 species, finding that from 1970 to 2010 populations of land-dwelling vertebrates fell by 50%. The biggest fall, 97%, was seen in amphibious reptiles.
Source: China Dialogue (December 22, 2015)
Asian Development Bank agrees loans to China to tackle pollution
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to loan China $430 million to support government efforts to reduce coal use and tackle the choking smog that regularly envelops the capital and other major cities, it said on Thursday.
Source: Reuters (December 10, 2015)
Environmental lapses cost China coal-fired power producers $98 million
Violations of environmental regulations for scrubbing coal emissions have cost Chinese power producers 635 million yuan ($98.33 million) in lost subsidies and fines under new regulations that came into effect in 2014, the country's central planning commission said.
Source: Reuters (December 14, 2015)
Forecasting China's smog seen as business opportunity for IBM and Microsoft
Two of the world’s largest technology firms, IBM and Microsoft, are vying to tap the fast-growing market for forecasting air quality in the world’s top carbon emitters.
Source: The Guardian (December 29, 2015)
Amid smog crisis, China vows more liveable cities
China vowed on Tuesday that it would make "liveable" cities a central goal of China's urban planning, amid persistent problems over choking smog that frequently blankets the populous east and north.
Source: Reuters (December 22, 2015)
China detains 10 company officials over fabricated pollution data
Police in China have detained 10 company officials for fabricating pollution data, the environment ministry said on Thursday, as the government steps up inspections of businesses amid growing public discontent over pollution.
Source: Reuters (December 17, 2015)
China to cut on-grid tariffs for solar, wind power: state planner
China will cut payments to wind and solar electricity generators for contributing power to the grid, the country's state planning commission said on Thursday, reflecting recent declines in operating costs.
Source: Reuters (December 24, 2015)
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Laos turns ASEAN economic challenges into opportunities
As Chair of ASEAN in 2016, Laos is exerting every effort to turn challenges from the year-end establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) into opportunities, reports Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
Source: Bernama (December 29, 2015)
Convoy of Lao trucks transports logs to Vietnam, despite ban on timber exports
Laos has continued to transport logs from its forests to Vietnam, despite a government ban on timber exports that took effect in August and a leaked report by an international environmental group two months ago, revealing huge increases in illegal logging with the implication of government collusion.
Source: Radio Free Asia (December 30, 2015)
Japan-based aid group sets up fish, timber projects in rural Laos
Despite enjoying robust economic growth, Laos continues to face challenges in development, particularly in rural areas.
Source: Japan Times (December 3, 2015)
Myanmar
Climate initiatives must not include large hydropower projects – NGOs
In a global manifesto released on the 3 December, a coalition of more than 300 civil society organizations from 53 countries called on governments and financiers at the Paris climate talks to keep large hydropower projects out of climate initiatives such as the Clean Development Mechanism, the World Bank’s Climate Investment Funds, and green bonds.
Source: Burma News International (December 3, 2015)
Jade mining firms break agreement to stop dumping waste into lake in landslide-prone Hpakant
Some jade mining companies have reportedly continued to dispose of dump soil into a big lake locally known as "Ever Lake" in Hsaijabwam Village, Ayemyatha Ward, Hpakant Township, Kachin State, violating their agreement with local people to stop dumping there.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (December 1, 2015)
New deadly landslide hits Myanmar jade mine
Dozens of people were feared missing Saturday in the latest landslide to hit a remote jade mining region in northern Myanmar, the second such deadly incident in just over a month.
Source: The Nation (December 26, 2015)
Myanmar’s Parliament seeks answers about jade mining industry from government
Myanmar’s parliamentary speaker asked the government on Monday to explain jade mining conditions and the import of heavy machinery in the northern township of Hpakant, where more than 100 people died in a landslide of mining debris last month.
Source: Radio Free Asia (December 21, 2015)
LCB Ruby Project to maintain Yadana natural gas project
France-based Total has started the explorations at three oil and gas projects it has been awarded in Myanmar, including LCB Ruby, which is expected to complement supply from the nearby Yadana project beyond 2020.
Source: The Nation (December 18, 2015)
ADB, Japan to help boost opportunities for entrepreneurs in 4 Mon towns
Japan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are supporting a project that aims to scale up incomes and new employment opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs selling crafts and local food to tourists and residents in four townships in Mon state—Chaungzon Island, Kyaikto, Mawlamyine and Mudon, according to a press release on 16 December.
Source: Burma News International (December 17, 2015)
INGOs push disaster risk education in Myanmar
With earthquakes, flooding and cyclones an ever-present danger, the importance of DRR or Disaster Risk Reduction education is growing in importance in Myanmar.
Source: Burma News International (December 23, 2015)
Japan banks urged to stop supporting coal-fired power stations
Request letters were handed in to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), urging them to withdraw their support for coal-fired power plant projects in Burma.
Source: Burma News International (December 8, 2015)
Thailand
Government green light for power purchase from Laos
The government approved a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday to purchase electricity from the Nam Thuen 1 hydro power project in Laos.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 22, 2015)
Farmers, poor call for forest dweller rights
Groups representing farmers and poor people in northern provinces have called on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to keep his government's promise to resolve land rights problems.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 23, 2015)
Dept mulls fate of forest encroachers
The state must try harder to keep national parks clear of illegal occupiers if it is to reach its goal of preserving the forests, said Tanya Netithammakun, deputy director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
Source: Bangkok Post (December 21, 2015)
Surasak raps graft claims
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Kanjanarat warned yesterday that legal action will be taken against anyone who accuses his ministry's officials of being involved in corruption without strong evidence.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 26, 2015)
GMO bill would 'give farmers rights'
A controversial bill regulating genetically modified organisms would give farmers the right to decide whether or not they want to plant GM seeds, a member of the committee which drafted the legislation says.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 27, 2015)
Ministry gets ready to fight drought
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will seek cabinet approval Tuesday to temporarily lift the ban on using underground water in the capital and its vicinity in preparation to fight severe drought next year.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 15, 2015)
Onep wants local experts for EIA work
The National Environment Board yesterday agreed with an Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning's (Onep) proposal for local groups of experts to undertake environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies of special economic zone projects.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 26, 2015)
4.5 tonnes of ivory seized in huge Interpol operation
A huge international police operation has seized 4.5 tonnes of African elephant and rhino tusks in Thailand and Singapore, leading to 376 arrests, Interpol said.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 23, 2015)
Viet Nam
Vietnam to create national greenhouse gas inventory system
The Prime Minister has approved the creation of the national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory system (NGHGIS), which will begin operation from 2016.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 23, 2015)
Outcomes of UN climate change conference publicized
The significance of the outcomes of the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in France’s Paris was highlighted at a press conference in Hanoi on December 16.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 16, 2015)
Mekong to battle climate change
The infrastructure needs of the Mekong Delta to battle the impact of climate change will be a key factor before setting up six agro-ecological zones in the region, Deputy Minister of Construction Phan Thi My Linh said in Hanoi early this week.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 23, 2015)
Millions in coastal areas benefit from mangrove forest
Millions of residents in 10 coastal and mountainous provinces have benefited from a project on mangrove forestation and disaster risk mitigation implemented by the Vietnam Red Cross between 2011-2015.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 15, 2015)
Vietnam’s agriculture contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions: minister
Vietnam has successfully applied a range of agricultural production models to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat has said.
Source: Nhan Dan (December 4, 2015)
Deputy PM Hai urges replicating effective forest protection and development models
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has asked for effective forest protection and development models to be followed while calling for further investment in the forestry sector.
Source: Nhan Dan (December 10, 2015)
Uppermost Na Hang district protects biodiversity
Covering an area of more than 21,000 ha, facing the Gam river, Na Hang special-use forest, located in the uppermost Na Hang district of north-eastern Tuyen Quang province, is ranked the 223rd most diverse eco-system in the world, according to the district's Forest Ranger Department.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 21, 2015)
Drought hits Vietnam’s southern localities
Although the dry season has started, many areas in south-eastern region have faced with prolong drought which would affect the lives of local farmers.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 17, 2015)
HCM City spends 444 million USD for flooding control
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee on December 17 chose Trungnam Group to implement the phase 1 of a project to control flooding caused by tides in the City.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 18, 2015)
Nearly VND362 billion earmarked for pollution treatment in 27 localities
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has decided to allocate VND361.76 billion (US$16 million) from the State budget to support 27 localities across the nation in handling serious environmental pollution in the public utility sector.
Source: Nhan Dan (December 1, 2015)
New climate innovation centre opens
A new business hub supporting local clean-tech enterprises was launched on December 11 with a budget of US$4.2 million.
Source: Nhan Dan (December 12, 2015)
Pilot programme improves students' awareness on water conservation
More than 1,600 primary school students in Thanh Oai and My Duc districts on the outskirts of Hanoi are now more aware about conserving water thanks to an education programme.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 18, 2015)
Two tonnes of elephant tusks seized in Vietnam
More than two tonnes of elephant tusks, illegally brought into Vietnam from Mozambique have been seized, an official said Friday.
Source: Viet Nam Breaking News (December 18, 2015)
News
Date: 11th January 2016
The burden of energy poverty falls heaviest on women in Asia and the Pacific.
In the absence of access to modern energy, nearly 2 billion people in the region depend on wood, charcoal, or dung for cooking and heating their homes. The collection of these fuels is left to women and children and, on average, uses 20 hours out of their week, but some may spend 40% of their waking hours trying to secure fuel. This takes away precious time from any other activities, whether generating extra income, pursuing an education, or caring for children.
Click here to read the full block.
more detailsPublication
Date: 11th January 2016
This ADB study focuses on ?ve countries of Southeast Asia that collectively account for 90% of regional GHG emissions inrecent years—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. It applies two global dynamiceconomy–energy–environment models under an array of scenarios that re?ect potential regimes forregulating global GHG emissions through 2050. The modeling identi?es the potential economic costs ofclimate inaction for the region, how the countries can most e'ciently achieve GHG emission mitigation, and the consequences of mitigation, both in terms of bene?ts and costs. Drawing on the modeling results,the study analyzes climate-related policies and identi?es how further action can be taken to ensure low-carbon growth.
more detailsNews
Date: 10th January 2016
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) operations—comprising approvals of loans and grants, technical assistance, and cofinancing—reached an all-time high of $27.15 billion in 2015, an increase of about 19% over the $22.89 billion in 2014, according to provisional figures released today (see Table 1 in Related links).
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 7th January 2016
Year 2015 is a watershed year for the world’s future. Landmark events including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in March, the 3rd International Conference Financing for Development in Addis Ababa in June, the UN Summit in September to finalize the post-2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the Conference of the Parties (COP) gathering in Paris in December have given us an unprecedented opportunity to shape this century’s preeminent challenge – sustainable development.
Click here to read the full Op-Ed.
more detailsNews
Date: 4th January 2016
The ADB Transport newsletter is a monthly digest of the ADB Transport Sector Group, containing knowledge exchange, project updates, and other news and developments from the global transport sector.
Click here to read the newsletter.
more detailsPublication
Date: 3rd January 2016
Myanmar is at a critical crossroads. With many environmental assets, and industrial pressure only beginning to develop, it could effectively form policies and regulations that ensure sustainable growth and conservation of key natural resources.
more detailsNews
Date: 28th December 2015
China's economic slowdown this year will have important consequences for countries in the region and beyond. For most countries, the sub-7 per cent gross domestic product growth expected this year - and in the coming years - would be a cause for celebration. After three decades of double-digit growth, however, the weakening performance of what is now the world's second-largest economy is a significant source of concern - and not just for the Chinese.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 16th December 2015
Environment officials and development partners met in Ha Noi this week to explore how landscape planning approaches can help ensure sustainable development in some of the Greater Mekong Subregion’s most important biodiversity areas.
more detailsPublication
Date: 15th December 2015
The Transport and Trade Facilitation Action Program for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) provides advisory support and capacity building tofacilitate cross-border transport and trade in the GMS. Please download the newsletter below for updates about the program’s latest events, news, and knowledge products.
more detailsPublication
Date: 15th December 2015
This report was produced as a key input into the Government of Myanmar’s Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy (2015-2025). It overviews the status of tourism and conservation issues in 22 protected areas identified as having ecotourism potential. The technical content and base assessment work for the report was led by the GMS Core Environment Program and the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development led publishing.
more detailsEvent
Date: 14th December 2015
A newly established Inter-Ministerial Task Force to guide the formulation process for Cambodia’s National Environment Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) met for the first time on 15 December in Phnom Penh.
Comprising representatives from 16 government ministries, the task force discussed their roles and responsibilities, and work priorities, including a data collection plan, and the proposed structure of the NESAP document.
Roles of the task force were provisionally identified as follows:
The task force meeting was organized by the Ministry of Environment with support from the GMS Environment Operations Center.
Presentations can be downloaded below.
more detailsNews
Date: 14th December 2015
International researchers and scientists met in Seattle 10-12 December to identify new research priorities to advance understanding about the food-water-energy nexus in the Mekong river system.
more detailsEvent
Date: 9th December 2015
This 2-day workshop brought together government and international organization representatives to share experiences, information, tools, and discuss collaborative opportunities to improve the sustainable management of important landscapes in the GMS.
more detailsEvent
Date: 9th December 2015
Funded by CEP and co-organized with the Lao PDR Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), this workshop was designed to:
more detailsNews
Date: 8th December 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Indochinese countries to hold talks on investment incentives
Three Indochinese countries – Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (CLV) will hold talks early next month in Laos to explore incentives to promote investment in the designated Development Triangle Area the three countries share.
Source: Vientiane Times (November 23, 2015)
Laos ignores dam flak
The Lao government is forging ahead with the construction of the massive Don Sahong dam, close to the tri-border area with Thailand and Cambodia, within the next few weeks. The dam is yet another large-scale project being undertaken by Vientiane to make Laos "the battery of Southeast Asia".
Source: Bangkok Post (November 4, 2015)
Mekong River basin residents demand stop to upriver dams
Many people in Viet Nam, Thailand and Cambodia are demanding a stop to the construction of hydropower dams in the Mekong River basin, which they claim have destroyed their livelihoods.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (November 16, 2015)
Mekong Delta seeks to help vulnerable groups adapt to climate change
Representatives from ministries, localities and organisations gathered at a conference in Can Tho city on November 19 to discuss measures to help vulnerable groups in the Mekong Delta adapt to climate change.
Source: Radio Free Asia (November 19, 2015)
Study finds higher flood risk in Asian cities by 2020
The number of people exposed to extreme flooding could increase by over 30 per cent by 2020 in increasingly populated Asian cities of Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Singapore.
Source: Eco-Business (November 2, 2015)
Vietnam bets on coal power despite rising risks
A heap of coal waste the size of an apartment complex looms above Do Thi Chung’s low-rise neighbourhood. One evening this July, she watched as the heap was pelted by heavy rains.
Source: China Dialogue (November 27, 2015)
Mekong villagers in fight for their rights
The Administrative Court will today begin hearing a ground-breaking lawsuit regarding the transboundary impacts of the Xayaburi dam, located on the Mekong River in Laos -- how it will affect communities and livelihoods in Thailand.
Source: Bangkok Post (November 30, 2015)
'Belt & Road' Initiative enhances bilateral trade
China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner for decades and the two countries will become even closer in the coming days thanks to the One Belt, One Road Initiative.
Source: CCTV (November 5, 2015)
China, Laos to build $6.3 bln railway project by 2020 - China Economic Herald
Nov 15 China aims to complete laying a 418-kilometre (260-mile) railway from a border town to Laos by 2020, the official China Economic Herald reported, as the economic giant seeks a new route into the emerging markets of Southeast Asia.
Source: Reuters (November 15, 2015)
Vientiane-Hanoi to conduct highway feasibility study
Laos is preparing to undertake a feasibility study with Vietnam for a Vientiane-Hanoi highway project to bring the two capital cities closer to one another.
Source: Vientiane Times (November 17, 2015)
Cambodia
Another drought year in store for Cambodia
As the weather pattern known as El Niño threatens to wreak havoc on climatic conditions across the globe, the Cambodian government has warned that higher-than-usual temperatures, which already sparked droughts this year, will cause next year’s rainy season to be even shorter.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (November 24, 2015)
PM urges cooperation on climate problems
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday called for stronger cooperation in implementing the ASEAN-US Joint Statement on Climate Change, noting that the phenomenon is “obviously happening”.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (November 23, 2015)
Kingdom at high risk of natural disasters
A report released on Monday by the United Nations and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) shows that Cambodia’s population is among the world’s 10 most affected by natural disasters.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (November 27, 2015)
Gov’t moves to boost farm output
The government has allocated $20 million to make Cambodian rice and other crops more competitive against imports from neighboring countries, with the three-year project slated to begin next year, officials said.
Source: Khmer Times (November 26, 2015)
Activists want action on Koh Kong dredging
Anti-dredging activists have called on the Mines and Energy Ministry to investigate what they say are irregularities in sand dredging operations in Koh Kong province, including what they say is an unclear relationship between some officials and the dredging company.
Source: Khmer Times (November 26, 2015)
Researchers bring fresh eye to well-worn topics across region
When it comes to writing about the long-contentious issue of hydropower dams in Cambodia, there is little ground that has not been covered. But researcher Oudom Ham, an independent consultant and former anti-dam activist, thinks he has landed on unexplored territory.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (November 21, 2015)
Timber seizure nabs 30-plus cubic metres in Ratanakkiri
An estimated 30 to 40 cubic metres of protected luxury timber was intercepted in Ratanakkiri province on Wednesday night while being hauled to Vietnam, according to local officials.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (November 27, 2015)
Mekong yields first giant catfish of year
One of the largest and rarest freshwater fish in the world was netted by local fishermen near Phnom Penh earlier this month.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (November 27, 2015)
Gibbons successfully transition back to wild
Primates released into the forest near Angkor Wat after years in captivity have started to display natural behaviours, which are vital if they are to survive in the wild, according to the animal charity responsible for their reintroduction to the area.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (November 26, 2015)
People’s Republic of China
The logic behind China’s centralisation of environmental oversight
Last month’s gathering of top Communist Party officials agreed that China should have “the most stringent environment protection system” as the country aims for greener growth and have environmental consequences built into economic decisions.
Source: China Dialogue (November 16, 2015)
What is China's position at Paris climate talks?
The existing Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) mean that both the hopes and the stakes are higher for the Paris talks than for any other round of climate change talks.
Source: China Dialogue (November 30, 2015)
China's about-face on climate change
With a hard pledge on peaking carbon emissions and with ever more ambitious targets on installing renewables, China has become one of the countries to watch at this week's Paris conference.
Source: BBC News (November 30, 2015)
Chinese report on climate change depicts somber scenarios
Rising seas besieging China’s economically vital coastal zones. Mighty feats of infrastructure, like the Three Gorges Dam and railway in Tibet, strained by turbulent rainfall and the melting of frozen earth.
Source: New York Times (November 29, 2015)
Glut of coal-fired plants casts doubts on China’s energy priorities
Just outside the southwest border of Beijing, a new coal-fired power and heating plant is rising in Dongxianpo, a rural town in Hebei Province. Cement mixers roll onto the site. Cranes tower above a landscape of metal girders.
Source: New York Times (November 11, 2015)
China burns much more coal than reported, complicating climate talks
China, the world’s leading emitter of greenhouse gases from coal, has been burning up to 17 percent more coal a year than the government previously disclosed, according to newly released data.
Source: New York Times (November 3, 2015)
China’s coal conundrum
The New York Times has recently carried two important stories on China’s coal consumption, indicating that the situation is even more serious than previously appeared to be the case.
Source: China Dialogue (November 23, 2015)
As climate talks open, Beijing orders factories to close amid toxic smog
As the leader of China's ruling Chinese Communist Party pledged to slash the country's carbon emissions and boost consumption of non-fossil fuels, the nation's capital issued the first smog alert of the winter, warning people to stay indoors and ordering factories to halt production.
Source: Radio Free Asia (November 30, 2015)
Despite winter smog, China's air quality ‘shows improvements’
Despite this year's winter heating season triggering a bout of smog that has raised questions about the effectiveness of the “war on pollution”, international environmental bodies say air quality in China has improved over the longer term.
Source: China Dialogue (November 19, 2015)
China decries Shenyang pollution called 'worst ever' by activists
Chinese state media and netizens have criticised high pollution levels in the northeast city of Shenyang, which activists have said could be the "worst ever" air quality seen in the country.
Source: BBC News (November 10, 2015)
Lao PDR
Laos counts the cost of climate change: record floods, drought and landslides
Namai village in remote, mountainous central Laos has seen immense change in just 20 years. Its isolation only ended when a road was pushed up the valley in 2003, and electricity came several years later.
Source: The Guardian (November 25, 2015)
Ministry imposes ban on log exports
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has imposed an export ban on logs and unprocessed sawn wood following the prohibition instruction given by the government.
Source: Vientiane Times (November 11, 2015)
Lao government blocks funds for rural road repair in favor of ASEAN projects in the Capital
Government authorities in cash-strapped Laos are withholding funds urgently needed to repair flood-damaged roads in the country’s provinces, saying that available resources must be spent on improvements in the capital Vientiane ahead of regional summit meetings next year.
Source: Radio Free Asia (November 25, 2015)
Laos capable of ensuring 2025 roadmap momentum continues to further integrate ASEAN - Envoy
Laos, ASEAN 2016 chair, has the strength and capability to ensure that the momentum of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 roadmap continues the integration process of the regional bloc, said Malaysian Ambassador to Laos Datuk Than Tai Hing.
Source: Bernama (November 25, 2015)
Myanmar
Myanmar’s new ruling party looks to agriculture for growth
The incoming government of Myanmar, led by the National League for Democracy (NLD), is expected to focus on improving the country’s agricultural sector and building on reforms launched by the government of President Thein Sein.
Source: Voice of America (November 23, 2015)
Myanmar needs more 500 megawatts: Electric Power Ministry
The Ministry of Electric Power has allegedly said Myanmar currently produces over 3,000 megawatts worth of electricity from hydropower and natural gas and that an additional 500 megawatts worth of power is needed to fully cover the current demand.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (November 17, 2015)
New Myanmar government to tighten safety after jade mine disaster
Myanmar's newly elected government said on Tuesday it planned to tighten control over the country's poorly regulated jade mines after a landslide swept through a mining encampment, resulting in at least 113 deaths and 100 people still missing.
Source: Reuters (November 24, 2015)
Villagers fight attempt to drain lake in Tada-U
Villagers in Mandalay Region are fighting to retain their rights to a lake they depend on for fresh water during droughts.
Source: Myanmar Times (November 26, 2015)
Award-winning school rises to new standards of environmental awareness
A Mandalay high school is emerging as an international player in environmental protection. Suburban BEHS 26 linked up with Japan’s Hayatomo Junior High School in Kitakyushu city on November 21.
Source: Myanmar Times (November 26, 2015)
Thailand
Climate Change in South Asia: a threat for Thailand
Unless there is a concerted effort worldwide to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, South Asia will suffer huge economic, social, and environmental damage from the consequences of climate change.
Source: Thailand Business News (November 30, 2015)
Kingdom aims to cut emissions 25%
Thailand will clarify its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20-25% within 2030 at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP 21, in Paris next month.
Source: Bangkok Post (November 30, 2015)
Time ripe to fight climate change
As the Paris Climate Summit opens this week, the world is poised to usher in a new global deal to tackle climate change. Mobilising climate finance is one of the central issues of the deal, and how this finance can be turned into meaningful actions on the ground in each country.
Source: Bangkok Post (November 26, 2015)
Second-crop farmers given govt warnings
'No dam water for rice grown out of season'. The Royal Irrigation Department has issued written warnings to farmers who illegally pump water from public waterways into their paddy fields - a move that reflects the severity of imminent water shortage.
Source: The Nation (November 16, 2015)
Drought of understanding
Today is Loy Krathong. People from all walks of life will be celebrating this beautiful festival of lights with family and friends by floating their krathongs decorated with banana leaves, flowers, candles and incense sticks
Source: Bangkok Post (November 25, 2015)
Mae Hong Son community wins forest award for 2015
The Baan Tor Phae community forest in Mae Hong Son won the National Community Forest Award 2015 under the "Love the Forest and Community 2015" programme organised by the Royal Forest Department (RFD) and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding (RATCH).
Source: The Nation (November 1, 2015)
Illegal logs seized, poachers flee sunken pickup
Ninety-six phayung (Siamese rosewood) logs were seized after a pickup truck loaded with the poached timber veered off a road and plunged into a creek during a police chase in Khun Han district in the early hours of Thursday
Source: Bangkok Post (November 12, 2015)
Illegal rubber farms seized in Petchabun forest
About 1,000 rai of illegally occupied forest land in Phetchabun’s Nong Phai district has been seized from investors who planted the area in rubber trees.
Source: Bangkok Post (November 4, 2015)
Viet Nam
Vietnam’s ‘rice bowl’ is sinking
Part of the Mekong Delta – home to 20% of Vietnam’s population and 50% of its rice production - is at risk of disappearing as sea levels rise.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (November 13, 2015)
EVN to replant nearly 13,000 hectares of forests
Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) recently said it plans to plant 12,859 hectares of forest to compensate for losses in coverage from the building of 18 hydropower plants nationwide.
Source: Vietnam Plus (November 16, 2015)
Extreme weather events to become more acute in Vietnam
Extreme weather events are forecast to become more severe in Vietnam as a result of El Nino, which has already heavily affected countries around the globe.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (November 18, 2015)
Dams on Mekong pose threat to Vietnam’s agriculture
It will be difficult to find solutions to develop agriculture in the Mekong River Delta if a series of hydropower dams are built on the river’s upper course, especially when Vietnam does not have a strong agriculture.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (November 17, 2015)
Vietnam to need huge funds for GHG emissions reduction
To cut 25% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, Vietnam would need more than US$21 billion, according to a seminar on climate change in HCMC last week.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (November 1, 2015)
Vietnam fumbles for way to control motorbike emissions
The plan on controlling motorbike emissions was drawn up by the Vietnam Register for a long time ago, but it still remains on paper.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (November 13, 2015)
UN grants $12.5m to bolster biodiversity in Vietnam
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has passed a project that ensures equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources and targets conservation work and sustainable use of biodiversity in Viet Nam.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (November 12, 2015)
EAS workshops focus on climate change, coastal management
A series of workshops discussing issues related to managing risks in climate change, integrated coastal management and scaling up investments in the blue economy took place on November 17 as part of the 5th East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress being held in the central city of Da Nang.
Source: Vietnam Plus (November 17, 2015)
Deputy PM asked for greater effort to fight El Nino
Ministries, sectors and localities nationwide should use communication campaigns to raise public awareness about El Nino and the importance of rationing water saving to cope with the weather pattern, said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.
Source: Vietnam Plus (November 1, 2015)
Panels seek to examine Truong Son biodiversity
Participants discussed opportunities and challenges in applying standard methods for the examination of fauna biodiversity in the central Truong Son region during a workshop in central Thua Thien – Hue province on November 10-11.
Source: Vietnam Plus (November 11, 2015)
Vietnam eyes chances for green growth
More chances for Viet Nam to boost green growth have opened under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed yesterday between the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (November 10, 2015)
Ethnic minorities join hands to address climate change
Measures to encourage ethnic minority groups to help the country respond to climate change were discussed at a conference held in Hanoi recently.
Source: Vietnam Plus (November 8, 2015)
Southern localities review forest protection activities
Officials from 19 southern provinces gathered to review outcomes of their forest protection programmes since the beginning of the year in Kien Giang on November 5.
Source: Vietnam Plus (November 6, 2015)
News
Date: 7th December 2015
Welcome to the GMS Environment Update-Issue 7. It is a compilation of recent environment news and articles from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, and the governments of the six GMS countries
more detailsEvent
Date: 6th December 2015
more detailsActivity
Date: 6th December 2015
With support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the GMS Core Environment Program is strengthening regional collaboration to manage key transboundary biodiversity landscapes in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 6th December 2015
Economic losses from the impacts of climate change in Southeast Asia could be 60% higher than previously estimated, reducing the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 11% by 2100, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) study. The analysis is an update to a 2009 ADB report that estimated a 7% annual reduction in economic output due to climate change.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 2nd December 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 1st December 2015
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao and People’s Republic of China (PRC) Climate Change Special Representative Minister Xie Zhenhua reaffirmed to work closely toward the PRC’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reduction targets, at a joint event organized by ADB and the National Development and Reform Commission of the PRC on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 30th November 2015
A major challenge in promoting investments in natural capital is to produce solid evidence on the economic value of ecosystem services and ensure this evidence informs development planning and investment decisions.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th November 2015
The heads of the world’s largest development banks pledged today to work together to substantially increase climate investments and ensure that development programs going forward consider climate risks and opportunities.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 29th November 2015
More frequent floods, storms, heat waves, and droughts are connected to greater extremes in temperatures and rainfall, according to Global Increase in Climate-Related Disasters, a new study. In a global analysis spanning the last four decades, the study shows that the rise in climate-related disasters is linked not only to people’s increased exposure and vulnerability, but also to changes in temperature and rainfall resulting from rising greenhouse gases.
Click here to read the full blog.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th November 2015
more detailsEvent
Date: 25th November 2015
More than 40 national planners and policy makers were trained on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in the context of socioeconomic development planning, during a two day workshop in late November.
The two-day program had three objectives:
Funded by CEP, the training was organized in collaboration with the Viet Nam Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources (ISPONRE).
Find out more about CEP support to SEA for socioeconomic development planning in Viet Nam here.
more detailsEvent
Date: 24th November 2015
more detailsEvent
Date: 23rd November 2015
more detailsEvent
Date: 19th November 2015
Government and development partners met in Kunming to discuss current work and future priorities to strengthen transboundary collaboration for the Mekong Headwaters transboundary landscape under the CEP-led GMS Forest and Biodiversity Regional Support Project.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th November 2015
more detailsEvent
Date: 15th November 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 15th November 2015
Vientiane, Lao PDR – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $37 million loan, with an additional $10 million in cofinancing, to support government efforts to improve urban services in Houayxay and Luang Namtha, two towns located along a Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) main economic corridor.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 11th November 2015
The GMS Working Group on Environment, ADB, and co-financing partners have been exploring potential future institutional arrangements, funding mechanisms, and thematic focuses the Core Environment Program and GMS Environment Operations Center.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th November 2015
Yangon, Myanmar— The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100 million loan to improve a 66.4 kilometer section of road connecting the towns of Eindu and Kawkareik in Kayin state, the missing link of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) East-West Corridor.
Click here to read the full news release.
more detailsEvent
Date: 10th November 2015
Hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the 10th Semi-Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Environment (WGE) brought together WGE members with representatives from the Asian Development Bank and development partners to review implementation progress of the Core Environment Program and to discuss key priorities.
more detailsPublication
Date: 10th November 2015
This report aims to demonstrate the compelling need to increase investments in natural capital in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and identifies actions now being taken regionally and nationally to manage natural capital. It also proposes a guiding framework for promoting investments and actions by GMS countries to secure natural capital and thus ensure sustainable and inclusive growth in the subregion.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th November 2015
Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Cambodia and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed loan and grant agreements totaling $64 million for two projects which will further improve the country’s irrigation schemes and malaria control and monitoring systems.
Click here to read the full aticle.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th November 2015
The People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s announcement that it will set up a national emissions trading market in 2017 is a game-changer that could prompt similar moves elsewhere.
Click here to read the full blog.
more detailsNews
Date: 8th November 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Proper safeguards needed for long-term AEC benefits
Asean countries need to integrate appropriate safeguards to ensure inclusiveness and sustainability in any benefits to be brought about by the Asean Economic Community (AEC), experts said recently.
Source: The Nation (October 11, 2015)
New Mekong cooperation mechanism
Six Mekong countries will kick off a new cooperation mechanism at a ministerial meeting next month to cope with a wide range of issues for regional development, a senior Chinese official said over the weekend.
Source: The Nation (October 19, 2015)
NGOs push for postponement of Don Sahong Dam on Mekong
The lower three Mekong Countries, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam as well as environmental groups, have expressed concern about the Don Sahong dam’s impact on the environment, movement of fish and water quality and flow.
Source: Chiangrai Times (October 17, 2015)
Lao officials to inform neighboring countries about dam construction schedule
The lower three Mekong Countries, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam as well as environmental groups, have expressed concern about the Don Sahong dam’s impact on the environment, movement of fish and water quality and flow.
Source: Radio Free Asia (October 10, 2015)
A bad start on border-trade economic zones
The citizens of Mae Sot are being excluded as the government forges ahead with its first special economic zone
Source: The Nation (October 19, 2015)
Asian journalists honoured at environmental awards
Journalists from across the region were recognised for their work in increasing public awareness of issues such as pollution and deforestation at the annual Asian Environmental Journalism Awards.
Source: Eco-Business (October 20, 2015)
Cambodia
Charting the next seven years of environmental policy
Work began yesterday on Cambodia’s first national environmental plan in more than a decade. Once completed, the National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) will form the backbone of Cambodia’s environmental policy until 2023.
Source: Khmer Times (November 2, 2015)
Water festival cancelled over drought fears
The government has canceled the Water Festival, which was due to be held from November 24 to 26.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 31, 2015)
Carbon credit schemes, concessions slashed
The Ministry of Environment has cancelled seven carbon credit schemes and reduced the leases of six economic land concessions (ELCs) as part of an ongoing reform effort, according to an announcement released on Friday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 19, 2015)
Loggers threaten Cambodian forest and wildlife preserve
A protected forest and wildlife sanctuary in northern Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province has come under threat of illegal logging, with migrants to the area and soldiers clearing land and cutting down trees, sources say.
Source: Radio Free Asia (October 13, 2015)
Illegal fishing busts up 150%: ministry
Fishing crime busts rose 150 per cent during the first nine months of 2015, compared with the same period last year, while anti-forestry crime actions dropped 13 per cent.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 30, 2015)
Difficult rainy season ends
As a fickle rainy season that has seen areas of the country plagued by drought draws to a close, Cambodia’s rice production remains nearly on target, though food insecurity is still a problem for individual communities, according to the World Food Programme.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 30, 2015)
Ratanakkiri minorities say land stolen
Ethnic minorities in Ratanakkiri province have accused local authorities of selling community forest land to a provincial court official and threatening to put them in jail, according to a complaint filed yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 28, 2015)
Seeking inclusive growth, sustainability
Cambodia has made great progress in economic growth, poverty reduction and human development. However, a significant proportion of the population remains vulnerable to slipping back to poverty.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 19, 2015)
People's Republic of China
Opinion: China’s ‘Ecological Civilisation’ sets China on a greener course
Last month, China’s rulers issued the Integrated Reform Plan for Promoting Ecological Civilization, a grandly-named plan for sweeping reforms on how China uses natural resources and can prevent pollution. An excellent English translation was made public on the same day, and the publication coincided with President Xi Jinping’s visit to the US and the UN headquarters in New York that week.
Source: China Dialogue (October 12, 2015)
Beijing's polluters cough up US$16m
Authorities in Beijing collected more than 100 million yuan (US$15.8 million) in fines issued to polluting companies in the first nine months of the year, almost double the sum generated in the same period of 2014, the city's environment bureau said yesterday.
Source: Shanghai Daily (October 14, 2015)
Five-Year Plan should inspire whole nation
The Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee started Monday, marking a momentous event for the Party and Chinese people. Reportedly the session will focus on the 13th Five-Year Plan, the last one before China reaches its goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020. Hence it has caught wide attention.
Source: Global Times (October 26, 2015)
Valuable tree limb cut, stolen from botanical garden
A branch of a rare rosewood tree, valued at more than 1 million yuan ($158,000), was cut off and stolen over the weekend from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, a tourist attraction nestled on a river island near the small town of Menglun in Yunnan province.
Source: China Daily (October 14, 2015)
Snow leopard saviors face obstacles
The lack of basic information about the status of endangered snow leopards in China is hampering effective efforts to protect the species, according to a Chinese researcher and conservationist.
Source: China Daily (October 24, 2015)
Lao PDR
Lao officials investigate massive increase in illegal logging
A leaked report by an international environmental group revealing huge increases in illegal logging in Laos with an implication of government collusion has prompted officials in the small Southeast Asian nation to take action to examine discrepancies in timber export and import figures with China and Vietnam.
Source: Laos News (October 26, 2015)
Lao officials balk at China’s loan terms railway projects
Lao government officials have expressed concern about the interest rate on a U.S. $500 million loan from China to build a multibillion-dollar, high-speed railway through the Southeast Asian nation, and have asked political leaders to negotiate a lower rate, a high-ranking Lao official said.
Source: Radio Free Asia (September 23, 2015)
Myanmar
Trade finance: key to Myanmar’s prosperity
As Myanmar’s economy opens its doors, there are many new instruments that local companies must grasp in order to prosper from global trade. Letters of credit are one of the most important of these instruments.
Source: Myanmar Times (October 5, 2015)
Myanmar seeks flood rehabilitation loan
Myanmar has sought a special loan to finance post-flood rehabilitation activities, according to a source at the Finance Ministry.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (October 28, 2015)
Recent floods deal devastating blow to agricultural livelihoods and food security in Myanmar – UN
A new joint United Nations agency-Myanmar Government report paints a grim picture of the destruction caused by flooding in the country, where more than half a million hectares of rice paddy were affected and almost a quarter of a million livestock were killed, including poultry, cattle, pigs and goats, when Cyclone Komen struck in late July and early August this year.
Source: UN News Centre (October 25, 2015)
Yangon flood losses top K11 billon
Yangon is at greater risk than many other parts of the country to natural disaster, said Yangon Region Chief Minister U Myint Swe.
Source: Myanmar Times (October 15, 2015)
‘Greening’ of a dam prompts damning accusations
Referencing the greening of a dam, were state-run dailies’ Oct. 24 headlines an intentionally cheeky reference to Burma’s ruling party or an innocent coincidence?
Source: The Irrawaddy (October 26, 2015)
Mandalay’s Taungthaman Lake to become environmental conservation site next year
Conservationists are hoping that a government decision to designate Mandalay’s Taungthaman Lake an environmental conservation area could protect the marine life there. The decision follows a series of massive die-offs that have killed tens of thousands of fish in the lake, which is fringed by factories.
Source: Myanmar Times (October 8, 2015)
Upper Belu Creek hydropower project to resume
A hydropower project in Shan State which has been on hold for two years will resume with completion slated for 2018.
Source: Myanmar Times (October 27, 2015)
US$5.8b required to power 7.2m homes: minister
Khin Maung Soe, union minister for electric power, said US$5.8 billion was required to power 7.2 million households.
Source: Myanmar Times (October 5, 2015)
US agricultural giant ramps up in Myanmar
Despite the flood of investment that has accompanied the liberalisation of Myanmar’s economy, less than 1 percent has been directed to the agricultural sector.
Source: Myanmar Times (October 27, 2015)
Ks3bn in timber seized
Illegal timber and forest products worth nearly Ks3 billion have been seized, according to the central committee for controlling illegal trade.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (October 25, 2015)
Thailand
Experts want stronger laws on environment
Stronger sections on environmental protection should be included in the next charter, while new laws on environment-quality management should also be drafted, experts said this week.
Source: The Nation (October 22, 2015)
‘Worst haze in a decade’ blankets S. Thailand
Dense haze produced by Indonesian forest fires has caused some of the worst pollution levels in southern Thailand in a decade, officials said Thursday, delaying flights in an area popular with tourists.
Source: The Star Online (October 22, 2015)
Mae Hong Son community forest wins big
Baan Tor Phrae community forest was declared Best National Community Forest, beating more than 1,200 others. The local community also won a trophy from HRH Princess Maha Chaki Sirindhorn, plus Bt200,000 in cash.
Source: The Nation (October 24, 2015)
Thailand, Japan to launch eco-friendly dumpsite
A dumpsite in Nakhon Ratchasima province is set to embrace a Japanese technique to reduce waste pollution, in a collaboration with Japan, the head of the Pollution Control Department (PCD) has announced.
Source: The Nation (October 24, 2015)
Gas found at Khon Kaen drilling site
The Energy Minister has revealed that a drilling site in Khon Kaen has enough gas to operate commercially - so a gas pipeline and another rig at the same site are set for construction within the next few months.
Source: The Nation (October 25, 2015)
Viet Nam
ASEAN environment ministerial meeting opened in Hanoi
The AMME 13’s related meetings – including a preparatory senior officials’ meeting, the 14th ASEAN+3 ministerial meeting, the 11th meeting of the committee on implementing the ASEAN Agreement on Trans-boundary Haze Pollution and the 11th meeting of the parties to this treaty – kicked off on October 26 and will last through October 30.
Source: Viet Nam Net (October 29, 2015)
Vietnam pledges 'ambitious' cut to future emissions
Vietnam has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by eight per cent below normal levels by the year 2030, its contribution to the UN target of keeping global warming below two degrees Celsius.
Source: Channel News Asia (October 13, 2015)
PM approves plan for $3.6m carbon market
Created under the Kyoto Protocol, the carbon market enables the trading of carbon emission allowances between developed countries, which have higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions than permitted, and developing countries, which have lower levels than permitted. The ostensible purpose of this initiative is to encourage countries and companies to limit their carbon dioxide emissions.
Source: Viet Nam Net (October 29, 2015)
Vietnam commits to fight against climate change
The Government plans to continue adaptation activities to increase resilience to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, heard a conference held yesterday in HCM City.
Source: Viet Nam Net (October 26, 2015)
More than 8 mln USD given to fund forest fire control
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has given 15 provinces and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development 185 billion VND (8.3 million USD) to support forest fire prevention and control.
Source: Vietnam Plus (October 19, 2015)
Environmental protection – a priority of agriculture ministry
Environmental protection continues to be a leading important task of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the time ahead as pollution remains serious in the agricultural sector, said Minister Cao Duc Phat.
Source: Vietnam Plus (October 16, 2015)
Synchronous planning needed to prevent inundation in Mekong Delta
It is necessary for the Mekong Delta, the country’s largest rice granary, to devise long-term and synchronous planning to prevent inundation in light of climate change, experts have suggested.
Source: Vietnam Plus (October 26, 2015)
Vietnam, RoK cooperate in biodiversity, natural resource
The environment ministers of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) agreed at their talks in Jeju, the RoK, on October 22 to cooperate in conducting research on biodiversity preservation and the use of natural resources in Vietnam.
Source: Vietnam Plus (October 23, 2015)
News
Date: 2nd November 2015
In our October blog poll, we asked readers what they believed was the biggest climate change threat to people in Asia and the Pacific, the world’s most vulnerable region to the effects of climate change.
Click here to read the full blog.
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st November 2015
During the Ninth Roundtable meeting, partners reviewed draft chapters of the watershed and landscape-scale vulnerability and adaptation assessment guidelines, which will become a joint knowledge product produced by the partners.
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st November 2015
The aims of the National Environment Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) Inception Workshop are to inform, and generate collaboration, participation and consensus among stakeholders in the formulation process of the NESAP.
more detailsNews
Date: 1st November 2015
Cambodia ( 2 November 2015)- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting the Government of Cambodia to develop a National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) to help the country achieve its sustainable development goals.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th October 2015
more detailsVideo
Date: 21st October 2015
A new approach to integrated water resource management based on community participation is tapping into local knowledge to protect Thailand's territory from the increasingly severe flooding driven by climate change.
more detailsNews
Date: 21st October 2015
Welcome to the GMS Environment Update-Issue 6. It is a compilation of recent environment news and articles from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, and the governments of the six GMS countries
more detailsEvent
Date: 20th October 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 13th October 2015
A new initiative is looking to build a global adaptation index to track and compare how countries are faring in response to climate change challenges.
more detailsActivity
Date: 8th October 2015
In late 2017, with lead support from the GMS Core Environment Program, Cambodia launched its new roadmap for sustainable development, the National Environment Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP).
more detailsNews
Date: 6th October 2015
As multilateral development banks gear up to fill the serious gaps in infrastructure in Asia and elsewhere, attention also focuses on safeguards used to deflect potential spillover damages to communities, habitats and livelihoods from these investments. The value of such defenses is at an all-time high because of the heightened fragility of the environment and society today – as the United Nations’ new Sustainable Development Goals stress.
Click here to read the full blog.
more detailsNews
Date: 5th October 2015
Asia and the Pacific faces a food ‘storm’ in the coming decades unless it takes decisive steps to respond to a host of pressures on its food supplies – including from climate change.
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more detailsEvent
Date: 4th October 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 4th October 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
AIIB must adopt proper safeguards, experts warn
People in the Mekong region and other parts of Asia will fully benefit from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) only if the bank operates with proper mechanisms and effectively safeguards social and environmental impacts, experts said.
Source: The Nation (September 10, 2015)
Illegal logging surge stripping Burmese forests of rare wood, says report
Chinese logging gangs are using a network of new roads and infrastructure to reach once-impenetrable stretches of Burmese forest and plunder precious teak and rosewood worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year, according to a new investigation.
Source: The Telegraph (September 17, 2015)
Myanmar, China to cooperate in preventing illegal timber production
Myanmar and China will cooperate in addressing the issue of illegal timber production, Myanmar’s Environmental Conservation and Forest Minister U Win Tun told a consultation workshop for Myanmar-China Timber Trade Stakeholders in Nay Pyi Taw Thursday, according to a Xinhua report on 24 September.
Source: Mizzima (September 25, 2015)
Myanmar-China illegal timber trade still thriving: report
Timber extracted from Myanmar’s frontier forests is flowing into China in illegal transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year, according to a report published yesterday.
Source: Myanmar Times (September 18, 2015)
Reinvigorating the Mekong spirit
In 1995, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam signed the Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin. After decades of war and civil strife, it was celebrated as a triumph of the Mekong spirit that would usher in a new era of regional peace and prosperity.
Source: Myanmar Times (September 29, 2015)
Dam threat to Mekong River’s last few dolphins
The last surviving Mekong River dolphins could be wiped out by the building of a controversial dam by the Laos government, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has warned.
Source: The Telegraph (September 11, 2015)
Environment group voices concerns over Mekong dam
An environmental watchdog based in Viet Nam is asking the Laos government to reconsider the construction of a controversial hydropower plant along the Mekong River.
Source: Viet Nam News (September 21, 2015)
Environment experts discuss dam dangers
Thirty-five experts from environmental organisations in Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam gathered yesterday to discuss water management and the effects of hydropower dams.
Source: Viet Nam News (September 9, 2015)
Negotiation impasse for China oil pipeline
Myanmar and China need to return to the negotiating table to finalise the terms of the controversial cross-Myanmar oil pipeline, according to senior officials.
Source: Myanmar Times (September 25, 2015)
Action set to begin for Laos-Vietnam oil pipeline
Implementation is set to take place to carry out the planned oil pipeline project, which will involve the building of an oil pipeline s ystem connecting a seaport in central Vietnam to the Lao central province of Khammuan, the Minister of Energy and Mines said yesterday.
Source: Vientiane Times (September 25, 2015)
ADB to double annual climate financing to US$6 billion
The Asian Development Bank is to double its annual lending for climate change adaptation to US$6 billion by 2020, the Philippines-based lender said.
Source: Channel News Asia (September 26, 2015)
China’s transport infrastructure initiative to have bad impact on Vietnam’s plan: expert
China’s transport infrastructure initiative, including the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and other related proposals, will pose a threat to Vietnam’s infrastructure development plan in the near future, an expert from the Vietnam Institute for Economic Research and Policy (VEPR) said at a seminar on the Chinese economy in Ho Chi Minh City last week.
Source: Tuoi Tre (September 29, 2015)
Laos-China rail expected to begin construction in November
The groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction of the Laos-China rail project to link Laos with China and other Asean member counties is expected to begin in November if things go as planned, a minister said on Friday.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 29, 2015)
2nd Thai-Myanmar bridge signed
Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith signed an official agreement on Thursday for the construction of a second Thai-Myanmar bridge across the Moei River from Mae Sot district of Tak province.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 10, 2015)
Satellites to show the way forward for Mekong region
Efficient natural resource management, disaster warning and a reduction in the effects of climate change on the Lower Mekong region will be enhanced thanks to the SERVIR - Mekong project.
Source: The Nation (September 7, 2015)
Implications of Myanmar's election on Thailand
The outcome of the November 8 election will impact on Thai-Myanmar relations in a variety of ways in the years to come. For the first time, the upcoming poll will represent a full-fetched electoral process in Myanmar under the watchful eyes of regional and international observers as never before.
Source: The Nation (September 7, 2015)
Cambodia
The Cambodian tightrope between growth and conservation
Spanning an area of a million acres, the richly biodiverse Central Cardamom Protected Forest in southwest Cambodia faces all manner of conservation threats. Including the country's economic future.
Source: Deutsche Welle (September 29, 2015)
The Lower Sesan 2 in Cambodia: Local communities ask, “Who will benefit?”
The Royal Government of Cambodia claims hydropower is the cheapest source of electricity to satisfy the demands for modern living. But there is nothing “cheap” about hydropower projects in Cambodia. Hydropower has come at enormous costs such as disrupting the lives and livelihoods of rural often marginalized communities and destroying fisheries and natural ecosystems.
Source: Mekong Commons (September 26, 2015)
Prey Lang network wins Equator Prize
The Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN) has been selected as a winner of the Equator Prize 2015, with representatives of the organisation set to receive the award in December during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 22, 2015)
Cambodian forest caretakers confess to illegal logging
Members of a community-based organization in Cambodia responsible for protecting local forest resources have confessed to illegally cutting down trees to sell to local businessmen, prompting the group’s leader to threaten to resign.
Source: Radio Free Asia (September 17, 2015)
Group proposes signing UN water pact
Environmental groups yesterday urged the government to seek greater legal clarity among the Mekong River countries about how they should share its resources.
Source: Khmer Times (September 23, 2015)
Rights group asks for land data sharing
Rights group Licadho has called on the government to make available statistics on the full extent of economic land concessions (ELCs) in response to data collected by the organisation over five years.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 24, 2015)
Villagers get five years for ‘3 trees’
Three villagers have each been given five-year prison sentences for chopping down what they claim was just a handful of trees on land the Forestry Administration says belongs to the state but which they claim as their own.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 30, 2015)
Luxury timber seized in Pursat, Ratanakkiri
Authorities have seized large amounts of luxury wood following busts on two separate illegal timber transporters in Pursat and Ratanakkiri provinces.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 28, 2015)
Car with gov’t plates hauled luxury wood
Battambang provincial forestry officials intercepted a large load of illegal luxury timber being transported in a government-plated car on Monday night.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 23, 2015)
More than 1,000 logs confiscated
Foresty officials raided two locations in Mondulkiri province on Friday, confiscating more than 1,000 logs from suspected illegal timber dealers.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 21, 2015)
Activist trio’s bail appeal thwarted
The Appeal Court yesterday denied bail to three environmental activists arrested in mid-August over their opposition to sand dredging in Koh Kong province.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 22, 2015)
Furniture-makers raided in capital
Forestry administration (FA) officials yesterday raided and shut down five unlicensed furniture workshops in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district, seizing about 20 cubic metres of luxury wood worth about $20,000.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 19, 2015)
Police in Stung Treng seize ‘tycoon’s timber’
At least 100 cubic metres of luxury timber allegedly belonging to powerful tycoon Na Marady was intercepted in Stung Treng province’s Sesan district yesterday, officials said.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 18, 2015)
Nine Cambodian provinces face loss of EU funding for forestry management project
Nine forest communities across Cambodia on Friday expressed concern about illegal land encroachment and logging operations as a European Union-funded sustainable forest management project which helped communities in wooded areas thrive comes to an end.
Source: Radio Free Asia (September 18, 2015)
Cambodia economy strong through next year: ADB
Cambodia's economy is expected to remain strong through 2016, though it is likely to grow at a slightly slower pace than forecast earlier this year, the Asian Development Bank said Tuesday.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 22, 2015)
People’s Republic of China
Climate change: China pledges $3 bn for developing nations
Top polluter China has pledged a $3 billion fund to help developing countries combat climate change and announced plans to launch a national emission trading system which will set a price on greenhouse pollution in 2017.
Source: Economic Times (September 26, 2015)
New audits of officials to eye data on environment
Leading government officials will be audited on their performance on environmental protection based on an evaluation of natural resources records, a practice expected to expand nationwide by 2018.
Source: China Daily (September 18, 2015)
Addressing climate change common responsibility of mankind: Chinese official
Climate change is a major challenge facing the world, and to address it is the common responsibility of mankind, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi said here Wednesday.
Source: Xinhua (September 17, 2015)
China to Launch National Pollution-Trading System to Cut Emissions
China will start a national pollution-trading system to cut global warming emissions, and make a 20 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) commitment to help poorer countries move away from fossil fuels.
Source: Bloomberg (September 26, 2015)
China and U.S. commit to end ivory trade
On Friday, September 25, Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama pledged to end commercial ivory sales in their countries.
Source: Mongabay (September 25, 2015)
China releases full text of reform plan for ecological progress
China has released the full text of an integrated reform plan for promoting ecological progress on Monday.
Source: China Daily (September 22, 2015)
Major pollutants emissions decline in China in H1
Major polluting emissions in China have been on a large-scale decline in the first six month of 2015, statistics released by the Ministry of Environmental Protection on Sunday revealed.
Source: Xinhua (September 6, 2015)
Public to have more say on pollution
About 80 percent of rivers in urban regions in China have been found to be filthy.
In its effort to clean up polluted urban rivers, China will give more weight to public opinion in determining which rivers are given a clean bill of health and removed from a listing of polluted waters.
Source: China Daily (September 14, 2015)
Wetland park established in China's largest desert
A state-level wetland park was established in Taklamakan, China's largest desert, in the northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Source: Xinhua (September 12, 2015)
China calls for better management of small hydropower stations
China still has vast potential to develop small hydropower plants but better management should be in place to minimize their environmental impact, officials said on Sunday.
Source: Xinhua (September 20, 2015)
China should be wary of downside in technology, warns Rice
China should manage the downsides brought about by technology while enjoying the development during rapid urbanization, said Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State and a current professor at Stanford University during a forum in Beijing on Tuesday.
Source: China Daily (September 23, 2015)
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Don Sahong project to begin construction in November
The 260-MW Don Sahong hydroelectric project is anticipated to begin construction before the end of this year after a number of agreements related to the project have been signed to guide the project's go ahead.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 22, 2015)
Lao officials fail to enforce government ban on timber exports
A recent ban on the export of raw logs imposed by the Lao government to increase the value of processed wood products is not being enforced in the country’s southern provinces because some national leaders are involved in timber smuggling, a civil society official with knowledge of the situation said.
Source: Radio Free Asia (September 23, 2015)
IFC, Stora Enso to strengthen stakeholder engagement in Laos
International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group signed an advisory service agreement with Stora Enso to help the company improve its social risk management in Laos.
Source: Vientiane Times (September 21, 2015)
Agriculture working group confers in the capital
A working group made up of officials from the government, development partners and other organisations has met for talks in Vientiane this week.
Source: Vientiane Times (September 24, 2015)
Myanmar
Flood damage estimated at 736,000 acres
The rain-triggered floods destroyed more than 736,000 acres (283,300 hectares) of monsoon paddy across the country, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (September 13, 2015)
Myanmar third-worst for deforestation rate, says UN
Myanmar’s forests are in trouble. Two recent reports reveal the rapid loss of tree cover over the past five years has been so severe Myanmar ranks among the worst for deforestation in the world.
Source: Myanmar Times (September 11, 2015)
Deforestation exacerbated impact of floods
This year's monsoon floods in Myanmar, the most severe in a decade, affected an estimated 1.6 million people and killed more than 100. Almost 400,000 hectares of farmland, largely rice paddies, along with fish ponds and farm animals, were lost, VOA reported on 24 September.
Source: Mizzima (September 25, 2015)
Deforestation approaches point of no return
Local and foreign forest experts have warned that deforestation in Myanmar has reached its final stage, and the country will not be able to restore its forests timber logging.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (September 12, 2015)
Myanmar: Shan villagers and the Salween dam fight
The increasing army presence to defend the construction of a controversial Salween river dam in southeastern Myanmar’s Shan state has sparked heightened concerns among rural villagers, who are determined to fight the development that threatens their livelihoods.
Source: The Diplomat (September 11, 2015)
IFC to lead sustainable hydro in Myanmar
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has signed to advise the government on environmental and social risk management for hydropower projects nationwide.
Source: Myanmar Times (September 23, 2015)
Power shortages to persist as government works toward universal electrification goal
The electricity shortage is likely to persist for years to come, though the government is still working toward a goal of 100 percent electrification by 2030.
Source: Myanmar Times (September 17, 2015)
Foreign investment projected at US$12 billion
The country’s foreign investment is projected at US$12 billion for this fiscal year, Dr Aung Tun Thet, presidential economic adviser, told the Myanmar Global Investment Forum in Nay Pyi Taw.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (September 19, 2015)
Thailand
Prime Minister applauds 2030 Agenda, pledges work towards a sustainable Thailand
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Thailand’s Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, commended the Organization on its recent adoption of Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and spoke on a wide-ranging topics including Thailand’s bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council.
Source: UN News Centre (September 29, 2015)
Dam threatens tiger sanctuary
The chairman of a forest conservation NGO said on Friday the loss of a vital tiger habitat is not worth the construction of the Mae Wong Dam in Nakhon Sawan province when there are other options.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 26, 2015)
Activists urge govt to scrap energy plan
The government's Power Development Plan 2015 (PDP 2015) stands to affect people unfairly, critics say.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 8, 2015)
Climate justice packs punch
Chada Chuthing, 54, came away from the Administrative Court in July facing almost certain bankruptcy. And she thinks she has an inflexible bureaucracy, and the climate, to blame.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 28, 2015)
Krabi power plant 'will have little environmental impact'
The coal fired power plant and coal transport pier planned for Krabi province will have only a small environmental impact on the area, according to some researchers.
Source: The Nation (September 16, 2015)
Treasury to reshuffle control of state land
The Treasury Department will rejig management of 12.5 million rai of state land after a survey showed the state agencies occupying it are mostly misusing the land for their own interests.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 28, 2015)
Korat panels crafts 'model' plan to combat encroachment
A provincial committee here has begun work on a plan it hopes will become a model for dealing with illegal encroachment on state lands nationwide.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 23, 2015)
Anti-gold mine groups submit 4 petitions
Four petitions to stop a new gold-mine concession, end existing gold-mining operations, scrap the minerals bill and evacuate people from pollution-affected areas were presented to the government yesterday by protesters from 12 provinces covered by the gold-mine concession plan.
Source: The Nation ( September 23, 2015)
Government puts mining licences on hold
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday told villagers protesting against a planned expansion of gold-mining areas that no new mining permits will be issued during ongoing legal disputes and an assessment period.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 30, 2015)
East, South still fighting floods
Officials expect situation to return to normal by middle of this week if rain eases; dams in Chao Phraya Basin still 'low'. The flood situation in eastern and southern Thailand continued yesterday.
Source: The Nation (September 20, 2015)
Phangan airport encroaches on forest: officials
The airport construction project on Koh Phangan by commuter carrier Kan Air has trespassed on Than Sadet-Koh Phangan National Park, Surat Thani deputy governor Ouaychai Innak said on Wednesday.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 30, 2015)
Log poachers flee after pickup truck overturns
More than 80 large phayung (Siamese rosewood) logs worth around 3 million baht were seized after a pickup truck overturned and the poachers abandoned the load in a paddy field in Surin’s Samrong Thap district on Wednesday.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 23, 2015)
Experts: China links vital for prosperity
Thailand should reap the benefits of its relations with China to turn both the country and Asean into a peaceful power in the regional political and security arena, experts suggested at a seminar.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 29, 2015)
Viet Nam
Viet Nam prepares for UN climate change talks in Paris
Viet Nam is quickly finishing the Intended National Determined Contributions to participate in the 21st Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, set to be held in Paris this December.
Source: Viet Nam News (September 21, 2015)
Water resources, eroding land need saving
Water management has become a major topic of discussion in recent years among Viet Nam's lawmakers, experts and society. The country has been struggling to deal with water-related issues such as a rising sea level, land subsidence and saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta.
Source: Viet Nam News (September 28, 2015)
Approval comes for Quang Tri Southeast Economic Zone
The establishment of the Quang Tri Southeast Economic Zone in central Quang Tri province has been approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
Source: Vietnam Economic Times (September 17, 2015)
Climate change impact assessment for rice production in the Mekong Delta
Promising rice varieties and innovative farm technologies that could help farmers in the Mekong Delta (MD) adapt to crucial climate challenges were major themes of a workshop held in Hanoi on September 14th.
Source: Vietnam Breaking News (September 14, 2015)
Ministry to measure cities' resilience to climate change
A project to develop an urban climate resilience index in Viet Nam was introduced last Friday in Ha Noi. It comes as part of a long-term programme to make urban areas more prepared for and adaptive to the effects of climate change.
Source: Viet Nam News (September 7, 2015)
More forests wiped out by farmers in central Highlands
Deforestation is on the rise in the Central Highland province of Dak Nong's Dak Song District.
Source: Viet Nam News (September 7, 2015)
Int'l workshop looks to curb coastal erosion
Climate change and a reduction in sediment supply and river discharge along the Thu Bon River are the primary causes of coastal erosion in the central region, particularly Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An, speakers said at an international seminar held in Hoi An on Monday.
Source: Viet Nam News (September 9, 2015)
Forest conservation project launched to protect biodiversity
The Viet Nam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) and Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Co-oporation and Development have launched the "Programme on Conservation and sustainable use of forest biodiversity and ecosystems services in Viet Nam".
Source: Viet Nam News (September 14, 2015)
Work starts on Nghi Son 2 thermal power plant
Construction began on the Nghi Son 2 Thermal Power Plant at the Nghi Son Economic Zone in the central province of Thanh Hoa on September 18.
Source: Vietnam Plus (September 19, 2015)
Construction of VND1.852 trillion power plant begins
Located in Vinh Hao commune, Bac Quang district, Ha Giang province and Yen Thuan commune, Ham Yen district, Tuyen Quang, the project has a total investment of VND1.852 trillion.
Source: Nhan Dan (September 28, 2015)
Deputy PM: priority capital for disaster mitigation projects
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai requested capital to disaster mitigation projects be prioritised while chairing a teleconference in Hanoi on September 14.
Source: Vietnam Plus (September 14, 2015)
APEC workshop on community-based disaster risk management
Community-based disaster risk management was the focus of a workshop in the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which opened in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh on September 18.
Source: Vietnam Plus (September 18, 2015)
VN to end use of bear bile
Animals Asia Foundation and the Viet Nam Oriental Traditional Medicine Association yesterday signed an agreement to end the use of bear bile in oriental medicine in Viet Nam by 2020.
Source: Viet Nam News (September 22, 2015)
Vietnam's Q3 economic growth picks up to 6.8 pct, fastest this year
Vietnam's economy grew 6.81 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, accelerating from 6.47 percent in the previous quarter, the government said on Tuesday, fuelled by strong exports and manufacturing and record foreign direct investment.
Source: Tuoi Tre News (September 29, 2015)
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News
Date: 4th October 2015
On 29 September, the REDD+ team from SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, in cooperation with Lao PDR Government partners, notably, the Department of Forest Resource Management, and Department of Forestry hosted an Open Forum on REDD+ Benefit Sharing. The forum was held as part of the Capacity Building for REDD+ Readiness project, which is funded by the GMS Core Environment Program, administered by ADB. Part of this project is to assess potential methods for implementing a Benefit Distribution System and to provide policy advice to relevant government departments and stakeholders.
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Date: 4th October 2015
This GMS E-updates provides information about key activities and major developments in the GMS as the six countries sharing the Mekong River strive to accelerate the region's development.
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Date: 29th September 2015
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $200 million loan for a pilot road safety project in Shaanxi Province, the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Click here to read the full article.
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Date: 29th September 2015
Land use planners in Yunnan were introduced to a new land use change modeling application at an awareness raising and capacity building event held in Kunming from 21–25 September.
The CLUMondo modeling software helps planners project the type, scale, and location of future demand for land. When combined with other tools, such as Spatial Multicriteria Assessment, it enables land use decisions to better balance economic, social, and environmental considerations.
Funded by the GMS Core Environment Program (CEP), an improved version of the software was recently developed and a capacity building program is being rolled out for the six GMS countries.
With CEP support, the Yunnan Institute of Environment Science (YIES) and the Free University of Amsterdam jointly organized the seminar to introduce CLUMondo to Yunnan planners and decision-makers and also to build broader understanding about the benefits of land use change simulation technologies.
The longer-term aim is to develop a network of academic institutions to provide modeling support to relevant government agencies.
Nearly 30 participants attended the seminar, including representatives from:
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Event
Date: 27th September 2015
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Date: 27th September 2015
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao today announced that ADB will double its annual climate financing to $6 billion by 2020, up from the current $3 billion. ADB’s spending on tackling climate change will rise to around 30% of its overall financing by the end of this decade.
Click here to read the full release.
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Date: 21st September 2015
Positive early results from the testing of fuel efficiency technologies and an eco-driving curriculum are encouraging signs that ‘green freight’ approaches could gain traction in Viet Nam.
Five truck freight companies in the country are currently partnering in the GMS Core Environment Program’s Green Freight Initiative, which aims to reduce the carbon footprint of small-medium truck freight companies and help improve their competiveness.
The newly developed eco-driving curriculum was recently tested with truck drivers from the companies and included simple practices such as vehicle checks before departure and driving constantly at an optimum fuel efficiency speed. Initial results showed a 6% median fuel saving per month and feedback from the truck drivers and their company bosses has been encouraging.
“I was quite surprised. Eco-driving techniques are very different to what I am used to, but they are easy to learn and they really do cut down diesel consumption,” said Do Van Hung, one of the truck drivers.
“I told one of my driver friends about it and he is now also trying eco-driving techniques”, he said.
Several of the truck company bosses suggested that the eco-driving techniques should become part of national driving school curricula and driving standards.
Accounting for more than 35% of freight transportation costs in Viet Nam, fuel is major cost for truck freight companies and the un-necessary wastage of fuel not only eats into profits but worsens greenhouse gas emissions. Technologies being tested under the Green Freight Initiative to complement the eco-driving include retrofitting aerodynamic equipment and using low rolling resistance (LRR) tires. Initial results showed that they can reduce fuel use around 13% and 6.5% respectively. More extensive trialing for both eco-driver training and the two technologies will begin in the coming months, involving around 20 more companies.
“The fuel use reduction is quite impressive. I want to buy the LRR tires to equip to our company’s trucks. However, it takes time and money to test the new technology, so I would like to join the extended trial”, said Mr. Pham Van My, Director of Thao My Ltd.
Improvements in logistics management and establishing a funding mechanism for small companies to invest in fuel efficient technologies are also planned under the Green Freight Initiative, which also involves Lao PDR and Thailand.
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Event
Date: 20th September 2015
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Date: 15th September 2015
This ADB report provides the status of the overall Regional Investment Framework Implementation Plan as of 30 June 2015, for all sectors, both investment and technical assistance projects.
The Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Investment Framework Implementation Plan, 2014-2018 (RIF-IP) identifies a pipeline of 93 high priority investment and technical assistance projects from among the more than 200 projects included in the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Investment Framework, 2013-2022 (RIF).
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Date: 14th September 2015
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Date: 13th September 2015
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Date: 13th September 2015
This ADB report describes the conduct of the cost-benefit analysis of climate proofing investment projects. An important message is that the presence of uncertainty about climate change does not invalidate the conduct of the economic analysis of investment projects, nor does it require a new type of economic analysis. However, the presence of uncertainty does require a different type of decision-making process in which technical and economic expertise combine to present decision makers with the best possible information on the economic efficiency of alternative designs of investment projects.
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Date: 10th September 2015
This GMS Tourism Marketing Strategy and Action Plan 2015-2020 deliberately aligns with GMS member countries’ sharedobjectives to develop thematic multicountry tour programs and promotesecondary destinations to help distribute tourism benefits more widely.
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Date: 9th September 2015
This ADB report features Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Urban Development Strategic Framework, 2015–2022. It sets out a broad framework to encourage and facilitate a coordinated approach to the development of urban areas throughout the GMS. The framework includes three pillars: (i) planning and development of key urban areas, (ii) planning and development of border areas, and (iii) capacity development in urban planning and management. Underlying these are four crosscutting themes—green development and climate change resilience, disaster risk management, inclusive development, and competitiveness. The GMS Urban Development Strategic Framework also provides the context for ongoing and planned projects in the six GMS member countries.
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Date: 9th September 2015
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen:
I am very pleased to join you at this 20th Ministerial Conference of the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program. I would like to thank our host, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, for their impressive work in organizing this conference, for the hospitality extended to all of the participants. I would also like to express my sympathy to the government and people of Myanmar in light of the human, physical and social losses resulting from the recent devastating floods and landslides. The Asian Development Bank is assisting the government in disaster relief, recovery and rehabilitation.
Click here to read the full speech.
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Date: 9th September 2015
The environment agencies of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Yunnan Province and Lao PDR’s Luang Numtha Province signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on September 10 to collaborate on biodiversity conservation.
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Date: 8th September 2015
This week, ADB and the World Resources Institute (WRI) signed a knowledge partnership agreement to foster knowledge sharing and bring enhanced technical and advisory support to new projects at ADB.
Click here to read the full blog.
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Date: 8th September 2015
Ministers and senior officials from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will gather this week for the 20th GMS Ministerial Conference to explore ways to boost infrastructure investment and development.
Click here to read the full article.
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Date: 6th September 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Large dams are not the answer to climate change in the Mekong Region
Some may say it is too early to conclude that the changing weather patterns in the Mekong region – be it a longer dry season, unexpected river water level fluctuation, or cold days in early summer – are a result of climate change. Even if we could summarize the large number of expert debates and long list of research papers, it’s unlikely that a clear answer to the simple question “Is climate change happening in the Mekong?” would emerge.
Source: Mekong Commons (August 27, 2015)
Thailand’s Mekong water-diversion plan raises concerns
The Thai government’s statement in late July that it is considering bringing water from the Mekong, Moei and Salween rivers to farmland to nine of its provinces has raised major concerns.
Source: VietNamNet Bridge (August 19, 2015)
Vietnamese plea to Thailand: Don't divert the Mekong
People in Vietnam hope Thailand will reconsider its plan to divert water from the Mekong - because it would seriously affect their ability to produce food.
Source: The Nation (August 17, 2015)
Lower Sesan 2: Construction resumed, troubles restarted
Thousands of workers, mostly Chinese, are hustling working on the Lower Sesan 2 (LS2) dam site in Northeast Cambodia, and nearly 40% of their work is complete. The US$816 million project was approved by Cambodia’s Council of Ministers in 2012. However, in November 2014, the dam construction was stopped due to environmental controversy and opposition from communities and some NGOs, but has been re-started since March 2015. And, as construction has resumed, the communities concerns have been reprised and the trouble has restarted.
Source: Mekong Commons (August 23, 2015)
Dams 'destroying Mekong fish stock'
Mekong River fishermen have already suffered dramatically from dams and irrigation works, which have decimated fish stocks and undermined livelihoods that supported families for generations.
Source: The Nation (August 24, 2015)
People power 'needed to sustain forests'
Asia has a unique opportunity to fight climate change and lift many more people out of poverty if it invests more in the communities living in its forests, experts said.
Source: The Nation (August 30, 2015)
Environment still in jeopardy as ASEAN works toward change
Despite more than 40 years of environmental management in the ASEAN region, degradation of the environment continues, affecting the most vulnerable populations, a senior policy advisor for the Institute for Global Environment Strategies said yesterday at a climate-change forum held in Vientiane, Laos.
Source: Viet Nam News (August 4, 2015)
IEA signs deal for largest Asean wind farm in south Laos
Thai renewable company Impact Energy Asia (IEA) plans to build the largest wind farm in Asean - and generate 600 megawatts on 400,000 rai in southern Laos - under an agreement signed by the Lao government and the company on Friday.
Source: The Nation (August 9, 2015)
Silk Road trade route to be revived
Nanning, Guangxi: China is stepping up efforts to boost its economy following the yuan's sharp fall by reviving its maritime Silk Road trading route with Southeast Asia.
Source: Bangkok Post (August 24, 2015)
Japan charts road to industrialization for Mekong region
Japan and the five Southeast Asian countries bordering the Mekong River adopted a blueprint Monday to boost industrialization in the subregion.
Source: Japan Times (August 24, 2015)
Myanmar seeks over $100m for Asean connectivity project
Myanmar's Construction Ministry is seeking the parliamentary approval for a US$120 million loan to upgrade the Kawkareik-Mawlamyine-Thaton Road, a part of the Greater Mekong East-West Economic Corridor.
Source: The Nation (August 20, 2015)
Thailand to restore rail link with Cambodia
Thailand is hoping to resurrect a rail link with Cambodia to improve transport in the Mekong sub-region, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Thursday.
Source: Bangkok Post (August 27, 2015)
Construction begins on second Thai-Myanmar bridge
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Sunday for the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge that will play a key role in the East-West Economic Corridor traversing continental Southeast Asia.
Source: Bangkok Post (August 31, 2015)
AEC unfinished with four months until launch
Preparations for the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) remain incomplete at a time when there is only four months left before its implementation.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (August 2, 2015)
Cambodia
Industrial concessions causing massive deforestation in Cambodia
Land concessions for large-scale agricultural plantations are stripping off Cambodia’s forest cover, according to a new report by Forest Trends, a U.S.-based environmental protection group.
Source: Mongabay (August 26, 2015)
(Un) protected Areas
Preah Kay sped easily over the rutted dirt path winding through the thick brush of the forest, whipping his beat-up Honda Dream around muddy puddles like a motocross driver and ducking under head-high branches.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (August 1, 2015)
Report slams logging in northeast
National parks and other protected areas are being gutted at a rapid rate in Stung Treng and Ratanakkiri by private business interests, among them the powerful Try Pheap Group, a report launched yesterday claims, though authorities have disputed certain figures.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (August 27, 2015)
More than 2,000 forest crimes observed: group
The Prey Lang Community Network yesterday reported uncovering more than 2,000 cases of forestry crime so far this year in Prey Lang forest, where they say corrupt elites are decimating protected reserves with impunity.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (August 25, 2015)
ELCs to be taken from firms that break rules
Companies that transfer their land holdings to another firm in violation of government policy will have their concessions stripped from them, the Agriculture Ministry has said.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (August 31, 2015)
Gov’t cuts leases of 12 ELCs
The government yesterday slashed the lifespans of 12 economic land concessions (ELC) – by half in some cases – as it continued to implement a new policy capping ELC leases at 50 years.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (August 27, 2015)
Drought affects 185,451 hectares of paddy fields in Cambodia
According to the report sent to the Prime Minister, about 9,240 hectares of paddy fields have been completely damaged. It noted that around 2.12 million hectares of rice fields, or about 82.7% of the total rice acreage of about 2.57 million hectare in the country. Planting usually begins in May, but it has been delayed due to early-season drought which led to lack of water in reservoirs.
Source: Oryza (August 31, 2015)
Cambodian dam proceeds despite opposition over fish, ousted villagers
The Cambodian government has begun relocating some 5,000 villagers away from the flood site of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Having already suffered flooding, reduced fisheries, and other problems resulting from existing upstream dams, communities within the watershed area oppose the new dam and many have refused to relocate.
Source: Mongabay (August 17, 2015)
Cambodia dam’s benefits exclude people in its vicinity
The construction of the Kamchay Dam in Cambodia, though beneficial to urban areas, has not been so good for those who live close to the dam site in Kampot province, according to a study.
Source: SciDev.Net (August 19, 2015)
Conservation activists arrested in Koh Kong
Three environmental activists affiliated with local NGO Mother Nature were arrested in Koh Kong province yesterday morning after refusing to appear for questioning over their alleged involvement in protests against a Vietnamese corporation engaged in sand dredging.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (August 18, 2015)
People’s Republic of China
China's poverty target thwarted by climate change challenges
China's 11 major extremely poverty-stricken areas have fallen victim to both a vulnerable ecology and a sensitive climate, damping China's efforts to fight against poverty, according to the "Climate Change and Accurate Poverty Alleviation" Report issued by Oxfam Thursday.
Source: China.org.cn (August 20, 2015)
China's greenhouse gas emissions 'overestimated'
The United Nations and other international bodies have vastly overestimated China's greenhouse gas emissions over the past decade or more, according to a study released on Wednesday.
Source: China Daily (August 21, 2015)
9.4 trillion yuan pledged to fight water, air pollution
The Chinese government is accelerating investment in environmental protection, with the total investment into the protection of water, air and soil soon totaling 9.4 trillion yuan ($1.37 trillion), the Securities Daily calculated.
Source: China Daily (August 13, 2015)
China passes law to control air pollution
China's top legislature on Saturday adopted an amendment to the Air Pollution Control Law that will restrict various sources of smog and make information on environmental cleanliness more readily available to the public.
Source: Xinhua (August 29, 2015)
China cleans up environmental assessment procedures
The Ministry of Environmental Protection has started to clean up its assessment procedures in an effort to stop new businesses being built that would cause pollution.
Source: China Daily (August 8, 2015)
China builds huge solar power station which could power a million homes
China is set to build a giant solar power station in the Gobi desert, which could generate enough energy to supply one million homes.
Source: The Independent (August 8, 2015)
Endangered wildlife needs protection
China will take action to protect wild animals in the face of wildlife habitat fragmentation, environmental pollution and poor management, experts said.
Source: China. org. cn (August 19, 2015)
Beijing phases out old vehicles
Beijing has phased out more than 217,000 vehicles with excessive exhaust emissions in the first seven months of the year, reaching the annual target five months ahead, the municipal environmental protection said on Monday.
Source: China Daily (August 11, 2015)
Lao PDR
Lao loggers backed by corrupt officials pillaged Champassak forests in July
Illegal logging in southern Laos’ Champassak province was particularly devastating on forests in July, according to a local police officer, who said businessmen working in tandem with high-ranking officials raced to cut timber in the region ahead of the start of the rainy season.
Source: Radio Free Asia (August 20, 2015)
A green, liveable Vientiane for the next 15 years
Vientiane authorities are aiming to develop the country's capital into a political centre with a democratic political system from city to village level, and an engine of economic growth that supports the provinces.
Source: The Nation (August 26, 2015)
Tourism symposium highlights AEC integration preparations
Lanith (Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality) in cooperation with Lao-German Development Cooperation (GIZ) on Friday held the 16th Lanith symposium highlighting the Lao tourism sector's countdown up to the AEC establishment.
Source: The Nation (August 1, 2015)
Myanmar
Myanmar counts cost of flood disaster
Recent monsoonal floods and landslides have taken a dreadful human toll, leaving at least 117 dead and 1.6 million people displaced, in 12 states and regions across Myanmar.
Source: Bangkok Post (August 28, 2015)
Flood damage to crops raises fears of food crisis in Myanmar
Floods caused by heavy rainfall have inundated 1 million acres of cropland across Myanmar, a majority of them paddy fields, leading the country’s rice traders to call for a halt in rice exports over fears of a rise in food prices, as authorities struggle to respond to the worst natural disaster since Cyclone Nargis in 2008.
Source: Myanmar Now (August 5, 2015)
Asian Development Bank offers aid for Myanmar's flood relief
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will extend a 3- million-U.S. dollar aid for Myanmar's flood relief efforts, an official report said Thursday.
Source: Xinhua (August 27, 2015)
Myanmar incurs wrath of civic groups as hydropower solutions remain its main priority
Myanmar’s Electric Power Ministry will go ahead with hydropower projects, the Minister for Electric Power, Industry, Science and Technology said last week amid reports of local resistance.
Source: The Nation (August 24, 2015)
Illegal logging, corruption and state’s projects causing deforestation
Illegal logging, corruption and state’s projects left Myanmar with 10 percent of forestry areas for the whole country, the chairman of the Myanmar Cane and Bamboo Producers Association (MCBPA) said on August 26 at a workshop on forestry in Yangon.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (August 27, 2015)
Lost forests and wandering wild elephants
Environmental degradation poses a real threat to wildlife. All beings—humans and animals alike—are suffering consequences of deforestation and shortages of natural habitat.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (August 27, 2015)
Protesters condemn logger amnesty
The Movement for Democracy Current Force (MDCF) has protested in front of Insein Prison on August 7 against the amnesty given to Chinese loggers who were originally sentenced to life imprisonment by Myitkyina district court.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (August 7, 2015)
Parliament approves more than $300m in soft loans
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on August 26 gave the green light to US$305 million in new development loans focused on improving electricity supply, water supply and a major highway.
Source: Myanmar Times (August 28, 2015)
Foreign investments amount to USD 16.96 bln during the current govt’s term
The total inflow of foreign investments in the country has amounted to USD16.96 billion since the current government took office, Aung Naing Oo, secretary of Myanmar Investment Commission said.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (August 30, 2015)
Oil and gas tops investment list
Between April and July there have been massive inflows of foreign investment into the oil, gas and manufacturing sectors, according to the Directorate of Investment and Companies Administration.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (August 15, 2015)
Thailand
Thailand's power dilemma amid a climate of fear
In its push for coal-fired mega-projects, the government risks turning its back on sufficiency-economy thinking and the need for 'clean' energy.
Source: The Nation (August 27, 2015)
Toxins from coal-fired stations can be treated, say academics
Potential pollutant releases from coal-fired power plants can be treated and prevented, engineering lecturers from Chulalongkorn University said yesterday.
Source: The Nation (August 18, 2015)
Power plant to fulfil dream to be 'energy city'
The Southern province of Songkhla - an "energy city" already earning Bt100 billion from its gas separation facility, power plants and oil rig sites - could also have potential for a coal-fired power plant, said Niphon Bunyamanee, president of the Songkhla Provincial Administration Organisation.
Source: The Nation (August 3, 2015)
Society opposes Communal Forest bill
The People's Movement for a Just Society has protested against the proposed Communal Forest bill, saying it would render forest communities impotent by handing the government compete control of forest management and result in the communities being dismantled.
Source: The Nation (August 4, 2015)
Govt 'will have to pay Bt9.6 bn for Klong Dan'
The government will have to pay more than Bt9.6 billion in compensation to a consortium over the corruption-plagued Klong Dan wastewater-treatment plant, which has been cancelled, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha confirmed yesterday.
Source: The Nation (August 8, 2015)
Locals fight waste-management project
Residents in Phitsanulok province launched a protest yesterday against the construction of two waste-management plants, saying not only would they contaminate the environment, they were also being built on a historic temple site.
Source: The Nation (August 18, 2015)
Thailand wins guarded praise for destroying ivory stockpile
Wildlife officials in Thailand destroyed more than two tonnes of confiscated ivory worth around $3 million on Wednesday in what one rights group called a milestone in the fight against the illegal trade.
Source: Reuters (August 26, 2015)
Arkhom to kick-start 17 megaprojects
Newly-appointed Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith has vowed to kick-start the construction of 17 megaprojects valued at 1.6 trillion baht before the end of next year as part of a plan to stimulate the economy.
Source: Bangkok Post (August 27, 2015)
Viet Nam
Vietnam ready to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
To cope with the consequences of climate change including high temperatures, rising sea levels, increases in natural disasters, landscape changes and economic damages, Vietnam has joined hands with the international community to protect and develop forests through an initiative to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation while fostering conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+).
Source: Viet Nam Net (August 12, 2015)
Works start on Vietnam’s first solar power plant
The construction of a multimillion-dollar solar power plant, the first of its kind in Vietnam, kicked off during a groundbreaking ceremony in the central province of Quang Ngai on Saturday.
Source: Tuoi Tre News (August 31, 2015)
Alarm grows at illegal logging
A Lao Dong (Labour) report yesterday (August 10) that hundreds of hectares of pine forest in Dak Doa and Mang Yang districts had been cleared to plant crops.
Source: Viet Nam Net (August 31, 2015)
Vietnam focuses on coastal eco-system, mangrove forest protection
The safeguard of coastal eco-system and mangrove forest in the Mekong Delta region will be given a push as phase two of the Integrated Coastal Management Programme (ICMP) recently kicked off in An Giang province.
Source: Viet Nam Net (August 31, 2015)
Mekong Delta's largest waste water facility opens
A new waste water treatment plant, the largest of its kind in the Mekong Delta, was put into operation on Saturday in Tra Noc Industrial Park in Can Tho.
Source: Viet Nam News (August 10, 2015)
Quang Ngai to build $5.2m medical waste treatment area
The central Quang Ngai Province has become the first locality to receive more than VND120 billion (US$ 5.28 million), funded by the World Bank, to build a facility for medical waste treatment.
Source: Viet Nam Net (August 27, 2015)
Can Gio conserves mangrove forests
The conservation and regeneration of mangrove forests in HCM City's coastal Can Gio District have been successfully accomplished since 2000, when the local administration took over the task, a district official told Viet Nam News on Saturday.
Source: Viet Nam News (August 31, 2015)
Eight tonnes of smuggled wildlife products seized
Nearly eight tonnes of smuggled ivory, rhino horns and pangolin scales were discovered after a two-week investigation, deputy head of the central region's anti-smuggling team Pham Van Thien said today.
Source: Viet Nam News (August 28, 2015)
Coal mine threat to Quang Ninh
Experts at a seminar here yesterday issued warnings about the uncontrolled exploitation of coal in Quang Ninh Province.
Source: Viet Nam News (August 12, 2015)
News
Date: 6th September 2015
Clean energy advocates believe that 100% generation from renewable energy sources is the only way to meet the power demand and address global warming. That may seem right in theory and is technically feasible, but in practice the reality is that we will still need some fossil fuels to create a feasible and sustainable energy source that all countries can afford.
Click here to read the full blog.
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Date: 2nd September 2015
Welcome to the GMS Environment Update-Issue 5. It is a compilation of recent environment news and articles from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, and the governments of the six GMS countries
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Date: 20th August 2015
Lecturers and researchers from universities and institutes in Viet Nam were trained on the latest land use change modeling software as part of a regional CEP initiative aiming to improve land use planning in the GMS.
A four day training of trainers course was held in Ha Noi on 3–6 August to provide participants with an intensive rundown on how to apply the CLUMondo modeling software.
CLUMondo modeling helps land use planners project the type, scale, and location of future demand for land. When combined with other tools, such as Spatial Multicriteria Assessment, it enables land use decisions to better balance economic, social, and environmental considerations. An improved version of the software was recently developed through CEP support.
“CLUMondo is the most advanced among recent land use models. It can be applied to large areas, including the district level, to compare and select the best scenarios for land use planning,” said Dr. Jasper van Vliet, the course trainer from the Free University of Amsterdam.
As one participant pointed out, a major challenge for land use modeling is that baseline data required for applying modeling software is often inadequate and needs to be improved. “Using CLUMondo software is not a challenge, but the challenge is how we can access full and accurate baseline data” said Ms. Giang, a lecturer at the Vietnam National University of Agriculture.
Following the training, on 7 August, senior officials from key ministries were given an overview of how land use modeling can benefit policy making and discussed potential planning process into which CLUMondo could be applied.
The training course will be delivered to other five GMS countries in the coming months and the longer term aim is to establish a network of national academic institutions that provide modeling support to relevant government agencies.
The Viet Nam training workshop was co-organized by the Ho Chi Minh University of Natural Resources and Environment, the Free University of Amsterdam, and the GMS Environment Operations Center.
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Date: 19th August 2015
In late July, the People’s Republic of China hosted senior forestry and conservation officials from the Greater Mekong Subregion countries to share nearly a decade of the country’s experience piloting biodiversity conservation corridors.
more detailsNews
Date: 19th August 2015
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has achieved remarkable economic growth, but there are a number of serious imbalances between coastal and inland regions, and between urban and rural areas. The government wants to help bridge this gap by developing inclusive finance tools.
Click here to read the full article.
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Date: 16th August 2015
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Date: 13th August 2015
Viet Nam road freight stakeholders gathered in Ha Noi on 5 August to learn about the GMS Core Environment Program’s Green Freight Initiative and early results from its efforts to improve the environmental and economic performance of the industry.
News
Date: 13th August 2015
Transport is a key ingredient of inclusive economic development, poverty reduction, and to improving quality of life. It provides people with access to jobs, schools, and health care; links farms to markets; and drives trade.
Click here to read the full blog.
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Date: 9th August 2015
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Date: 6th August 2015
Building on the seventh roundtable held in June, partners at this eighth roundtable discussed analytical tools for assessing basin-scale climate change vulnerability and looked at the processes involved and lessons learnt from application in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 6th August 2015
What is it with climate change mitigation projects? Why have so many projects developed in Asia, but so few featuring women as agents of change and/or in productive roles? Do project developers and entrepreneurs not feel the need to include women? Or is it that climate change adaptation and mitigation mechanisms fail to explicitly recognize women’s contribution?
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 4th August 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
The real importance of Japan’s new strategy for the Mekong
On July 4, the leaders of Japan and the five countries in the Mekong subregion – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – convened for the Seventh Mekong-Japan Summit in Tokyo.
Source: The Diplomat (July 7, 2015)
Event
Date: 3rd August 2015
During 2014, CEP worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Pollution Control Department to estimate provincial industrial emissions by applying the Industrial Pollution Projection System (IPPS).
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Date: 2nd August 2015
Under CEP’s ‘Building Capacity for Land Use Change Modeling activity,’ a training of trainers program on land use change modeling will be delivered in each of the six GMS countries during August–October.
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Date: 30th July 2015
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) sponsored a 2-day forum in Beijing to discuss various innovative measures and technologies to protect groundwater resources in the country.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsPublication
Date: 29th July 2015
This publication presents the (i) safeguard systems of Bhutan, India and Nepal; (ii) differences in nationalsafeguard laws and institutional processes with the Asian Development Bank’s safeguards policy; (iii) issueswith safeguard design, implementation, and monitoring at the project level; (iv) effectiveness of safeguardtraining; and (v) capacity needs of project staff, government agencies, consultants, nongovernmentorganizations, contractors, and local communities involved with infrastructure projects. In the end,suggestions to make the safeguard process more meaningful have been provided.
more detailsPublication
Date: 23rd July 2015
This ADB report was produced under the technical assistance project Promoting Renewable Energy, CleanFuels, and Energy Efficiency in the Greater Mekong Subregion (TA 7679). It focused on renewable energydevelopments and potential in five countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS): Cambodia, theLao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. It assessed the potential of solar,wind, biomass, and biogas as sources of renewable energy. Technical considerations include the degree andintensity of solar irradiation, average wind speeds, backup capacity of grid systems, availability and quality ofagricultural land for biofuel crops, and animal manure concentrations for biogas digester systems. Most GMSgovernments have established plans for reaching these targets and have implemented policy, regulatory, andprogram measures to boost solar, wind, biomass, and biogas forms of renewable energy. Incentives for privatesector investment in renewable energy are increasingly emphasized.
more detailsNews
Date: 20th July 2015
China faces a fundamental challenge: How to balance environment protection with economic growth? Environmental protection can yield huge social benefits in terms of health and natural resources. But there is often an accompanying price to pay - in terms of jobs as well as the costs of compliance with tighter regulations. Achieving the right balance means addressing a complex set of factors causing environmental degradation.
Click here to read the whole article.
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Date: 16th July 2015
Can we sustain economic development under the 2°C pathway? The answer to the question depends on all of us. Our actions and behavior will determine whether the answer is “yes” or “no.” Then, what answer do we want? All would agree and wish the answer to be “yes.” And that leads us to the next question – how can we achieve it?
Click here to read the full blog.
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Date: 13th July 2015
ADB and 5 other multilateral development banks, along with the International Development Finance Club (IDFC), have taken another step forward in standardizing the way we track climate finance for adaptation. The move is a welcome advance in improving the transparency and targeting of future funding.
Click here to read the full blog.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th July 2015
Welcome to the GMS Environment Update-Issue 4. It is a compilation of recent environment news and articles from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, and the governments of the six GMS countries.
News
Date: 5th July 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Asia must invest more in clean energy to cope with climate change, says ADB
Asia has made huge strides in developing clean energy over the past decade but must boost investment and its use of energy efficiency technology to meet rising demand and cope with climate change, Asian Development Bank officials and other experts said on Wednesday.
Source: The Guardian (June 17, 2015)
News
Date: 1st July 2015
From the farmer confronting the prospect of a delayed monsoon to governments seeking to protect people, natural resources, and cities, climate finance is key. Without it, developing Asia’s farmers and leaders alike will be unable to build a climate-resilient future. But it won’t be cheap: in Asia and the Pacific, just adapting to climate change is expected to cost at least $40 billion per year between now and 2050.
Click here to read the full article.
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Date: 30th June 2015
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Date: 28th June 2015
Most recent analysis of climate models tells us that a 2–4°C increase in global temperatures could have severe repercussions to economic activities of both the poor and the non-poor.
Click here to read the full blog.
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Date: 24th June 2015
Hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the 12th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Agriculture (WGA) brought together WGA members with representatives from the Asian Development Bank and development partners to review implementation progress of the Core Agricultural Support Program, Phase II (CASP II) and to discuss key priorities.
Topics discussed included:
Please find presentations, speeches and other documents below:
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Date: 24th June 2015
Building on discussions held during the GMS Working Group on Environment 21st Annual Meeting, this workshop aims to map out the future of the Core Environment Program and Environment Operations Center.
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Date: 23rd June 2015
This knowledge event, jointly held by the GMS Working Groups on Environment and Agriculture, explored means to develop more inclusive and sustainable agricultural value chains in the GMS.
more detailsEvent
Date: 22nd June 2015
Hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the 21st Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Environment (WGE) brought together WGE members with representatives from the Asian Development Bank and development partners to review implementation progress of the Core Environment Program implementation and to discuss key priorities.
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Date: 18th June 2015
At this seventh roundtable, partners continued deliberations initiated at the sixth roundtable in April. These included joint visioning to specify the long-term goals of the roundtable and identifying collaborative activities arising from the Watershed Adaptation to Climate Change (WACC) Project.
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Date: 17th June 2015
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Date: 17th June 2015
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Date: 15th June 2015
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Date: 15th June 2015
The world’s six large multilateral development banks (MDBs) delivered over $28 billion in financing last year to help developing countries and emerging economies mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change. The latest figures bring total collective commitments of the past 4 years to more than $100 billion.
Click here to read the full article.
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Date: 15th June 2015
Asia and the Pacific is exceptionally vulnerable to climate risks, yet it is also fast becoming the world’s biggest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, and this is the climate paradox of a region where the global fight against climate change will ultimately be won or lost.
Click here to read more.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th June 2015
Government ministers and senior officials attending the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Seventh Economic Corridors Forum today agreed on measures to promote the development of economic corridors, facilitate cross-border transport and trade, and enhance cooperation and private sector participation.
Click here to read the full news release.
more detailsNews
Date: 10th June 2015
A 5-day forum on developing and promoting sustainable tourism in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), the fastest-growing tourist destination in Asia and the Pacific, gets underway in Da Nang, Viet Nam on 15 June, 2015.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th June 2015
Asia is gearing up for increased infrastructure financing to support the drive for stronger economic growth. That’s good news for narrowing the perennial gaps in energy and transport blocking growth in many economies. But, unless accompanied by protective safeguards, these projects risk damaging the environment, climate and communities — and hindering growth.
Click here to read the full Op-Ed.
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Date: 8th June 2015
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Date: 8th June 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Real integration action in mainland SE Asia
Those caught up in the hype over the Asean Community (AC) and its three pillars of political-security (APSC), economic (AEC) and socio-cultural (ASCC) by end 2015 are fixated on the wrong places. Integration from connectivity, where borders are proving increasingly irrelevant, is happening less on paper and more on the ground in mainland of Southeast Asia. Beyond the agreements and scorecards of the AC, mainland Southeast Asia is where real integration will take place.
Source: Bangkok Post (May 21, 2015)
Mekong Region could lose 30pc forests by 2030: WWF
Almost 30 million hectares of forest area may be lost in the Mekong region by 2030, according to the Living Forests Report from WWF Myanmar.
Source: Myanmar Business Today (May 28-30, 2015)
What lies ahead for ASEAN's wildlife?
This February, Myanmar’s Forestry Department announced that it had captured a rare white elephant roaming wild in the jungles of the nation’s Ayeyarwady Region. It joined eight others already held in captivity in Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon. But, don’t feel completely sorry for these majestic animals – protected at least from animal traffickers eager to feed China’s demand for ivory and other wildlife products.
Source: Myanmar Times (May 26, 2015)
Myanmar may need to compete for supplies as region turns to coal
The Myanmar government’s approval of a Thai-Japanese consortium’s plan to build a large US$2.8 billion coal-fired power station in Myanmar’s southeast Mon State underlines a trend across the region to opt for the polluting fossil fuels to generate electricity.
Source: Mizzima (May 14, 2015)
Mekong nations to set up EIA working group
Government officials and civil society representatives from across the Mekong region have agreed to establish a working group to develop a regional public participation guideline for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) this week in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Source: The Nation (May 14, 2015)
Multiple dams are an ominous threat to life on the Mekong River
A total of 11 dams are planned along the Mekong, storing up trouble for millions of people, the world’s largest inland fishery and critically endangered species.
Source: The Guardian (May 6, 2015)
Mekong fish stocks being sacrificed on local bickering
The need for a coherent region-wide strategy for the Mekong has never been greater.
Excessive flooding and contamination of salt water from rising sea levels caused by global warming are shaping-up as the biggest threats to the Mekong River, the fish stocks of which serve as the livelihoods for the roughly 60 million people living along its banks.
Source: The Diplomat (May 24, 2015)
Are the Mekong River dams double-edged swords?
The dams provide hydroelectric power and jobs, but they also have many distressing consequences. The Mekong is one of the most famous rivers on Earth. To geography buffs and Nat Geo readers, it is on par with the Nile, the Amazon and the Mississippi. To the people who live along its banks, the Mekong is a source of food, a superhighway, a laundry room and a backyard. By some estimates, as many as 240 million people make their living directly or indirectly from the river.
Source: Mother Nature Network (May 13, 2015)
Charting the upsurge in hydropower development
A new report from The World Energy Council provides a critical review of the current state of the global hydropower industry.
Source: Eco business (May 25, 2015)
Cambodia, Vietnam agree on Forest Protection Plan
Cambodia and Vietnam have initiated the first ever cooperation agreement on forest protection and management for the Eastern Plains Landscape, the largest lowland forest of Southeast Asia.
Source: Khmer Times (May 24, 2015)
Inaugural forum for Asia-Pacific environment ministers held
Environment Ministers and Authorities from 35countries across Asia Pacific met on May 19 to find solutions to pressing sustainable development, health and environment challenges facing the region at the inaugural First Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities Forum.
Source: Eco business (May 26, 2015)
Timber sales to Vietnam trebled in 2014, finds report
Timber exports from Cambodia to Vietnam more than tripled in 2014 compared with the year before, despite ongoing negotiations to curb the trade, according to a new report.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (May 30, 2015)
Myanmar, Laos open first friendship bridge
Myanmar and Laos on Saturday formally opened the first-ever friendship bridge across the Mekong River that links Myanmar's Tachileik in Shan state and Laungnamtha Province of Laos, according to the live report of MNTV Channel.
Source: Xinhua Net (May 9, 2015)
Thailand, neighbours to standardise border checkpoints
Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam will standardise rules and inspections at border checkpoints to enhance economic connectivity along the so-called East-West Economic Corridor.
Source: Bangkok Post (May 21, 2015)
Win-win cleantech solutions for Southeast Asia
As Southeast Asia develops, it faces challenges in areas like waste, water, and pollution management. European and Asian cleantech companies can collaborate on win-win solutions for both regional economies.
Source: Eco business (May 25, 2015)
Cambodia
Lawmakers bend PM’s ear on dam
A proposal to transform the Areng Valley in Koh Kong province into an eco-tourism destination has been sent by leader of parliament Heng Samrin to Prime Minister Hun Sen on behalf of a group of opposition lawmakers.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (May 22, 2015)
New policy to boost farming
The long-awaited Agricultural Extension Policy, rolled out yesterday by the Agriculture Ministry, will focus on making up-to-date knowledge and technology accessible to farming communities and increase efficiency and productivity in the sector.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (May 29, 2015)
Transmission line to connect dam by 2017
A $92 million transmission line will be constructed at the Lower Sesan II hydro dam in Stung Treng by June 2017 to transfer power to Kampong Cham and Kratie provinces, according to a release from Malaysian power system engineering company Pestech International.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (May 21, 2015)
Cambodia forest communities confront illegal loggers as authorities look away
Sok Plok and his fellow forestry activists are surprisingly fast for men in flip-flops as they navigate through the thick, thorny vegetation. They have been alerted by the distant humming of tractor engines; a sound that, in this part of Cambodia, normally means illegal loggers are afoot.
Source: The Guardian (May 13, 2015)
Group highlights endangered species in Cambodia
World Wildlife Fund seeks to highlight endangerment of 10 species in a protected forest area, ahead of International Endangered Species Day.
Source: Anadolu Agency (May 11, 2015)
Proposed border checkpoint and road threaten critical Cambodian forest and wildlife
A proposed border checkpoint at Kbal Damrei, on Cambodia’s border with Vietnam, together with a new road leading up to it, may harm Cambodia’s Mondulkiri Protected Forest, according to a recent press release by WWF-Cambodia.
Source: Mongabay (May 28, 2015)
Corruption probe to investigate forestry officials, own staff
Forestry officials in Kampong Thom province are to be the subject of a corruption probe into alleged bribery of anti-corruption officials, according to a letter published by Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) chief Om Yentieng.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (May 11, 2015)
Cambodian villagers protest loss of land, livelihood to concessions
Hundreds of indigenous families in eastern Cambodia are facing difficulty securing food after losing their communally shared farmland to several companies as part of government-granted land concessions, villagers and a rights group said Tuesday.
Source: Radio Free Asia (May 12, 2015)
Non-timber goods touted at meeting
An environmental group has urged the government and civil society to take steps to build a sustainable green economy in the Kingdom, as rampant deforestation and resource exploitation threatens to affect the livelihoods of millions of Cambodians.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (May 20, 2015)
People’s Republic of China
China says climate change threatens major projects
Climate change threatens some of China's most important infrastructure projects, China's top meteorologist warned in a state newspaper, adding the country's rate of warming was higher than the global average.
Source: Reuters (May 3, 2015)
China’s demand threatens are hardwoods in Mekong
China’s surging demand for luxury furniture and a revived cultural tradition are not only taking a toll on the forests of its Southeast Asian neighbors but also fueling a deadly crime wave across the region, according to an environmental monitoring group.
Source: The New York Times (May 13, 2015)
China agrees to phase out its ivory industry to combat elephant poaching
China has committed to phasing out the domestic manufacture and sale of ivory products for the first time. Conservation groups said the announcement was “the single greatest measure” in the fight to save the last African elephants from poaching.
Source: The Guardian (May 29, 2015)
China's agriculture sector going for bigger harvest
Food production system faces demands for quality and quantity. China has long controlled its staple grain import quota to ensure food security. But the nation's agriculture sector is welcoming high-end farming products from Europe.
Source: China Daily (May 29, 2015)
Coal-fired plants in Beijing on way out with new ban
Beijing will ban new coal-fired thermal power plants after the four existing ones are expected to be replaced by gas-fired plants by 2017, according to the municipal economic planner.
Source: China Daily (May 26, 2015)
121 waste incinerators refuse to disclose data on fly ash
A non-governmental organization (NGO) report has revealed that 121 waste incineration plants in China have refused to disclose data on their pollution emissions, especially the whereabouts of fly ash, according to caixin.com on Wednesday.
Source: Eco business (May 29, 2015)
Business takes up global fight against pollution, climate change
A friend of mine is moving from Bangkok to Shanghai next month. To her surprise, the company is extending her pollution compensation of 3,000 euros (Bt110,000) to cover her two-year contract.
Source: The Nation (May 26, 2015)
China concludes negotiations with ADB on Xinjiang projects
China's Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday it has concluded negotiations with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on projects in western border counties in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
Source: Xinhua (May 27, 2015)
Lao PDR
Can we make hydropower work for all in Laos?
A decade ago, the international community came together with a commitment to help Laos - one of the world's poorest countries - develop a better kind of hydropower project, one that generates power and also helps reduce poverty and improve health and education.
Source: The Nation (May 16, 2015)
World Bank provides US$1.8 m towards wildlife protection
The World Bank provided grant assistance worth more than US$1.8 million (over 14 billion kip) to the Lao government in Vientiane yesterday towards the implementation of aproject to enhance the enforcement of the wildlife and aquatic law.
Source: Vientiane Times (May 11, 2015)
Lao authorities investigate local groups involved in illegal ivory trade
Lao police are investigating a local businessmen thought to be behind the country’s illegal ivory trade after Thai authorities seized a U.S. $6 million tusk shipment from Kenya en route to the Southeast Asian nation last month, a Lao police officer involved in the investigation said.
Source: Radio Free Asia (May 1, 2015)
FAO advises on adaptation of agriculture to climate change
An agricultural project is seeking to provide Laos with technological and knowledge capacity to develop urgently needed policies for adapting agriculture to climate change and sustain food security.
Source: Vientiane Times (May 1, 2015)
World Hydropower Congress hears Lao success story
Delegates from many countries learned about the Lao PDR's experience with developing renewable energy at the World Hydropower Congress in Beijing.
Source: Vientiane Times (May 26, 2015)
Myanmar
Ecotourism management strategy launched
Myanmar sets to expand the country's network of protected areas and aims to establish a diversity of range of quality ecotourism products and services by 2020, according to state media.
Source: Myanmar Eleven (May 25, 2015)
Environmental and social standards await final approval to move forward
A major issue surrounding project implementation in Myanmar is the way environmental and social impact assessment (EIA/SIA) reports are conducted. Without clear legislation, many investment projects struggle to complete this critical step.
Source: Myanmar Times (May 14, 2015)
Myanmar’s mining reforms stall, hindering foreign investment
A new mining law that would clarify rules and ease restrictions for foreign investors looking to tap into the lucrative sector remains frozen in Myanmar’s legislature, said an official from the country’s Ministry of Mines.
Source: The Wall Street Journal (May 12, 2015)
Public urged to help fight illegal logging
Illegal loggers armed with chainsaws are wiping out the country’s teak forests, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has warned, complaining that China, a major market for illegally exported timber, is failing to cooperate with Myanmar.
Source: Myanmar Times (May 25, 2015)
Myanmar's dam plans may cause new kind of poverty, villagers warn
Giant dams, mighty hydroelectric plants and mega-bucks from foreign electricity sales: that's the vision of the future touted by the government of Myanmar, as it tries to lift the country from poverty.
Source: DPA Deutsche Presse-Agentur (May 18, 2015)
Salween dam projects jeopardise fragile ceasefire accords
Myanmar's government calls them signposts of modernity: a string of huge dam projects along the mighty Salween River, one of Asia's last untamed waterways, needed to meet economic goals and energy demands as the country opens its doors to the outside world.
Source: Bangkok Post (May 12, 2015)
Ministry warns environmentally unsound oil companies, but lets latest off the hook
The Ministry of Energy has warned oil and gas companies to own up to their responsibilities in the wake of reporting on apparently environmentally unsound practices.
Source: Myanmar Times (May 11, 2015)
Democratic Voice of Burma: Iconic lake on the brink of environmental collapse
Thousands of dead fish have washed up on the banks of the Taungthaman lake on two separate occasions over the past month, signalling a deeply unhealthy natural environment.
Source: Burma Net (May 13, 2015)
Environmental damage concerns Shan farmers
Over ten thousand Shan farmers gathered in Mong Nai Township, Southern Shan State, requesting the protection of the environment and natural resources in Shan State.
Source: Burma News International (May 11, 2015)
Thailand
D-Day in war against forest encroachers
Nationwide crackdown set to begin on June 1, Environment Minister says. Natural Resource and Environment Minister General Dapong Rattanasuwan yesterday revealed that operations against forestland encroachers nationwide would be under way from June 1.
Source: The Nation (May 21, 2015)
Forest reclamation plan 'major mistake'
There have been up to 44 cases of people being adversely affected in 21 provinces by the government's forest-reclamation policy, the National Human Rights Commission said yesterday - suggesting that the enforcement of the policy has spawned mistakes.
Source: The Nation (May 22, 2015)
Land officials 'teamed up to sell deeds'
A land encroachment investigation in Nakhon Ratchasima province has found that five state officials teamed up to issue land-rights documents for over 1,000 rai that overlapped a forest reserve, agricultural reform land and Army land and sell it to investors, an informed source at the Centre for National Anti Corruption (CNAC) said yesterday.
Source: The Nation (May 31, 2015)
Time to scrutinize 'win-win' mega-dams
For those living in the bustling urban centres of Thailand, the mantra that electricity generated by distant hydropower dams in Laos and Myanmar is clean and affordable can be seductive.
Source: The Nation (May 28, 2015)
The hidden cost of Thailand's electricity
The National Energy Policy Council last week approved Thailand's new Power Development Plan (PDP 2015), which lays out Thailand's energy and investment plans for the next 21 years.
Source: Bangkok Post (May 19, 2015)
Activists take aim at coal power plants
Environmental activists kicked off a door-knocking campaign against coal-fired power plants in coastal provinces in the South yesterday.
Source: Bangkok Post (May 22, 2015)
Tonnes of ivory set for fiery destruction
Government officials will destroy 2.5 tonnes of confiscated ivory next month to satisfy the requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).
Source: Bangkok Post (May 31, 2015)
Residents slam gold mine over water pollution
Representatives of residents in seven central provinces yesterday filed a complaint with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) calling on the agency to probe a gold mine operation that they allege has released toxins into water sources and caused hundreds of people in Phichit, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun to get sick.
Source: The Nation (May 15, 2015)
Viet Nam
'Capitalise on natural advantages'
Successfully utilising natural capital is essential if Viet Nam wants to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Such was the takeaway of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment's three-day workshop, which began on Thursday in Ha Noi.
Source: Vietnam News (May 16, 2015)
Experts examine growing threat to Viet Nam's dwindling biodiversity
Viet Nam's struggle with its degrading biodiversity was the top concern expressed by experts at a meeting commemorating International Day for Biological Diversity at Botanical Garden, Ha Noi, on Friday.
Source: Vietnam News (May 25, 2015)
Mekong faces drought, salinity
The ongoing drought has seriously affected farms and households in the Mekong Delta, causing water shortages for thousands of families in the provinces of Kien Giang, Ca Mau, Ben Tre and Tien Giang.
Source: Vietnam News (May 18, 2015)
Sand miners kill protective trees
Illegal sand exploitation by villagers is destroying 300ha of casuarina forest, much of it planted under a Japanese aid programme to protect Pho An commune in the central province's Duc Pho district.
Source: Vietnam News (May 13, 2015)
Incidence of illegal logging increases in Lam Dong
Illegal cutting of trees increased alarmingly in the Central Highlands Lam Dong Province in the first four months of this year, a report by the provincial People's Committee said.
Source: Vietnam News (May 12, 2015)
State may manage VN nuclear waste
Scientists have proposed the establishment of a state company specialised in storing radioactive waste ahead of the construction of two nuclear power plants in Ninh Thuan province.
Source: Vietnam News (May 23, 2015)
France, VN respond to climate change with $17.8m agreement
An agreement for a 20 million euro loan (US$17.8 million) to tackle climate change in Viet Nam was signed between the French and Vietnamese governments in Ha Noi yesterday.
Source: Vietnam News (May 20, 2015)
Project to restore Ha Giang's biodiversity by 2020
A project to plan and restore biodiversity by 2020 and create a vision for northern Ha Giang Province by 2030 has attracted the attention of experts and scientific organisations.
Source: Vietnam News (May 26, 2015)
News
Date: 3rd June 2015
This year’s Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) comes at a critical time in the lead-up to the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held in Paris in late November-early December. Not since COP15 in Copenhagen, 2009 has there been such momentum toward a binding global agreement to limit global greenhouse gas emissions. While the 2009 meeting fell short of expectations for a new and binding global agreement, there are high hopes that the upcoming Paris meeting will deliver on a new post-2020 framework, with many countries already pledging significant commitments in the lead-up to the event.
Read the full blog here.
more detailsNews
Date: 2nd June 2015
Welcome to the GMS Environment Update-Issue 3. It is a compilation of recent environment news and articles from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, and the governments of the six GMS countries.
more detailsNews
Date: 1st June 2015
A pilot project to promote multisector approaches in provincial development planning was launched in Hanoi, Viet Nam on 28 May 2015.
more detailsEvent
Date: 31st May 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 31st May 2015
We were delighted last month to learn that the committee members of the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) have decided to extend support to an additional 16 countries, expanding CIF operations to 72 developing and middle-income countries – among them several in Asia and the Pacific.
Click here to read the full blog.
more detailsNews
Date: 31st May 2015
Asia is expected to become the largest energy consuming region in the world well before 2050. At the same time, developing Asia’s share of worldwide energy-related CO2 emissions has more than doubled from 17% in 1990 to 37% in 2011, and without a change in current energy use patterns, is expected to rise to 46% by 2035. The region must also deal with the vital ‘unfinished business’ of providing electricity to around 600 million people who still lack it.
Read the full article here.
more detailsNews
Date: 27th May 2015
Asia and the Pacific has led the world in the drive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with the proportion of people living on less than $1.25 per day projected to fall from 53% in 1990, to 12 per cent by the end of the year.
Read the full article here.
more detailsActivity
Date: 27th May 2015
Nestled in the central Hengduan Mountains of Yunnan Province and bordering Sichuan and the Tibet Autonomous Region, Deqin County is the northernmost part of the Mekong Headwaters landscape.
more detailsNews
Date: 27th May 2015
Under the gaze of the famous Meli Snow Mountain in northern Yunnan Province, ‘Earth Day’ was celebrated in Deqin County with a public awareness campaign on climate change, biodiversity conservation, and responsible tourism.
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Date: 26th May 2015
Addressing the many development and environmental challenges in the GMS will require finding ways for sectors to plan and work together more closely. Multisector planning approaches contribute greatly to strategic planning processes by bringing sectors together to discuss and understand core development challenges and to identify pathways to overcome these challenges. In doing so, they promote economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Multistakeholder dialogues and scenario-based modelling tools are essential to develop a shared understanding of core challenges, drivers of change, and alternative development pathways.
more detailsPublication
Date: 20th May 2015
This policy and management strategy was launched by the Government of Myanmar in May 2015 provides guidance on how the country can development ecotourism in protected areas to maximize social and economic benefits and minimize environmental damage. The GMS Core Environment Program was one of the supporting partners.
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Date: 20th May 2015
The environmental agencies of Viet Nam’s Cao Bang Province and the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Guangxi Province signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on May 12 to strengthen biodiversity conservation collaboration in transboundary areas.
Under the MOU, the two provinces will develop a joint management strategy for transboundary conservation; work together on creating new biodiversity corridors; collaborate on research, assessments and monitoring; and conduct awareness-raising and capacity building activities.
In opening remarks at the MOU signing ceremony in Cao Bang, Viet Nam’s Deputy Minister of Environment said it was important to exchange knowledge and work with other countries to develop biodiversity conservation policies and manage transboundary biodiversity corridors.
“The MOU will open opportunities for more comprehensive cooperation on biodiversity conservation between the two countries and also create opportunities to receive financial and technical support for conservation in the area,” he said.
Border areas of Cao Bang and Guangxi are within the Sino–Vietnam Karst Landscape and include the only remaining population of the Cao Vit Gibbon, one the world’s rarest apes. Since 2009, the GMS Core Environment Program (CEP) has supported the two provincial environment agencies to create biodiversity conservation corridors to reduce ecosystem fragmentation between protected areas in the landscape. CEP also provided facilitation support for the MOU.
more detailsEvent
Date: 18th May 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 15th May 2015
The future direction of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries’ post-2015 sustainable development agenda was discussed at a regional workshop during 14-16 May 2015 in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
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Date: 14th May 2015
Hunan, one of the fastest-growing provinces in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), recently launched a low-carbon technology incubator in Golden Oasis Park for climate technology start-ups and businesses that aim to attract investors interested in clean climate technology or “cleantech.”
Read the full blog here.
more detailsEvent
Date: 13th May 2015
With the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expiring, 2015 is a crucial year to further progress the global framework for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched at Rio +20 in 2012.
more detailsActivity
Date: 10th May 2015
Biodiversity conservation in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is conducted under the framework of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), 2011–2030. The PRC has initiated ambitious conservation targets under its NBSAP and requires all provinces to prepare provincial-level BSAPs.
more detailsNews
Date: 10th May 2015
ADB's Green Cities Initiative is helping cities in Asia and the Pacific better prepare for extreme and uncertain weather brought about by climate change.
Watch the video here.
Read the infographic here.
more detailsNews
Date: 7th May 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Region drives deforestation: org
A new report released by the conservation group WWF has asserted that just 11 places on earth – including the Greater Mekong region – will account for 80 per cent of the world’s deforestation.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (April 29, 2015)
ASEAN 26th Summit to focus on realization of ASEAN Community
The ASEAN Summit this year will focus on the priority measures and initiatives for the realization of ASEAN Community in 2015 and will ensure the integration process to continue progressively beyond 2015, ASEAN Secretariat said on Monday.
Source: Global Times (April 27, 2015)
'GFA Label' plan aims to cut trucking fumes
Green Freight Asia (GFA), an industry-led network aiming for a sustainable road-freight system across the Asia-Pacific region, is accepting applications for its "GFA Labels" from shippers in an effort to address the trucking industry's carbon-dioxide emissions.
Source: The Nation (April 12, 2015)
Green bonds - promoting environmentally responsible development
Asia needs to invest heavily in infrastructure to sustain growth. But unless we design sustainable projects, we risk running up an environmental bill for future generations.
Source: The Nation (April 9, 2015)
China's environmental protection experience could benefit world: Group
A U.S.-based group said China's inroads in environmental protection can be of benefit to the countries linked by the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
Source: Xin Hua Net (April 29, 2015)
Cambodia
UK study warns of rubber market’s impact on local wildlife
A booming natural rubber market fueled by the global tire industry is proving “catastrophic” for endangered species in Cambodia and the rest of Southeast Asia, U.K. researchers argue in a new paper.
Source: Cambodia Daily (April 17, 2015)
A global risk-analysis firm has released a grim – albeit partial – snapshot of Cambodia, noting that the Kingdom’s overreliance on essential resources from other countries leaves it vulnerable to instability, and that it is at “extreme risk” of a communicable-disease pandemic.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (April 6, 2015)
Prey Lang network says authorities profit from illegal logging
Political and business elites have been directly involved in and profited from illegal logging in the Prey Lang forest in northern Cambodia, according to a new report from members of the Prey Lang Community Network.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (April 28, 2015)
EU offers to fund study of Lower Sesan impact
The European Union has offered to fund a study of the Lower Sesan II dam’s impact on fisheries, the EU’s ambassador to Cambodia said yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (April 29, 2015)
Cambodian contractor proposes logging forest to be cleared for hydropower dam
The owner of a cement company in Cambodia plans to log a vast tract of forest designated for clearance by the government as part of a controversial hydropower dam project, prompting concerns from a local rights group that the firm may harvest luxury timber outside of the proposed area.
Source: RFA (April 28, 2015)
Mines Ministry issues new dredging licences
The Ministry of Mines and Energy has announced that it will grant two sand dredging licences around Phnom Penh Port, just days after declaring that no new licences would be issued until economic impact assessments had been carried out.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (April 20, 2015)
The World Wildlife Fund has called for closer cooperation between Cambodia and Laos to protect the Mekong River dolphin, in the wake of the death this week of a female thought to be one of less than 85 left in the river.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (April 9, 2015)
‘Make way for railway’: officials
Banteay Meanchey provincial authorities have pledged to expedite the relocation of 900 families living along a stretch of railroad near Cambodia’s border with Thailand in order to facilitate the development of an international railway system, a senior official said yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (April 23, 2015)
Cambodia will receive a $7.4 million grant to combat climate change in Koh Kong and Mondulkiri provinces, after signing a new agreement with the Asian Development Bank on Monday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (April 29, 2015)
Bridge spanning Mekong River opened
Flatbed trucks flooded into Neak Loeung yesterday morning bearing villagers, monks and bands of raucous children banging on metal drums in an unofficial parade toward the opening ceremony for the Tsubasa Bridge.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (April 7, 2015)
Lao PDR
Xayaboury Party approves future development direction
Members of the Xayaboury provincial Party have agreed on development plans focusing on modernisation of agriculture and related industries, and provision of transit and tourism services.
Source: Vientiane Times (April 20, 2015)
Road project connecting Huaphan to Vietnam on schedule
Construction of a new road connecting Xamtai district in Huaphan province to Thua Thien - Hue province of Vietnam is running to plan according to an official.
Source: Vientiane Times (April 28, 2015)
ADB funded project to attract more tourists to Bokeo province
Authorities expect to commence a new development project in Huayxai district of Bokeo province at the end of this year, aiming to build the provincial capital into a more liveable town for international visitors.
Source: Vientiane Times (April 20, 2015)
Laos-Myanmar bridge to open next month
Construction of the Laos-Myanmar Friendship Bridge across the Mekong River is now complete and the bridge will officially open next month, according to Project Manager Mr Xaysongkham Manotham.
Source: Vientiane Times (April 7, 2015)
Myanmar
Conservation in Myanmar: a cause for optimism?
Home to some of the largest remaining contiguous forests in Southeast Asia, as well as more than 1,700 species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles, Myanmar is well-known as a biodiversity hotspot. In 2014 alone, 26 new species were found in Myanmar, including the peculiar Glyptothorax igniculus, a catfish that uses an unusual flame-shaped suction cup on its throat to attach itself to rocks.
Source: Mongabay (April 24, 2015)
Delayed land-use forum scheduled for June
A national forum to finalise a draft national land-use policy will be held in Nay Pyi Taw in June, an official involved in the process said yesterday, almost six months after originally planned.
Source: Myanmar Times (April 29, 2015)
Economic outlook remains favourable: ADB
Myanmar has so far done enough to maintain its bright economic outlook, said a senior official from the Asian Development Bank, adding that the country accomplished this despite several development challenges such as infrastructure shortage and lack of human capital.
Source: The Nation (April 16, 2015)
Private sector not ready for 2015 economic area
The country’s reforms are continuing and the economy is being opened to the world, but it may be too early for integration into the ASEAN Economic Community, according to experts.
Source: Myanmar Times (April 3, 2015)
Myanmar approves $8 billion worth of foreign investment in 2014-15 FY – Ye Myint
Myanmar approved foreign investment totaling US $8.01 billion from 211 companies for the 2014-2015 fiscal year across 12 sectors, according to the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration.
Source: Burmanet News (April 27, 2015)
Late last year, an ongoing conflict in southeast Myanmar (Burma) between members of the Karen ethnic minority group and the Myanmar government intensified over the government's plans to build a new hydropower dam on the Salween River. The dam is one of at least five dams that the Myanmar government plans to build along the Salween.
Source: Mongabay (April 21, 2015)
Goldman Environmental Prize honors anti-dam campaign in Myanmar
My int Zaw knew his underground campaign against a huge government-backed hydroelectric project was succeeding when he climbed into a taxi late one night and the driver recognized his voice through the shadows.
Source: Los Angeles Times (April 20, 2015)
In Hkamti, the slow death of a river
Upper Myanmar’s Chindwin River, a tributary to the great Ayeyarwady, is choking to death – on gold. As it flows through Sagaing Region’s Hkamti township, rich in natural treasures, it is fouled with red sludge and spoil, the ruins of former and active mines and diggings.
Source: Myanmar Times (April 28, 2015)
Ministry orders ban on sand mining
The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has told the Rakhine State government to order a halt on sand mining on a series of popular beaches in the Ngapali area, as a public campaign against the practice continued to gain momentum over the past week.
Source: Myanmar Times (April 8, 2015)
People’s Republic of China
China's environment ministry blocks hydro project
China's environment ministry has refused approval for a hydropower dam on an ecologically vulnerable river already damaged by construction, a rare setback for the country's extensive dam-building programme.
Source: Reuters (April 26, 2015)
China Needs 2 Trillion Yuan Annually to Combat Pollution
A report by China’s central bank says that the country needs 2 trillion yuan (about $322 billion) every year for the next five years if it wants to counter the impact of pollution on the environment. The startling number is three percent of China’s total GDP.
Source: Epoch Times (April 26, 2015)
China stares at the complex problem of water scarcity
Government sets strict policies to encourage conservation and punish polluters. Way back in 1999, before he became China's prime minister, Wen Jiabao warned that water scarcity posed one of the greatest threats to the "survival of the nation".
Source: The Nation (April 21, 2015)
China to unveil measures to fight water pollution
China is to launch an action plan to protect the quality of its scarce water resources after years of rapid economic growth that have left much of its water supply too polluted for human consumption or for growing food
Source: Reuters (April 1, 2015)
China’s pollution assault boosting solar, electric vehicles
China’s efforts to combat pollution are gaining momentum after President Xi Jinping pledged in March at the annual session of the National People’s Congress to punish violators of the nation’s environmental laws with an “iron hand.” Here’s what’s happening and what to expect.
Source: Bloomberg (April 8, 2015)
China reduces coal use and CO2 emissions, boosting global climate talks
China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is claiming it significantly slowed both carbon dioxide releases and coal consumption in 2014. If confirmed and sustained, that trend could galvanize other countries’ climate change mitigation efforts as they prepare for upcoming treaty talks in Paris.
Source: Chemical & Engineering News (April 27, 2015)
China to surpass U.S. as top cause of modern global warming
China is poised to overtake the United States as the main cause of man-made global warming since 1990, the benchmark year for U.N.-led action, in a historic shift that may raise pressure on Beijing to act.
Source: Reuters (April 13, 2015)
China turns away more than half of carbon credit applicants to curb glut
China's top regulator has ruled that more than half of the 54 mitigation projects that recently sought to register for carbon credits are ineligible, it said on Friday, amid worries that a glut of permits is undermining its pilot carbon markets.
Source: Reuters (April 3, 2015)
Environmental activism gaining a foothold in China
As pollution levels rise, the Chinese are increasingly taking to the streets to show that environmental issues are as important as ever. But how are the authorities dealing with the growing public outcry?
Source: Deutsche Welle (April 15, 2015)
U.S., China top dumping of electronic waste; little recycled
The United States and China contributed most to record mountains of electronic waste such as cellphones, hair dryers and fridges in 2014 and less than a sixth ended up recycled worldwide, a U.N. study said on Sunday.
Source: Reuters (April 18, 2015)
The environmental impact of China’s investment in Africa
Protection of the environment has never been a particularly high priority for African governments. A recent study by the Pew Research Center of 44 countries, including nine from Africa, looked at five of the greatest dangers facing the world. Pollution and the environment was one of the five dangers and it ranked as least important by all but one of the nine African countries. By contrast, persons in China ranked pollution and the environment as the most important threat.
Source: International Policy Digest (April 8, 2015)
China and Pakistan launch economic corridor plan worth $46 billion
China and Pakistan launched a plan on Monday for energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan worth $46 billion, linking their economies and underscoring China's economic ambitions in Asia and beyond.
Source: Reuters (April 20, 2015)
Environmental ministers of S. Korea, China, Japan to hold talks
Environmental ministers of South Korea, China and Japan will hold three-way talks later this week to tackle yellow dust, smog and maritime pollution, a South Korean diplomat said Monday.
Source: The Korea Herald (April 27, 2015)
China growth slowest in six years, more stimulus expected soon
China grew at its slowest pace in six years at the start of 2015 and weakness in key sectors suggested the world's second-largest economy was still losing momentum, intensifying Beijing's struggle to find the right policy mix to shore up activity.
Source: Reuters (April 15, 2015)
China-led AIIB will be lean, clean and green – official
The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will be lean, clean and green, its interim chief said, playing down concerns over transparency and standards governing the institution.
Source: Reuters (April 11, 2015)
Data app pushes Chinese factories to cut pollution
When environmentalist Ma Jun set out to tackle pollution from Chinese industries, it seemed a near-impossible task.
Source: Reuters (April 17, 2015)
Thailand
The government could resort to exercising its power under Article 44 of the interim charter to fast-track measures tackling illegal fishing practices with four priority action plans so as to avoid a potentially damaging ban on the export of Thai fishery products to the European Union.
Source: The Nation (April 23, 2015)
PM attends first 'hand-out' of plots to landless farmers in Chiang Mai
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was in Chiang Mai's Tambon Mae Tha yesterday to witness the handout of land use permits - for the first lot of state land allocated to landless people.
Source: The Nation (April 6, 2015)
Thailand makes historic seizure of smuggled ivory
Customs officials in Thailand say they have made the biggest seizure of smuggled ivory in the country's history.
Source: BBC News (April 20, 2015)
Eco-towns remain top state priority
The Industrial Works Department plans to develop at least 10 eco-industrial towns by 2018 as part of its goal to make Thailand a green industrial society.
Source: Bangkok Post (April 28, 2015)
Pak Bara Port could kill marine ecosystem: NRC member
Constuction of a deepwater port at Pak Bara in Satun would lead to a domino-like collapse of the marine ecosystem in the entire South Andaman Sea - destroying scores of people's livelihoods and way of life, an environmental expert has warned.
Source: The Nation (April 26, 2015)
NGO implores govt to oppose Lao dam
Members of the Pak Moon dam's Assembly of the Poor called on the Department of Water Resources yesterday to oppose Laos' proposed Don Sahong dam construction.
Source: Bangkok Post (April 2, 2015)
'Air pollution robot to help forecasts'
Engineers in Bangkok have built a robot to gather and analyse data about air pollution to help forecast weather more accurately.
Source: The Nation (April 13, 2015)
Environment-harming tour guides to be banned
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will blacklist tour guides who damage the environment from national marine parks.
Source: Bangkok Post (April 28, 2015)
It's a good day to save the world
Earth Day was celebrated globally on April 22 when government and private-sector leaders around the world heralded their past actions and new goals in fighting climate change.
Source: The Nation (April 26, 2015)
Viet Nam
VN to earn $60.4m from firms for forest services
Viet Nam hopes to collect a total of VND1.3 trillion (US$60.4 million) from a programme titled Payments for Forest Environmental Services (PFES) this year.
Source: Vietnam News (April 6, 2015)
Minister stresses importance of tackling climate change
Viet Nam will focus on adapting to the impact of climate change and reducing losses caused by natural disasters from now till 2020.
Source: Viet Nam News (April 6, 2015)
Vietnam dries up in the worst drought of the decade
Farmers at many cassava and sugarcane fields in Tay Ninh Province are overworking their water pumps these days to save their crops.
Source: Thanh Nien News (April 07, 2014)
Da Nang to build stronger homes in disaster prone areas
The central city has created a pilot programme to build stronger houses in disaster-affected areas in co-operation with domestic and foreign insurance companies.
Source: Viet Nam News (April 24, 2015)
Many Vietnam's cities will be submerged due to climate change: official
People in the Central Highlands and nearby provinces are facing the worst drought of the decade, struggling to find drinking water and watching their crops and cattle die.
Source: Thanh Nien News (April 24, 2014)
City weighs US$180-million waste-to-power plant
The HCMC government has urged relevant departments to consider a proposal by a Korean investor to develop a US$180-million plant to burn waste and generate electricity using Stoker technology of South Korea.
Source: Saigon Times (April 1, 2015)
Study finds large dioxin emissions from Vietnam's waste treatment plants
Many incinerators that burn industrial and medical waste in Vietnam are discharging dangerous amounts of dioxin, some at 5,000 times the safe limit, according to a new research.
Source: Thanh Nien News (April 09, 2014)
Grievous misuse of environmental protection fees
The coalition has released its survey on the use of environmental protection fees collected from the mining activities conducted in 30 communes in the northern province of Lao Cai.
Source: Viet Nam Net Bridge (April 23, 2015)
Deforestation in Vietnam is condoned by authorities: official
Vietnam has not been able to stop deforestation as it is either condoned or overlooked by the authorities, a province-level official said at a meeting Thursday.
Source: Thanh Nien News (April 11, 2014)
Villagers become forest guardians as Vietnam fails to stop rampant illegal logging
Dozens of logs around half a meter in diameter piled up in front of the communal house of Kon So Lal Village in Gia Lai Province.
Source: Thanh Nien News (April 24, 2014)
8 Laos trucks caught with suspected smuggled timber in Vietnam
Traffic police in the central province of Nghe An have confiscated eight Laos-registered trucks allegedly laden with smuggled timber.
Source: Thanhnien News (April 10, 2015)
Hydropower plants, resorts cause severe erosion in Hoi An: experts
Experts are blaming the poorly planned construction of hydropower plants and coastal resorts for the increasing erosion in Hoi An, one of the most loved destinations in Vietnam.
Source: Thanh Nien News (April 26, 2014)
Kon Tum forests in Vietnam at risk of disappearance over illegal logging
Vast primeval forests in Nam Sa Thay District of the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum have become the ‘hot spots’ of deforestation recently and been at risk of vanishing because of illegal logging.
Source: Tuoi Tre News (April 23, 2015)
USAID launches wildlife crime tech challenge in VN
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched the Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge to reward innovative science and technology solutions that help combat wildlife trafficking in Vietnam.
Source: Viet Nam Net (April 23, 2015)
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News
Date: 4th May 2015
Li Yuanwen was anxious and unhappy when local government authorities told him to quit farming a piece of land in the Zhenbaodao reserve in Heilongjiang Province in the northeast of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th April 2015
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $22.93 billion in development assistance last year, according to ADB’s 2014 Annual Report, released ahead of its 48th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors to be held 2–5 May in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 27th April 2015
The CEP-supported Roundtable meetings have become a platform for development organizations with active adaptation programs in the GMS to share knowledge, brainstorm approaches, and engage in an ongoing dialogue.
more detailsNews
Date: 27th April 2015
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Cambodia today signed a grant agreement totaling $7.4 million to enhance communities’ resilience to climate change impacts in Koh Kong and Mondulkiri provinces.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 21st April 2015
Welcome to the GMS Environment Update-Issue 2. It is a compilation of recent environment news and articles from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, and the governments of the six GMS countries.
more detailsNews
Date: 19th April 2015
Discussions I’ve had around public-private partnerships (PPPs) in Asia have typically focused on India and the PRC because of their strong deal volumes. Having listened to and interacted with agencies in several ASEAN countries, I believe ASEAN is at an inflection point that could soon make it the bustling PPP market ADB has long been working toward. Here are three reasons why I’m excited about ASEAN:
Click here to read the full blog.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th April 2015
Since 2012, with support from the Asian Development Bank and other international partners, Myanmar has been building an environmental impact assessment (EIA) system to safeguard the country from the adverse environmental effects of economic development.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th April 2015
The Core Environment Program’s (CEP) Maps Portal has been updated with new GIS layers on GMS Special Economic Zones and Cross-border Economic Zones, with a total 165 identified.
more detailsPublication
Date: 14th April 2015
This brief promotes the value of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) to assist GMS decision makers to more effectively balance economic, social, and environmental considerations early in development planning processes. It draws on lessons from the GMS Core Environment Program’s (CEP) experience applying SEA for energy, land use, and subregional strategic planning processes.
more detailsPublication
Date: 14th April 2015
This brief summarizes lessons learned from green freight feasibility analyses conducted under the GMS Core Environment Program between 2010 and 2014. It presents five key messages that policymakers and practitioners need to be aware of while developing strategies and projects to improve road freight fuel efficiency in the GMS. It also provides an overview of the GMS Core Environment Program’s Green Freight Initiative.
more detailsPublication
Date: 14th April 2015
The brief summarizes the current state of GMS knowledge and experience on ecosystem-based approaches. It draws upon work of the GMS Core Environment Program and partner institutions, including findings from the regional workshop “Mainstreaming an Ecosystem-based Approach to Climate Change into Biodiversity Conservation Planning,” which took place 15–16 October 2013 in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
more detailsEvent
Date: 13th April 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 2nd April 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Climate change to hit Lower Mekong hard
Future economic impacts of climate change in the Lower Mekong Basin, including Vietnam, are likely to be wide-ranging and could top US$34 billion annually, according to a report recently released by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Source: Vietnam Net (March 3, 2015)
Laos and China prepare to sign construction contract for high-speed railway project
China and Laos will sign a construction contract for a $7.2 billion high-speed railway project planned by cash-strapped Laos, linking the two neighboring countries and extending to Thailand, the Lao government official is charge of the project said.
Source: Radio Free Asia (March 13, 2015)
Meeting Southeast Asia's ambitious clean energy targets
Southeast Asian countries have set themselves renewable energy targets that are even more ambitious than some European countries, but they are behind schedule in reaching these goals. Government policies and private money are key to its progress.
Source: Eco business (March 26, 2015)
Population increases flood and drought threat to cities
As cities worldwide expand to cope with rising populations, scientists predict a huge increase in urban land vulnerable either to flooding or drought by 2030.
Source: Climate News Network (March 12, 2015)
Eyes in the sky see seas rising alarmingly faster
Scientists analysing sophisticated satellite data warn that rises in sea level more rapid than expected are increasing threats to coastal cities and food security.
Source: Climate News Network (March 27, 2015)
Details of a new tourism marketing strategy and action plan for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) were released 27 February at a workshop supported by the Asian Development Bank and the Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Source: TTR Weekly (March 3, 2015)
China’s dams choking the life from Mekong
More than a Dozen stranded Chinese Cargo barges wallow by the parched banks of the Mekong River in Chiang Saen Chiang rai, Chinese Trading companies, their names emblazoned in Chinese characters, are shuttered.
Source: Chiang Rai Times (March 6, 2015)
International green group calls attention to negative impacts of dam projects in Laos
The development of two dams on the Lower Mekong River in Laos may have potentially devastating impact on the food security and livelihoods of 60 million people in the area, an international environmental group said.
Source: Radio Free Asia (March 23, 2015)
Resurgent interest in a Kra canal poses threat to Dawei project
China is showing interest in reviving long-standing proposals for a deep-water canal through the narrowest part of Thailand’s long peninsula to link the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea.
Source: Mizzima (March 18, 2015)
Zero tariffs on 95 percent of goods from Vietnam, Laos
Tariffs are scheduled to be eliminated on more than 95 percent of goods from Vietnam and Laos.
Source: Viet Nam Plus (March 3, 2015)
Southeast Asia roads hurting wildlife and forests
Habitat loss and illegal hunting are leading drivers behind mammal population decline and extinction in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. But what’s driving these drivers? Road infrastructure, according to research. Dr. Reuben Clements from James Cook University, along with his colleagues, conducted the first-ever comprehensive study examining the impacts of road infrastructure on mammal populations in Southeast Asia. Their findings were recently published in PLOS One.
Source: The Epoch Times (March 21, 2015)
Cambodia
NGOs call out holes in EIA law
The Ministry of Environment is close to finalising a draft environmental impact analysis (EIA) law for development projects, but NGOs and civil society groups raised concerns that the draft law, as it stands, prevents indigenous people who live on the land from opposing such projects.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (March 18, 2015)
Cambodia hopes for global climate pact
Cambodia is particularly at risk from man-made climate change due to its dependence on agriculture and its geography, Minister of Environment Say Sam Al said yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (March 1, 2015)
The Mekong in peril: a view from mid stream
Proposals for mainstream dams on the lower Mekong River threaten the livelihood of more than 60 million people and imperil some of the most biodiverse freshwater life on the planet. Wayne McCallum investigates the Sambor Dam proposal and its potential impact on those who call the river “mother.”
Source: The Advisor (March 12, 2015)
Grave sites a concern at Sesan
Ethnic minority villagers who live in the planned reservoir zone of the Lower Sesan II hydropower project along the Sesan and Srepok rivers have said they will not move from their homes unless the dam company and authorities pay for the removal of their ancestors’ remains.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (March 31, 2015)
Cambodia's largest hydropower project has been redesigned, leading to concerns from environmental groups, but a company official who confirmed the “design optimisation” over the weekend insisted that the Lower Sesan II dam will provide clean, safe energy and have few downstream impacts.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (March 30, 2015)
Major tycoons added to concessions watchlist
Fourteen companies have been added to a Ministry of Environment watchlist for purportedly failing to live up to their investment promises.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (March 10, 2015)
Plantations lose land for encroaching on farms
Environment Minister Say Sam Al on Monday said that more than 9,000 hectares granted to companies as economic land concessions (ELCs) were recently taken back from the owners because local villagers had been farming the land first, and announced that 14 companies had been put on a watch list for violating unspecified regulations.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (March 10, 2015)
Cambodia, the EU and their forests
Cambodia hosts varied and extensive forests covering more than 10.8 million hectares representing 57 per cent of the country’s surface, which includes on one side, the natural forests estimated to 35 per cent of the country’s surface and containing biologically unique landscapes and areas of significant cultural heritage, and on the other side, plantation forests (such as rubber trees) that are potentially very productive.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (March 10, 2015)
Activists decry illegal loggers in Cambodia exporting charcoal to Thailand
Forest and community activists in a northwestern province in Cambodia have expressed concerns about illegal loggers who have started producing charcoal for export to Thailand, destroying protected areas of community forests in the process.
Source: Radio Free Asia (March 16, 2015)
Villagers implicate officials in logging
Three environment officials in Mondulkiri province are being sued by ethnic minority villagers for allegedly using a permit to build two ranger stations as a pretence to illegally log more than 4,000 cubic metres of luxury wood.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (March 10, 2015)
Land dispute: corruption accusation by villagers
More than 200 families embroiled in a land dispute in Battambang province have filed a complaint to the National Assembly’s anti-corruption commission, accusing a commune chief in Bavel district of colluding with the provincial director of land management to solicit bribes for land titles.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (March 11, 2015)
Ethnic villagers demand help from Cambodian government on land grab
Ethnic minority Phnong villagers in eastern Cambodia’s Mondulkiri province have threatened to hold a demonstration against a company they say has encroached on their land, calling on the government to help them protect their rights.
Source: Radio Free Asia (March 19, 2015)
Minister says minorities should rely less on forests
Environment Minister Say Sam Al on Friday pledged to protect the culture of Cambodia’s indigenous minorities, before going on to say that those groups need to learn to survive without relying on the forests they have depended on for centuries.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (March 21, 2015)
First gibbon born in Angkor Park
The 21st century welcomed its first baby gibbon at Cambodia’s Angkor Archaeological Park, in a celebrated step towards the conservation of an endangered species.
Source: The Star (March 19, 2015)
New accountability in disaster management
New articles may be added to a draft law on disaster management, including punishments for officials who break the law.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (March 6, 2015)
Abe pledges ¥19 billion in loans to Cambodia to expand major highway
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has promised ¥19.2 billion in low-interest loans to Cambodia to improve a major highway.
Source: The Japan Times (March 16, 2015)
Cambodia orders temporary halt to sand dredging
Cambodia has ordered a temporary halt to all sand dredging operations in the country's rivers and lakes in order to study the environment and social impact of a practice that has caused deadly river bank collapse incidents.
Source: Radio Free Asia (March 25, 2015)
People’s Republic of China
Environmental issues top major legislative meeting in China
China’s severe environmental problems and government pledges to fix them have dominated the start of the country’s closely watched annual legislative meeting this week, as leaders try to ease public worries about air, water and soil contamination that threatens to derail China’s economic rise.
Source: Asian Correspondent (March 7, 2015)
China hopes novice environment chief will be breath of fresh air
One year after "declaring war" on pollution, China has appointed an inexperienced outsider as its new environment minister tasked with breathing life into a massive clean-up campaign that even optimists say will take decades to complete.
Source: Reuters (March 3, 2015)
Why China can’t fix its environment
The rhetoric is there, but issues of oversight appear to be blocking real progress.
In early March, a debate over China’s action (or inaction) on the environment gripped both Chinese and international media. While air pollution and other environmental degradation have long been widely acknowledged, it was not until Chai Jing, one of China’s best known journalists, unveiled her self-financed 104-minute documentary Under The Dome, which features China’s catastrophic air pollution, that the government’s position on the environment became a nationwide, policy-oriented debate among intellectuals, policymakers, bureaucrats, and the Chinese public.
Source: The Diplomat (March 16, 2015)
China heating up twice as fast as rest of the world
China has been heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world since the middle of the 20th century, said an official of the China Meteorological Administration on March 23, the World Meteorological Day.
Source: China Daily (March 24, 2015)
Global emissions stall in 2014 following slowdown in China's economy
A slowdown in China’s economic growth helped the world to a pause in the upward rise in greenhouse gas emissions last year, according to data released on Friday.
Source: The Guardian (March 13, 2015)
First PE fund for Green Silk Road launched in Beijing
The first-ever private equity fund aimed at improving the ecological environment of the Silk Road Economic Belt was initiated Sunday in Beijing.
Source: China Org (March 9, 2015)
Most of China’s coastal waters heavily polluted
Annual government survey provides sobering assessment of China’s deteriorating coastal waters. Most of China’s coastal waters are heavily polluted according to the China’s State Oceanic Administration in its annual report released today.
Source: The Third Pole (March 11, 2015)
Over 80 EIA institutes and personnel punished
The Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) announced a decision to punish a total of 63 environment impact assessment (EIA) institutes and 22 assessment engineers on Friday, as the ministry vowed to better regulate the industry.
Source: Global Times (March 7, 2015)
Hebei cities dominate top 10 list for smog in Feb
Six cities in Hebei Province made the top 10 in the ranking of 74 major cities in terms of the severity of air pollution in February, with Baoding ranked first, the environment watchdog said on Tuesday.
Source: China Daily (March 18, 2015)
Beijing closes coal power plant to cut pollution
Beijing on Friday closed a large coal-fired power plant in its downtown area, replacing it with a gas-fired plant to cut pollution.
Source: Xinhua (March 20, 2015)
China vows to fight pollution 'with all our might'
Chinese premier Li Keqiang on Thursday renewed pledges to tackle the country’s chronic pollution, without announcing any significant new environmental measures.
Source: The Guardian (March 5, 2015)
How much is pollution costing China's economy?
Pollution issues took center stage at China's recent National People's Congress, with Beijing pledging to come to grips with the problem. But how is this affecting the economy? DW speaks to the ADB's Qingfeng Zhang.
Source: Deutsche Welle (March 18, 2015)
US and Chinese companies dominate list of most-polluting coal plants
Warren Buffet-owned Berkshire Hathaway on list of top 25 companies with least efficient and oldest ‘sub-critical’ coal power plants. The 100 global power companies most at risk from growing pressure to shut highly polluting coal plants have been revealed in a new report from Oxford University.
Source: The Guardian (March 13, 2015)
China approves 1st nuclear power project since 2011
China is reviving growth of its nuclear power industry with approval of its first new project since Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster.
Source: The Financial Times (March 11, 2015)
China cuts Its energy efficiency goal
After claiming big gains in energy savings last year, China has sharply lowered its conservation target for 2015, signaling greater concern about economic growth.
Source: Radio Free Asia (March 23, 2015)
Australian green technology to be trialed in China
Australian smart technology that harvests blast furnace waste and converts it into a new product to make cement, is being trialed for commercialization in China, according to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
Source: China Org (March 16, 2015)
China's hydrogen-powered future starts in trams, not cars
The top speed won't impress anyone, but clean transit might be just what smoggy China needs.
The sleek, orange locomotive that made its debut this month in Qingdao, China, resembles a high-speed bullet train, at least until it moves. But this new vehicle—a tram, not a train—tops out at about 43 miles per hour, a fraction of the 200mph speeds of Japan’s Shinkansen trains.
Source: Bloomberg News (March 26, 2015)
Hainan Airlines makes nation’s first biofuel-powered passenger flight
Hainan Airlines, one of China's largest carriers, announced on Saturday it had completed the country's first passenger flight with biofuel, a milestone for the use of clean energy in the country's aviation industry.
Source: Global Times (March 22, 2015)
We must keep up pressure on China to end the ivory trade
Campaigns to reduce demand for ivory are succeeding in pushing China into action against illegal trafficking, but there is still much more to do.
Source: The Guardian (March 12, 2015)
China plans rural land reform trial
China will carry out a groundbreaking trial programme that may allow farmers to sell land, a senior official said on Wednesday (Mar 4), a step towards liberalising rural real estate transactions currently monopolised by the government.
Source: Channel News Asia (March 4, 2015)
China bans commercial logging in NE forests
Commercial logging will be forbidden in key state forests in northeast China on April 1, said China's forestry watchdog Thursday.
Source: Xinhua (March 26, 2015)
Lao PDR
Growth to moderate at around 7 percent: ADB report
A new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report predicts that Laos will maintain relatively robust growth in 2015 and 2016, supported by the expansion of hydropower and services.
Source: Vientiane Times (March 25, 2015)
Documenting endangered species in the remote mountains of Laos
We have been in the mountains for fifteen days and the team is weary but triumphant. We have crossed lakes and traversed rivers, camped in the rain and trekked through the dense forest in search of the endangered Chinese swamp cypress tree. After adventurous road travel and even sinking boats, we have located remote forests and found the trees we seek.
Source: National Geographic (March 23, 2015)
Shipping runs aground as Mekong hits new lows
The unusually low water levels in the Mekong River have hampered the movement of heavy cargo ships transporting construction materials and other goods from the northern provinces to Luang Prabang.
Source: Vientiane Times (March 24, 2015)
Income from mining declines despite rising output
The mining output in Laos continues to rise but the value of mining exports has declined due to the falling prices of mineral products on the world market.
Source: Vientiane Times (March 10, 2015)
Myanmar
Vast agribusiness concessions mask unprecedented deforestation: report
Myanmar has embarked on an unprecedented campaign of land and forest clearance driven by concessions for large-scale, private agribusiness projects, mostly in contested border territories close to China and Thailand, according to a report released yesterday.
Source: Myanmar Times (March 13, 2015)
Civil societies organisations (CSOs) have criticised the new investment bill for not including provisions on issues like environmental damage caused by projects and action to be taken over land use.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (March 22, 2015)
Reconsider Thanlwin power projects
Six hydropower projects are planned along the Thanlwin River in Myanmar, expecting to generate a total of 15,000 megawatts. They include four projects in Shan State as well as one each in Kayah and Kayin states, namely the Upper Thanlwin-Kunlong hydropower project (1,400MW), Naungpha (1,000MW), Mantaung (400MW), Mongtong –Tarsan (7,000MW), Ywathit (4,500MW), and Hatgyi (1,360MW).
Source: Eleven Myanmar (Mach 30, 2015)
More hydropower projects in the pipeline
Forty-three new hydropower projects with a total power generation capacity of 42,000 megawatt (MW) will be implemented by several joint ventures and build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangements involving foreign and local companies and the Ministry of Electric Power, according to the National Energy Policy drafted by National Energy Management Committee.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (Mach 16, 2015)
Unocal’s production deal marks the return of American energy
US energy giant Chevron inked a Production Sharing Contract with Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise yesterday for offshore block A-5 in Rakhine basin, said a Ministry of Energy official.
Source: Myanmar Times (March 25, 2015)
560 mines discovered, coal output expected to rise
560 new mines have been discovered since May, 2013, according to the National Energy Policy and the National Energy Management Committee.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (Mach 6, 2015)
ADB predicts higher growth, inflation
Economic growth is expected to pick up in the fiscal year starting April 1, but inflation and a rising budget deficit may weigh on the economy, according to economic experts.
Source: Myanmar Times (March 26, 2015)
Reforms to further drive growth
Asian Development Bank forecasts the economic growth rate of 8.3 per cent for Myanmar in the next fiscal year, underpinned by reforms.
Source: The Nation (March 25, 2015)
Can eco-tourism save the Ayeyarwady Dolphins?
The dolphins of the Ayeyarwady River have some new allies in their fight for survival.The Department of Fisheries (DOF) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) are preparing to launch a community-based ecotourism project in the Ayeyarwady Dolphin Protected Area (ADPA).
Source: Myanmar Times (March 26, 2015)
YCDC looks to private sector to solve trash problem
Yangon is handing over its massive trash problem to the highest bidder. The city plans to privatise its trash collection services as the understaffed public cleaning team can’t keep pace with rapid urbanisation and its accompanying swells of rubbish.
Source: Myanmar Times (March 12, 2015)
Thailand
Supply of solar power, renewable energy to double
The Energy Ministry has set the target of doubling electricity generation from renewable energy and solar power by the next 20 years, Energy Minister Narongchai Akrasanee said yesterday.
Source: The Nation (March 24, 2015)
Bangchak's green bond a hit
The first-ever "green bond" by SET-listed Bangchak Petroleum Plc (BCP), a majority state-owned oil refinery and retailer, proved a hit when it was launched yesterday.
Source: Bangkok Post (March 4, 2015)
Renewable energy players undaunted
Even though the price of oil has fallen some 50 per cent from last year's levels, renewable-energy developers have continued being bullish about the competitiveness of wind and solar power against fossil fuels.
Source: The Nation (March 14, 2015)
New emissions tax won't hurt car sales much: minister
Industry Minister Chakramon Phasukavanich has said the restructuring of automobile excise tax to include an emissions levy that will become effective from January 1 next year should not have a significant impact on people's decisions to buy a new car.
Source: The Nation (March 17, 2015)
Activists slam timber investment plan
Foreigner rental idea stirs land grab. The government's proposal to allow foreigners to invest in forestry plantation programmes will lead to a massive land grab, civic groups representatives say.
Source: Bangkok Post (March 19, 2015)
EIA report on Krabi coal port, plant rejected
Experts agree it is misleading, incomplete. The Environment impact assessment (EIA) report on the Klong Rua coal seaport and coal-fired power plant project in Krabi province was rejected yesterday amid pressure from the Protect Krabi Network.
Source: The Nation (March 7, 2015)
Amid northern haze, a burning desire for wealth
As the seasonal smoke worsens, the forest fires caused by a lucrative mushroom trade and other foragers are only exaggerating the problem. Every day, Sai makes her way to a local fresh market in Chiang Mai’s Omkoi district, where she runs a small stand selling vegetables. For much of the year, it’s the 58-year-old’s sole source of income, bringing in less than 300 baht per day.
Source: Bangkok Post (March 29, 2015)
Burning of 8,000 square kilometers of corn fields causing Thai smog
The Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce has revealed that the burning of corn plantations to clear the fields, covering 8,000 square kilometers in the north of Thailand, is the main cause of the severe haze problem facing the region every year.
Source: China Post (March 23, 2015)
New Khao Yai 'corridor' must treat wildlife with care
Fears that the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex will be stripped of its World Heritage Site status have faded from public attention, but the case remains a pressing issue given its new bid to expand road construction.
Source: Bangkok Post (March 20, 2015)
Thailand tests floating homes in region grappling with floods
Nestled among hundreds of identical white and brown two-storey homes crammed in this neighbourhood for factory workers is a house with a trick - one not immediately apparent from its green-painted drywall and grey shade panels.
Source: Reuters (March 4, 2015)
We'll find a solution for SEZs, Prayut says
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha promised yesterday that the government would seek appropriate solutions in a bid to ease investor concerns and concerns over the enforcement of martial law in special economic zones (SEZs).
Source: The Nation (March 17, 2015)
Car-size Stingray may be world’s largest freshwater fish
A giant freshwater stingray caught and released in Thailand provides new insight on threatened species. Scientists working in Thailand’s Mae Klong River made a big find last week: an enormous stingray that they think is a contender for the largest freshwater fish ever documented by researchers.
Source: National Geographic (March 11, 2015)
Viet Nam
Water-resource security a key mission this year
These are challenges facing the country, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, chairman of the council, said last Friday at a meeting held in Ha Noi.
Source: Viet Nam Net Bridge (March 3, 2014)
Green light for energy development master plan
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has approved the designing of a master plan for energy development from 2016-2025.
Source: Viet Nam Net (March 25, 2015)
Ministry urged to assess impact of Mekong River damming
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has told the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to assess impact of hydropower damming in the mainstream Mekong River on residents in the downstream.
Source: Vietnam Net Bridge (March 8, 2015)
Vietnam, Thailand target $15bn two-way trade by 2020
Vietnam and Thailand have pledged to increase their two-way trade to US$15 billion by 2020, as part of the outcomes of the second meeting of the Vietnam-Thailand Joint Committee on bilateral cooperation held in Hanoi on Friday.
Source: Tuoi Tre News (March 21, 2014)
Vietnam plans greener rice cultivation
Vietnam plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rice cultivation alone by 14 percent by 2030.This was announced at a recent conference in Hanoi by an official from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Source: Viet Nam Net Bridge (March 18, 2014)
Vietnam allocates $450 million to clean Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe canal
The negotiations to seek capital for the second phase of the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal upgrade project were completed in 2014, and project implementation will start this year.
Source: Vietnam Net Bridge (March 4, 2015)
Plan on Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park to 2030 approved
The PM has approved a master development plan for Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh to 2030.
Source: Vietnam Net (March 11, 2015)
Ca Mau launches forest programme
The Ca Mau Province People's Committee has approved a plan to lease out forests to develop eco-tourism and breed aquatic species.
Source: Vietnam Net (March 19, 2015)
Environment fee on fuels to triple from May
The National Assembly Standing Committee on March 10 approved a trebling of the environmental protection fees on gasoline except for bio-fuel, diesel and heavy oil from May 1 as proposed by the Government.
Source: The Saigon Times (March 12, 2015)
Experts suggest building reservoirs to control floods in city
Building reservoirs and embankments is one of the measures for HCMC to control floods and adapt to climate change, experts said.
Source: Vietnam Net (March 19, 2015)
more details
Publication
Date: 31st March 2015
Myanmar Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy intends to use ecotourism as a driving force to strengthen the management of Myanmar’s expanding protected areanetwork. It aims to engage all stakeholders to implement ecotourism policies, business models, and management approaches that protect the unique ecosystems of Myanmar, and celebrate indigenous groups that havemade these special areas their home.
more detailsVideo
Date: 29th March 2015
Much economic growth in Asia and the Pacific has been fueled by unsustainable use of natural resources. While this has led to increased prosperity, it has also created immense pressure on natural capital. This video shines a light on regional cooperation programs that ADB has sponsored or lent weight to such as the Greater Mekong Subregion Core Environment Program and the Heart of Borneo and Coral Triangle initiatives.
more detailsNews
Date: 25th March 2015
The first building block of the new post-2015 global arena is in place.
Last week, representatives from 187 UN member states agreed at the 3rd International Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan to adopt a new international agreement to foster greater disaster resilience across the globe.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 25th March 2015
Up to 88% of the people affected by natural disasters worldwide in the past 45 years live in the Asia and Pacific, where economic losses from catastrophes have jumped to around $75 billion per year.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 25th March 2015
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has become the first multilateral development bank accredited to receive financing from the Green Climate Fund for projects to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation in its developing member countries.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 22nd March 2015
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao today met Premier Li Keqiang of the People’s Republic of China and discussed deepening the partnership between ADB and the PRC. During his two day visit to Beijing, Mr. Nakao also participated in the China Development Forum and held a bilateral meeting with Finance Minister Lou Jiwei.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 19th March 2015
Welcome to the GMS Environment Update-Issue 1. It is a compilation of recent environment news and articles from the GMS Core Environment Program, the Asian Development Bank, and the governments of the six GMS countries.
more detailsNews
Date: 18th March 2015
Climate change: Who will save Asia, and the world?
As part of the ADB’s annual No Impact Week, ADB senior management officials and experts engaged top youth debaters to discuss the best and most urgent approach to tackle global warming.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th March 2015
more detailsEvent
Date: 13th March 2015
Following the first consultation workshop in early January, the 2nd stakeholder consultation workshop to revise Myanmar’s draft Environmental Quality (Emission) Guidelines was held in Yangon.
more detailsNews
Date: 12th March 2015
The President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Takehiko Nakao, today met Thongsing Thammavong, Prime Minister of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Finance Minister Liane Thykeo, Minister for Planning and Investment Somdy Douangdy, and Education and Sports Vice Minister Kongsy Sengmany, to discuss ADB’s support for efforts to ensure recent strong economic growth is sustainable and benefits all citizens.
Click here to read the full news release.
more detailsNews
Date: 12th March 2015
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised $500 million from an inaugural green bond issue, aimed at channeling more investor funds to ADB projects that promote low-carbon and climate-resilient economic growth and development in developing Asia.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 12th March 2015
As global leaders convene in Sendai, Japan, they have possibly the biggest-ever opportunity to build the infrastructure and other defences the world needs to withstand the worst ravages of typhoons, earthquakes, droughts and other disasters.
Click here to read more.
more detailsEvent
Date: 11th March 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 11th March 2015
In the ADB report Toward an Environmentally Sustainable Future: Country Environmental Analysis of the People's Republic of China, PRC policy makers were urged to initiate comprehensive fiscal, economic, and legal measures to achieve the country's ambitious ecological progress objectives.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th March 2015
The Government of Myanmar has made public its latest environment information via a new website aiming to support government planners to make effective development decisions and realize sustainable development goals.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th March 2015
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $35 million loan to help finance a bus rapid transit system and other transport innovations to improve traffic flows in Vientiane, the fast growing capital of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th March 2015
A host of new activities to scale up CEP support for climate change adaptation planning in the GMS are officially underway following a regional inception meeting in Bangkok on 10 March.
more detailsEvent
Date: 8th March 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 5th March 2015
A suite of pilot projects to help freight truck companies in Thailand become more competitive and environmentally friendly were launched in Bangkok on Friday 6 March.
more detailsNews
Date: 5th March 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Floods, storms and heat projected to cost SE Asia $34 billion per year
Falling crop yields, damage to infrastructure and heat-related illnesses brought on by climate change could cost the four Southeast Asian countries of the lower Mekong River basin $34 billion per year, researchers say.
Source: Reuters (February 23, 2015)
Mekong countries, Japan eye new development strategy beyond 2015
The leaders of Japan and five Southeast Asian countries along the Mekong River plan to craft a new strategy in July for Tokyo to contribute to sustainable development of the Mekong region beyond 2015, a senior Japanese official said Thursday.
Source: Bangkok Post (February 19, 2015)
When construction of the Xayaburi dam's second stage began late last month, fishermen in villages along the Mekong River grew concerned that unpredictable man-made tides will further decimate fish populations and force the fishermen out of work
Source: Bangkok Post (February 16, 2015)
Tiger nations to set up anti-poaching network
Around 100 experts, government and law enforcement officials attended the five-day summit, co-hosted by Nepal and conservation group WWF to hammer out a regional plan to fight poaching in Asia.
Source: Phuket News (February 7, 2015)
Critics fear effects of Lao dam project
Sun Thaya has depended on his taxi boat for his income for years. On average, he said, he earns around 200,000 kips a month, or about $25, to take tourists to see river dolphins on the border between Laos and Cambodia. When there are no tourists, the Lao boatman just fishes in the area to feed his family.
Source: Voice of America (February 25, 2015)
Laos faces pressure to stall decision on Lower Mekong River dam
Laos is facing increasing pressure to delay construction of a 260 megawatt dam on the Lower Mekong River because of concerns about its environmental and social impacts. A gathering last week in Laos highlights the continuing controversy surrounding the project.
Source: VOA News (February 9, 2015)
East Asia and the Pacific: extraordinary meeting of the Friends of the Lower Mekong
On February 2, Counselor Tom Shannon and Senior Advisor to the Secretary Ambassador David Thorne led a U.S. delegation to the Extraordinary Meeting of the Friends of the Lower Mekong in Pakse, Laos. The Friends of the Lower Mekong, a donor coordination group, came together with the countries of the Lower Mekong to discuss the connection between water resources, energy needs and food security. Accompanying Counselor Shannon and Ambassador Thorne were representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy.
Source: Korea News Gazette (February 06, 2015)
Laos, Vietnam begin 1-stop customs
The single-window inspection system was launched on Friday at the Lao Bao checkpoint in Laos' Savannakhet province and Dansavanh in the Vietnamese province of Quang Tri, the Vientiane Times reported on Monday.
Source: Bangkok Post (February 9, 2015)
Cambodia
The economic impact of climate change in Cambodia could be highly damaging to rural areas and worker productivity, according to a report from American development agency USAID, which applied climate projections for 2050 to today’s Mekong Basin economies.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (February 25, 2015)
The number of families newly affected by land disputes last year was three times that of 2013, according to figures documented by local rights group Licadho.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (February 20, 2015)
Cambodia leader says work on mega-dam will not start until at least 2018
Construction of a massive dam in southwestern Cambodia will not start until at least 2018, prime minister Hun Sen said on Tuesday, in an apparent effort to stop heavy opposition to the project which has focused criticism on him.
Source: Guardian (February 24, 2014)
Activist ‘thorn in govt’s side’
As opposition grew yesterday over plans to remove Areng dam activist Alex Gonzalez-Davidson from the country when his visa expires later this week, analysts said the government was hoping to clear the way to develop the valley.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (February 16, 2015)
Environmental groups urge Cambodia PM to press Laos to cancel dam project
Conservation groups have called on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to press Lao President Choummaly Sayasone to postpone the construction of the much-criticized Don Sahong dam project on the Mekong River in Laos.
Source: Radio Free Asia (February 25, 2015)
Four Vietnamese charged over taking logs from Mondolkiri
Four Vietnamese nationals were charged on Tuesday with illegally collecting first-grade logs from the forest after they were arrested while transporting the wood from Mondolkiri province’s border-hugging Koh Nhek district to Vietnam.
Source: Cambodia Daily (February 11, 2015)
Lao PDR
Govt steps up Hin Nam Nor protected area management
The government is taking steps to better supervise the country's potential first natural World Heritage Site, the Hin Nam Nor National Protected Area in Khammuan province, by launching a new management office.
Source: Vientiane Times (February 19, 2015)
Don Sahong dam prior consultation process ends
The government has closed the prior consultation process for the Don Sahong hydropower project in Champassak province but will continue to discuss ways to provide safeguards, a top energy official has said.
Source: Vientiane Times (February 7, 2015)
Laos split over Mekong River dam construction
The Laos government has been sharply rebuked by regional governments and environmentalists for ignoring their concerns and pressing ahead with plans to construct yet another dam on the Mekong River. In southern Laos’ Don Det, local communities share many of those concerns, but not everybody is against the dam at nearby Don Sahong.
Source: Voice of America (February 18, 2015)
Green inspires urban teens to protect the environment
How can we preserve the stunning nature of Laos? Why shouldn't we litter? What will happen if all the forest is lumbered and sold abroad? Why should we stop eating wildlife?
Source: Vientiane Times (February 19, 2015)
Myanmar
Myanmar ‘threatened by climate change,’ according to world survey
Myanmar is on the list of the 25 countries worldwide that could be most affected by climate change, according to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index 2015 just released.
Source: Mizzima (February 5, 2015)
Ministry to launch Environment Protection System next month
After years of delay, the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry expects to approve a set of environmental quality guidelines by the end of March, officials said on Wednesday.
Source: Irrawaddy (February 19, 2015)
58 hydropower projects in the pipeline
A total of 58 hydropower projects being implemented under the special energy programme of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are expected to be completed within five or 10 years, according to a World Bank report.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (February 23, 2015)
Govt focuses on Ayeyarwady dam plans
The Myanmar government plans to focus efforts on building 20 hydropower plants within the Ayeyarwady River basin, according to HydroPower news on February 27.
Source: Mizzima (February 28, 2015)
UK, Canada consider action over mine sale
The British government is examining allegations by Amnesty International that the British Virgin Islands was used to skirt international sanctions on the sale of a controversial copper mining project at Monywa.
Source: Myanmar Times (February 19, 2015)
Forests alongside Ayeyawady River endangered, survey shows
Popular surveys conducted in 17 places along the Ayeyawady River show that forests in the greater Mandalay Region have been depleted.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (February 19, 2015)
Care needed with tourism development: report
Myanmar needs to take care in how it develops its tourism to avoid the potential for negative impacts on the environment, society and human rights, according to a report just out.
Source: Mizzima (February 24, 2015)
Tourism destinations already under strain, survey finds
Making sure tourism does more good than harm – that is the aim of research conducted by the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business, whose results were released on February 20 at the MAC Tower in Yangon.
Source: Myanmar Times (February 27, 2015)
Expert warns of coal power’s health costs
Before giving permission to build coal-fuelled power plants, the government should conduct health assessments of those living near existing projects, mining expert Saw Moe Myint told a forum on power supplies.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (February 2, 2015)
Shell Myanmar energy to spend US$1.2 bn on offshore oil exploration
Shell Myanmar Energy is poised to spend US$1.2 billion on offshore oil and gas exploration and provide $61 million as a signature bonus to state-run Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), the Energy Ministry has announced.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (February 24, 2015)
Rural growth relies on access to markets
With up 70 percent of the population dependant on income from agriculture to a large degree, it is important that people in rural areas are able to take advantage of opportunities. There are still significant barriers on the road to rural development.
Source: Myanmar Times (February 20, 2015)
Development can cripple environment, forum told
Mismanaged development projects destroy biodiversity and spark climate disorder, drought, inefficient cultivation and energy shortages, an environmental forum held between Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam in Nay Pyi Taw heard.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (February 15, 2015)
Myanmar has only 150 tigers left
The Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry is carrying out tiger conservation tasks as only about 150 tigers are left in the country, according to forestry officials.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (February 06, 2015)
Myanmar’s crocodile species endangered
There are four crocodile species that live in Myanmar. Among the four species, three are now endangered. The Nature and Wildlife Conservation Department under the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry is now carrying out measures to preserve the rare crocodile species.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (February 04, 2015)
Rogue 'electro-fishing' puts river dolphins at risk in Myanmar
On a pale blue dawn on the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar, Maung Lay crouched at the front of his canoe, rapping the gunwale with a short stick. He then made a throaty, high-pitched purr, like the ringtone of an old telephone: his call for assistance.
Source: National Geographic (February 17, 2015)
Myanmar to promote cooperative fishing between men, dolphins
Authorities in Myanmar are trying to promote the resurgence of cooperative fishing with freshwater dolphins, a practice which has been lost as the species becomes endangered.
Source: Mizzima (February 23, 2015)
People’s Republic of China
China is turning fecal sludge Into ‘Black Gold’
Heinz-Peter Mang is obsessed with turning human waste into gold. As millions of Chinese move to cities, the German engineer is convinced the country is on the way to hitting the jackpot.
Source: Bloomberg News (February 1, 2015)
China slates environment ministry after graft probe
China's main anti-graft body reprimanded the environment ministry on Tuesday for a series of problems, including interference by ministry officials and their relatives in environmental impact assessments.
Source Channel News Asia (February 10, 2015)
As China gets richer, the world gets dirtier — and will have to choose more growth and being green
The Kyoto Protocol was signed 10 years ago. It represented one of the biggest international commitments on climate change and carbon dioxide emissions that have ever been made — but, according to recent data, the world’s climate is still in peril.
Source: The Independent (February 27, 2015)
China demand for tiger parts fuelling poaching: experts
Conservationists must try to reduce the demand for tiger parts in China as part of a campaign to save the big cats, wildlife experts warned at an anti-poaching conference in Kathmandu.
Source: Reuters (February 3, 2015)
Beijing air quality set to worsen as Lunar New Year approaches
The air quality in Beijing is expected to worsen in the next few days, possibly due to fireworks.
Source Channel News Asia (February 17, 2015)
Thailand
Thai crops to suffer worst drought in 15 years
Thailand will experience its worst drought in more than a decade this year, the irrigation department said on Thursday, damaging crops in one of the world's biggest rice-exporting nations.
Source: Reuters (February 5, 2015)
After 12 years of legal battles, the Mae Moh villagers' lawsuits against the country's energy giant ended with a painful lesson that puts a big question mark over the government's plans to push for more "dirty" development schemes.
Source: Bangkok Post (February 27, 2015)
Coal's day is over, but it's trying to hang on
Momentum seems to be building for a global deal at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris this December. With this sense of optimism comes a keen awareness that the use of fossil fuels must be phased out globally as rapidly as possible. Indeed, the idea that greenhouse-gas emissions should be reduced to zero by 2050 is gaining wider acceptance.
Source: Bangkok Post (February 25, 2015)
Why a power plant is bad news for Krabi
Plans by the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONREPP) to re-designate parts of coastal community areas in Krabi as an environmental protection zone may sound like a good news for local conservationists. But this is not necessarily so.
Source: Bangkok Post (February 20, 2015)
Fossil fuel habit puts energy future at risk
The discovery of the first commercial natural gas field in the Gulf of Thailand in 1981 was hailed as a milestone that would propel Thailand to economic prosperity.
Source: Bangkok Post (February 12, 2015)
A brighter course for the Mekong
More than four decades ago, as a young lieutenant in the "brown-water navy", my crew and I journeyed down the Mekong River on an American gunboat. Even with the war all around us, in quiet moments we couldn't help but be struck by the beauty and the power of the river — the water buffalo, the seafood we traded with local fishermen, the mangrove on the sides of the river and inlets.
Source: Bangkok Post (February 11, 2015)
Is lower growth a 'sustainable' blessing in disguise?
Economic numbers and growth prospects seem to make few people happy these days. But unless we are among the desperately poor or unemployed with few prospects of changing our lot, perhaps we should not feel bad.
Source: Bangkok Post (February 04, 2015)
Ivory traders, owners must register
Traders, owners or people acquiring ivory extracted from domesticated elephants and relevant products are required to register the ivory with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) from March 22 until April 21.
Source: The Nation (February 1, 2015)
Poachers in the crosshairs
The raid last week on the Kanchanaburi "tiger temple" is a firm step in the right direction in protecting wild animals. There is no known proof that the monks at Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua were directly involved in wildlife trafficking. But virtually every activity of the temple was a wink, a nod or outright acts of endangering the animals. In addition to around 100 live tigers, raiding officers of the Ratchaburi province division of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment found 38 hornbills and other protected birds.
Source: Bangkok Post (February 10, 2015)
Overfishing drives Thai boats to use more slave labour, sail further
Decades of overfishing and the international demand for cheap seafood mean Thai boats are increasingly turning to slave labour as fishermen flee worsening working conditions, a rights group said on Wednesday.
Source: Channel News Asia (February 26, 2015)
From Bangkok to Bhutan, growing cities race to outrun disasters
Asia's fast-growing cities are struggling to build the roads, waste management and drinking water systems that could help protect their swelling populations from climate-related disasters, said city leaders from across the region.
Source: Reuters (February 12, 2015)
Viet Nam
Forest sector sets out path for development
Viet Nam has set a target to increase forest coverage to 42 per cent in 2015 - an increase of 5 per cent over that of 2014.
Source: Vietnam News (February 7, 2014)
First forest leased for research and conservation purposes
The management of Dong Chau Protective Forest in central Quang Binh have signed a contract for the Viet Nature Conservation Centre to lease forest land for scientific research and conservation.
Source: Dan Tri News (February 9, 2015)
Biodiversity conservation project green-lighted
The Prime Minister has approved a project on central-level biodiversity conservation and sustainable usage of eco-forestry services, using Germany’s non-refundable official development assistance (ODA).
Source: Vietnam Plus (February 6, 2015)
Northern farmers take part in project to restore luong forests
Dr. Dang Thinh Trieu from the Vietnam Forestry Science Institute said the luong forests in Vietnam have been deteriorating because of bad soil, insects and overexploitation.
Source: Vietnam Net Bridge (February 28, 2015)
Climate change response developed in Mekong Delta
The Southern Institute for Water Resources Planning (SIWRP) has implemented a master plan to build three irrigation systems in response to climate change in Can Tho, Ca Mau and Vinh Long – the three most severely inundated cities in the Mekong Delta.
Source: Vietnam Net (February 26, 2015)
Critically endangered pangolins rescued, then sold as food
In some of the more bizarre food news this month: Police in Vietnam’s northern Bac Ninh province recently seized 42 live, critically endangered Sunda Pangolins from poachers, fined the culprits, and delivered the animals to forest rangers for safekeeping—at which point those forest rangers proceeded to undo all this valiant action by selling the animals off to local restaurants. They secured almost $12,000 for the illegal meat, leaving the creatures to have their tongues cut out and their scales plucked off.
Source: Guardian (February 20, 2015)
Tram Chim National Park deserves Ramsar title
Located in Tam Nong district of the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, Tram Chim National Park boasts a rich biodiversity that turned it into the world’s 2000 th Ramsar site in 2012. Established in 1985, the 7,313-hectare Tram Chim became a national park in 1998 and then the fourth Ramsar site in Vietnam.
Source: Vietnam Net (February 25, 2015)
2015 Vietnam Environment Award launched
The biennial awards will be given on the occasion of World Environment Day, June 5.
Source: Vietnam Breaking News (February 27, 2015)
Waste treatment plants to become operational in 2015
Several waste treatment plants in Ha Noi's outlying districts of Dan Phuong, Phu Xuyen, My Duc, Ba Vi and Soc Son are expected to become operational this year.
Source: Vietnam News (February 25, 2015)
more details
Publication
Date: 3rd March 2015
This ADB e-news product captures the highlights of a number of key events in the GMS Program related to environment, transport, power, and labor.
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st March 2015
more detailsNews
Date: 24th February 2015
Projects targeting the fuel efficiency of road freight transport in Lao PDR and Viet Nam officially began in early February following inception meetings in the two countries.
more detailsNews
Date: 23rd February 2015
Buses, trains, bikes, and river ferries are only for poor people. Prosperous people use private cars in cities that are laced with highways.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 19th February 2015
After years of delay, the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry expects to approve a set of environmental quality guidelines by the end of March, officials said on Wednesday.
Read the full article here.
more detailsNews
Date: 12th February 2015
Safeguards to avert damage that development projects can do to the environment and communities are essential in development finance. For practitioners, safeguard measures are in the spotlight amid the World Bank Group reviewing its safeguard policy and the entry of two new multilateral lenders from emerging economies. Moreover, heightened concerns over climate change from the latest projections of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are upping the ante that these defenses are implemented effectively.
Read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 10th February 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Failing to protect nature's capital could cost businesses trillions
Nature is like an angel investor in the global economy: financially significant, yet widely unknown. The global pharmaceuticals industry, for example, is worth some $640bn. But few know that up to 50% of this market is based on the genetic diversity of wild species. Mangroves in Thailand are worth about $1,000 per hectare if exploited for wood. If left intact, the value of these coastal forests for flood protection, carbon capture and fish breeding grounds is more than $21,000 a hectare.
Source: The Guardian (January 28, 2015)
more detailsNews
Date: 4th February 2015
A great deal hinges on a worldwide agreement to reduce carbon emissions at a summit in Paris this year. Some momentum is finally building for securing unified commitments from nearly 200 countries. But to avert a climate catastrophe in time, far more will be needed from countries, beyond what a multilateral agreement alone can bring.
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more detailsPublication
Date: 4th February 2015
Space technology and geographic information systems (GIS) have now become valuable tools in helpingdevelopment organizations achieve their missions. They can be applied to various development sectorsincluding agriculture, rural development, and food security; education; energy; environment; climatechange; health; pubic management and governance (especially disaster risk management); transport; urbandevelopment; and water management.
more detailsNews
Date: 29th January 2015
ADB environment support to Myanmar was boosted on 30 January following the signing of a Letter of Agreement (LOA) with the environment ministry for the GMS Core Environment Program (CEP).
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th January 2015
This formal gathering of ministers aimed to build a shared understanding among government and non-government environment leaders on key natural capital issues and solutions. During the meeting, the GMS Natural Capital Partnership considered and the closed door session provided a platform for Ministers to give directions and discuss approaches for addressing environment issues faced by the GMS. The 3-days of events concluded with the release of the Joint Ministerial Statement, which is expected to provide political support and direction for increasing investments in natural capital, driven by the WGE, and with continuing support from the Core Environment Program.
more detailsNews
Date: 28th January 2015
NAY PYI TAW, MYANMAR (29 January 2015) – Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries pledged to redouble efforts to protect and enhance their natural assets—including forests, farmlands, wetlands and water bodies—to ensure they contribute to inclusive and sustainable development, amid concerns that failure to take action threatens the subregion’s growth prospects.
more detailsNews
Date: 28th January 2015
Thirty-six youth leaders from the Greater Mekong subregion (GMS) embarked on an opportunity of a lifetime when they were selected to be part of the GMS Youth Caravan, an eight-day trip around the GMS countries that culminated in the 2nd GMS Youth Forum (YF2) and GMS Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on 19-20 December 2014.
Read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 27th January 2015
Increasing Investments in Natural Capital in the Greater Mekong Subregion
The Natural Capital Dialogue brought together senior GMS government officials, international experts and a wide range of stakeholders to discuss the significance of natural capital in the context of inclusive and sustainable development in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). Occurring ahead of the 4th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting (EMM4), the Natural Capital Dialogue presented an important opportunity to draw public and business sector attention to the need to increase investments in the Subregion’s natural capital.
more detailsEvent
Date: 26th January 2015
Theme: Investing in Natural Capital is Investing in Youth
Overview
As emphasized in the Future We Want outcome document from Rio+20, youth are “custodians of the future” and have an essential role in helping achieve sustainable development. If engaged and empowered, GMS youth have the potential to drive the changes needed to ensure a sustainable future for their own and future generations.
more detailsEvent
Date: 26th January 2015
Every three years, environment ministers from the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries gather to take stock of environment challenges and opportunities, and set the direction for regional responses under the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.
more detailsEvent
Date: 26th January 2015
Theme: Designing mechanisms and building partnerships for the strategic planning and management of transboundary and other biodiversity landscapes
Overview
Biodiversity landscapes constitute a large proportion of the natural capital remaining in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). They are a rich repository of globally important biodiversity, including many endemic and endangered species, and provide vital ecosystem services. This wealth of natural capital underpins the subregion’s security in terms of energy, food, and water. Seven of these landscapes cut across international borders. These transboundary biodiversity landscapes (TBLs), which are the focus of the GMS Core Environment Program, lie in juxtaposition to the GMS economic corridors, providing both challenges and opportunities for their effective management and conservation.
more detailsEvent
Date: 26th January 2015
Theme: Investing in Natural Capital: Public Private Cooperation for Future Prosperity in the Greater Mekong Subregion
Overview
The Fourth GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting emphasized the need to strengthen collaboration between governments, development partners, business sector, and civil society in order to find ways to maintain and enhance the region’s natural capital stocks. A key step was the need to strengthen collaboration and coordination between businesses, government, and/or civil society in ways that are demonstrably good for business, local livelihoods and for the protection and enhancement of the subregion’s natural capital. In this context the Natural Capital Business Forum engaged the businesses in their capacity as a beneficiary of public sector investments as well as the investors in economic activities associated with natural capital.
more detailsDate: 22nd January 2015
4th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting
27–29 January 2015, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
Media Advisory
Every three years environment leaders from the six Greater Mekong Subregion countries gather to assess the subregion’s environment challenges and opportunities, and set the direction for regional responses. The 4th GMS Environment Ministers Meeting (EMM4) will bring together over 200 leading policy and decision makers from government and non-government over 3-days under the theme “Increasing Investments in Natural Capital in the GMS.” Further information, including agendas and speaker bios: www.gms-eoc.org
more detailsNews
Date: 21st January 2015
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) comprises Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and the Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces of the People's Republic of China. Connected by the Mekong River, the subregion covers 2.6 million square kilometers and has a combined population of about 332 million. The GMS has been one of the fastest growing regions in the world, with gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaging over 9.5% annually between 2000 and 2009.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 18th January 2015
The Viet Nam Government recognized Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) support for improving the country’s management of natural resources and environment at an awards ceremony held in Hanoi on 15 January 2015.
more detailsNews
Date: 6th January 2015
Greater Mekong Subregion
Lima: Climate Change optimism returns to earth
The Lima Climate Change Conference (COP20), held under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), concluded in the early hours of Sunday morning, when agreement was finally reached on a five-page text officially known as the “Lima Call for Climate Action.” The nations of the world had begun the conference riding a wave of optimism as the recently announced U.S.-China climate deal raised hopes that it would spur the rest of the world to action. However, the positive feelings quickly faded and it became clear that the old political divisions between the developed and developing world largely remained, meaning that many challenges still need to be overcome before the crucial conference (COP21) at Paris next year.
Source: The Diplomat (December 17, 2014)
Difficult Lima talks reach acceptable deal on climate change
The annual United Nations climate talks finally wrapped up in Lima, Peru, in the wee hours of Sunday, achieving an acceptable but not satisfying result and leaving unresolved issues to the climate conference in Paris in December 2015.
Source: Xinhuanet (December 14, 2014)
Laos: controversial dams on the Mekong
Cash strapped, landlocked Laos plans to turn itself into the "battery of Southeast Asia" by transforming its plentiful rivers with hydropower projects. But two new dams on the storied Mekong River have many concerned.
Source: Deutsche Welle (December 25, 2014)
The growing Mekong controversy
Mekong consultants have exposed serious flaws in the Don Sahong Dam project, which continues regardless.
A battle is raging over the swirling currents, the rock pools, and rapids beneath the spectacular waterfalls of Si Phan Don [The 4000 Islands] – a unique wetlands area in southern Laos, where a Malaysian company seeks to build a controversial hydro-electric dam.
Source: Diplomat (December 29, 2014)
Mekong countries short-change the environment
Grand talk about climate change at the Bangkok summit just ended, but a mere sliver of funding
The leaders of the member-countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) - Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam - need to pay closer attention and put more effort into protecting the environment.
Source: The Nation (December 23, 2014)
Greater Mekong Subregion likely still a decade away
With the vast Chinese market on its northern doorstep, it is being touted as the next big growth area in Southeast Asia. And it is due to receive a US$51.5 billion (S$67 billion) boost when Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) leaders meet last week in Bangkok.
Source: The Nation (December 20, 2014)
ADB, Australia assist Mekong push to promote private sector
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Australian government are providing combined grant assistance of US$10.5 million to promote private sector development in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries ahead of the inception of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) next year.
Source: The Nation (December 8, 2014)
China, Thailand pledge closer relationship
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha here on Monday and they pledged to further boost the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Source: Xinhuanet (December 22, 2014)
Tiger and wild cat trade from Myanmar to China growing
The trade in tigers and other wild cat parts from Myanmar into China has grown in recent years, a new study based on two decades of survey data suggests.
Source: BBC News (December 22, 2014)
Cambodia, Vietnam vow to boost bilateral ties
Cambodia and Vietnam have vowed to boost bilateral ties following a state visit by Vietnamese president Truong Tan Sang and a high-level delegation at the invitation of Cambodian king Norodom Sihamoni from December 23 to 24.
Source: Diplomat (December 25, 2014)
Cambodia
Environmental impact draft law in final stages
The Environment Ministry is in the final stages of completing a draft law on environmental impact assessments (EIAs) that would require all major construction projects to undergo an inspection before breaking ground, according to a statement released Thursday by Vishnu Law Group, which has worked with the ministry on the draft.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (December 5, 2014)
Rights Commission meets Environment Minister
The National Assembly’s human rights commission met on Friday with Environment Minister Say Sam Al to deliver its recommendation that the government review private land concessions held by four companies locked in land disputes with villagers in Koh Kong province, officials said.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (December 13, 2014)
Government axes some 58,000 hectares in ELCs
The government has cancelled five economic land concessions totalling nearly 58,000 hectares, saying the concessionaires failed to live up to the terms of their concessions, according to documents obtained yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 29, 2014)
Officials charged over logging
Two police chiefs in Ratanakkiri province were charged and imprisoned on Saturday for allegedly allowing illegal logging by Vietnamese nationals in the area.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 29, 2014)
Camera traps reveal rare wildlife living in Virachey’s ‘paper park’
For the first time ever in Virachey National Park, conservation NGO HabitatID has captured photos of the stumped-tail macaque. “The local villagers said they were there, but the NGOs had never photographed them, so there was no official record of them living in Virachey,” said Greg McCann, field director at HabitatID.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (December 20, 2014)
ADB lends Cambodia $67 Million
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has offered Cambodia a $67 million loan to support three initiatives to improve the country's water supply, tourism, and financial sectors.
Source: Khmer Times (December 19, 2014)
Cambodia to get $144m in development aid from China
China will pledge at least US$144 million in grants and loans for Cambodia's economic development, officials said yesterday.
Source: The Nation (December 30, 2014)
Wah Seong inks power deal with Cambodia
Wah Seong Corp Bhd's indirect subsidiary P.M.T.I Energy (Cambodia) Co. Ltd. has entered into a power purchase agreement with Cambodia's Baitang (Kampuchea) Plc to sell up to 3.5 megawatt (MW) per hour of any and all electric energy generated and available for sale.
Source: The Sun Daily (December 9, 2014)
Lao PDR
Environmentalists skeptical ahead of Laos meeting on hydropower dam
The four-nation Mekong River Commission (MRC) this week holds public consultations on the development of a large hydropower dam in southern Laos.
Source: VOA News (December 9, 2014)
Endangered mussel still harvested for food in Laos
Margaritifera laosensis is the only freshwater pearl mussel species known to inhabit tropical water systems, and is a traditional part of the diet of villagers in Northern Laos. However, the species is listed as Endangered by the IUCN. A study published recently in mongabay.com’s open-access journal Tropical Conservation Science found that the dwindling populations of the bivalve would benefit from a ban on their capture.
Source: Mongabay (December 29, 2014)
A proposed dam on the Mekong River would provide energy for the region, but at a significant environmental cost
Fishers and farmers have for some time tried to block a proposed dam on the Mekong River in southern Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Most recently, they made their views known at a public consultation on the Don Sahong dam. In all likelihood, however, they will lose and the dam will be built. “Great Gamble on the Mekong,” a new documentary from filmmaker and journalist Tom Fawthrop, insightfully details the probable dire consequences of this dam, and the failure this represents for a once-promising extra-legal cooperative structure, the Mekong River Commission.
Source: Epoch Tmes (December 29, 2014)
Activists slam Lao dam hearings
Civil society groups on Thursday criticised the Lao government over delays to public hearings for the controversial 260-megawatt Don Sahong hydropower dam.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 1, 2014)
Myanmar
Despite challenges, FDI in energy sector set to surge
While Myanmar faces a host of challenges, like other developing nations, its oil and gas sector is likely to win more foreign investment in the years to come, participants in the "Offshore E&P Summit Myanmar 2014" were told.
Source: The Nation (December 24, 2014)
Illegal wood seized in Nay Pyi Taw, Bago raids
More than 10 tonnes of illegal timber was seized in a single day in raids in Nay Pyi Taw and Bago Region, the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry announced last week.
Source: Myanmar Times (December 22, 2014)
Protection planned for rare bonsai mangrove specimens
Environmental managers are to establish a protected zone for bonsai mangroves in Gwa township, southern Rakhine State, said U Toe Aung, staff officer of the mangrove section of the forestry department of the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry.
Source: Myanmar Times (December 22, 2014)
Pilot project targets forest conservation
In an effort to persuade local farmers to change age-old patterns of cultivation that risk depleting forest resources, the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry has launched a pilot project for hill-forest conservation in Shan State, in cooperation with China and Laos.
Source: Myanmar Times (December 25, 2014)
4 forestry officials killed in Shan state
Four government officials were killed on December 27 by members of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SAA) in Linkhay district, Shan State, according to officials at the Shan State police station.
Source: The Nation (December 31, 2014)
2 dolphins killed by electro-fishing in Irrawaddy River, conservationists say
The already dwindling population of Irrawaddy dolphins in Burma now faces a new threat: electric shock.Two young carcasses of the rare species were found late last week on the bank of the Irrawaddy River in Min Gun Township, just north of Mandalay. Locals said the bodies were believed to have died from electric shock, an illegal fishing method used to shore up a quick and abundant catch.
Source: Irrawaddy (December 8, 2014)
2014 sees record number of land disputes
Land disputes have become a worsening problem in Myanmar in 2014, affecting a larger number of local farmers, said Khine Maung Yi, a member of the Farmland Investigation Commission (FIC).
Source: The Nation (December 25, 2014)
Woman shot dead while protesting China-backed mine in Myanmar: Govt
A government spokesman said a woman was shot dead when police clashed with protesters opposing a Chinese-backed copper mine in Myanmar.
Source: Channel News Asia (December 23, 2014)
People’s Republic of China
Japan, China officials unite on environmental measures as ties warm
Japanese and Chinese officials agreed Sunday to step up cooperation on energy-conservation and environmental measures during the first high-level governmental meeting since their leaders last month held official talks for the first time.
Source: Japan Times (December 29, 2014)
China needing more energy, data show
Efforts by the Chinese government to encourage sustainable growth have led to an increase in oil demand, government data released Wednesday show.
Source: Oil Gas Daily (December 24, 2014)
China ahead of schedule with 2014 energy targets
China is doing well of energy-saving targets this year since the government introduced tougher regulations after falling behind in the 2011-2013 period, China's top economic planner said Wednesday.
Source: Xinhua (December 24, 2014)
China issues 190,000 penalties for environmental violators
China's environmental authorities have handed out penalties to roughly 190,000 enterprises for violating environmental protection rules over the past two years.
Source: China Daily (December 24, 2014)
Chemical pollution threatens Yellow River Delta
Just meters from the Yellow River Delta nature reserve in eastern China's Shandong province, farmers are feeling the pain of pollution caused by a petrochemical industry park
Source: China Daily (December 25, 2014)
China drafts new law to fight air pollution: Xinhua
China plans tougher pollution limits and heavier penalties in a revision of its air pollution law, state-run news agency Xinhua said, as the government battles to reduce smog that takes hundreds of thousands of lives each year.
Source: Reuters (December 22, 2014)
Thailand
Thailand approves $643 mln in investment for 13 projects
Thailand's investment agency said on Thursday it has approved applications for 13 projects worth 21.15 billion baht ($643 million), many involving renewable energy and power plants, as the pace of investment recovers after political turmoil early in the year.
Source: Reuters (December 25, 2014)
Charter to boost people’s voice on the environment
The new constitution will empower people to protect their right to live in a healthy environment and manage their own resources, says an environmental scientist who is a member of the charter drafting committee.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 17, 2014)
The year 2014 hasn't been entirely memorable — in a good way, at least — when considering the progress of environmental campaigns.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 15, 2014)
Thailand struggles with dark side of vital fishing industry
The reputation of Thailand's 8-billion-dollar fishing industry is at stake after a series of human trafficking and illegal fishing allegations. The government's latest initiatives have not given much cause for optimism.
Source: The Nation (December 25, 2014)
Oil leaks from grounded tanker
Engine oil has begun leaking from a grounded Indonesian palm oil tanker driven ashore by heavy seas in Narathiwat last month.
Source: Bangkok Post (December 20, 2014)
Viet Nam
Vietnam takes stock of resources
Viet Nam has taken the first step toward valuing its stores of natural resources – called its natural capital - a Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment representative said at a recent workshop in Ha Noi.
Source: Vietnam Net Bridge (December 22, 2014)
Hydropower plants likely to affect Mekong River’s fishery resources: experts
The Mekong River stretches more than 4,800km through six countries: China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It has the second biggest fish output in the world, after the Amazon River, said Nguyen Huu Thien, the former head of Vietnam’s National Advisory Group on assessing strategic environmental impacts of hydropower plants on the Mekong River’s mainstream.
Source: Vietnam Net Bridge (December 27, 2014)
Communities not enabled to protect their forests
Forest ranger officials and residents in the Central region said the protection of forests turned over to communities could not be properly managed due to shortcomings in policies.
Source: Vietnam News (December 25, 2014)
Dak Lak: camphor trees receive national heritage status
Two Long nao trees, scientifically known as Cinnamomum Camphora, at Bao Dai Palace in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak officially received the Vietnam Heritage Tree title at a ceremony on December 17.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 17, 2014)
Quang Tri residents at risk from contaminated water
The authorities in the central Quang Tri Province have made a list of 52 areas that are heavily contaminated with pesticides leaking from unused warehouses.
Source: Vietnam News (December 22, 2014)
PM calls for sustainable management of Mekong River water
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called on all Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) member countries to raise the sense of responsibility for managing and using the Mekong River water resources in a sustainable manner while preserving good values of the river.
Source: Vietnam Net (December 22, 2014)
PM proposes orientations for GMS cooperation
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has proposed four orientations for the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation, stressing the need to ensure the balance of economy, human and environment factors in the partnership.
Source: Vietnam Net (December 22, 2014)
Community key to fighting climate-change
Integration of climate-change adaption strategies into policy development, especially at the community level, is needed to cope with weather changes in Viet Nam's coastal areas, speakers urged at a workshop held in Can Gio last week.
Source: Vietnam Net Bridge (December 23, 2014)
Concerns raised on Laos’ Don Sahong hydroelectric plant
Agricultural officials from 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta expressed their deep concern about Laos’ proposed hydroelectric dam on the Mekong River, saying it would have adverse impacts on the lower section of the river.
Source: Vietnam Net Bridge (December 25, 2014)
Vietnam police detain two men for illegal trade in rhino horns
Environmental police in Hanoi have arrested two men for illicitly trading rhino horns and many tusks, claws, and horns of other wild animal species.
Source: Tuoi Tre News (December 26, 2014)
Thirty-six deputies representing the youth of Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) countries are taking a trip to learn more about the GMS and prepare a message based on their experiences for delivery to GMS ministers at the forthcoming GMS Summit that will take place in Bangkok on December 20.
Source: Vietnam Economic News (December 12, 2014)
Japan aids Viet Nam's disaster mitigation
The Japanese government pledged nearly US$700,000 in non-refundable aid to Viet Nam in the 2014 fiscal year, aiming to mitigate natural disaster risks and improve primary education.
Source: Vietnam News (December 26, 2014)
The fourth grader and her environmental café
Every day, after class, this 9-year-old girl excitedly spends her time making handmade souvenirs from materials which were thought to be only for wastebaskets.
Source: Tuoi Tre News (December 26, 2014)
Chinese county, Cao Bang eye closer cooperation
The Chinese county of Jingxi in Guangxi province wants to further boost cooperation in trade, agriculture, tourism and education with the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang, particularly with its neighbouring districts of Tra Linh, Trung Khanh and Ha Quang.
Source: Vietnam Plus (December 30, 2014)
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Event
Date: 5th January 2015
In continuation of CEP support to strengthen Myanmar’s environmental safeguards system, a stakeholder consultation workshop was held in Yangon to seek feedback on the country's Draft Environmental Quality (Emission) Guidelines. The guidelines will support the country's emerging environmental impact assessment (EIA) system by specifying the environmental thresholds that must projects should not exceed.The guidelines will be finalized based on feedback from the workshop and are expected to come into effect during the next few months. The guidelines will be used as interim measure while the country develops National Environmental Quality Standards during the next few years.
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Date: 5th January 2015
By 2050, 3 billion people – a full two-thirds of all Asians – will live in cities, attracted by the prospect of higher earning jobs and a better future for their families. Cities already provide more than 80% of the region’s gross domestic product and this is set to grow. Fast-paced urbanisation has been instrumental to Asia’s swift economic growth and sharp drop in poverty in recent decades, but it has also brought huge challenges.
Read the full article here.
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Date: 1st January 2015
This ADB report features the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Investment Framework Implementation Plan, 2014-2018 (RIF-IP). It identifies a robust pipeline of 92 high priority projects from among the more than 200 projects included in the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Investment Framework, 2013-2022 (RIF). The total cost of the priority projects in the RIF-IP is estimated at US$30.1 billion, or approximately US$20 billion less than all of the projects included in the RIF.
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Date: 31st December 2014
Landscapes for People, Food and Nature Blog
How to make science inform policy and actions? This is probably one of the most common questions development organizations are grappling with. This question is particularly relevant for those of us working on climate change adaptation. To make a difference, global and regional climate projections must complement local knowledge to transform local actions.
Click here to read the full article.
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Date: 22nd December 2014
Viet Nam has taken the first step toward valuing its stores of natural resources – called its natural capital - a Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment representative said at a recent workshop in Ha Noi.
Click here to read the full article.
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Date: 21st December 2014
The President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Takehiko Nakao, completed a two-day visit to Bangkok today, where he participated in the 5th Leaders’ Summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and met top officials of the host country to discuss ADB’s deepening partnership with Thailand.
Click here to read the full article.
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Date: 19th December 2014
Remarks by ADB President Takehiko Nakao on the progress of the GMS Program at the 5th GMS Summit on 20 December 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand (as drafted).
Excellencies:
I am pleased and honored to report to you on the progress of GMS cooperation since the 4th GMS Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar in December 2011.
Click here to read full speech
more detailsEvent
Date: 10th December 2014
Looking forward to the Fourth GMS Environment Ministers Meeting (EMM4) and identifying roundtable collaboration priorities in 2015
At the fourth roundtable , partners identified the natural capital themed EMM4, scheduled for January 2015, as a key opportunity to influence environment leaders and policy makers.
more detailsNews
Date: 3rd December 2014
The recent formal pledging session for the Green Climate Fund (GCF)—more than $9 billion in just 5 months—is by far the most successful resource mobilization ever seen for a multilateral climate fund. The US has pledged $3 billion, followed by Japan ($1.5 billion), UK ($1.13 billion), and Germany and France (with $1 billion each). Four developing countries—Indonesia, Mexico, Mongolia, and Panama—have made pledges, breaking the traditional donor boundaries.
Read the full article.
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Date: 2nd December 2014
Greater Mekong Subregion
Preview-prospects rise for a 2015 U.N. climate deal, but likely to be weak
A global deal to combat climate change in 2015 looks more likely after promises for action by China, the United States and the European Union, but any agreement will probably be too weak to halt rising temperatures.
Source: Reuters(November 23, 2014)
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Date: 1st December 2014
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Date: 30th November 2014
The Australia, China and the Great Outdoors 2014 Forum on ‘Culture, Nature and Sustainability’ will be held in Baoshan in Yunnan, PRC.
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Date: 27th November 2014
Countries that border the Mekong River can learn from Viet Nam's excellent management of its Payments for Forest Environmental Services programme, said Luca Tacconi, Associate Dean of the College of the Asia and Pacific at Australia's Crawford School of Public Policy.
Click here for the full article.
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Date: 26th November 2014
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Date: 25th November 2014
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Date: 24th November 2014
Climate change and climate related disasters represent a threat to vulnerable children and their communities, especially among ethnic minority groups in Northern Thailand. To make the children’s lives safer and their communities more resilient to climate change and related disasters, Plan International Thailand works in partnership with children, their communities and the government to create locally appropriate climate smart solutions to protect children, their communities, and fulfill their human rights. Key activities include empowering children to take part in pilot projects on safe schools, raising awareness of children as agents of change, and capitalizing on children’s creative ideas for disaster preparedness.
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Date: 18th November 2014
The Core Environment Program (CEP) ensured green freight issues were high on the agenda at the BAQ-EST conference, which brought together more than 1000 participants under the theme ‘Next Generation Solutions for Clean Air and Sustainable Transport.
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Date: 11th November 2014
Hosted by Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, the 9th Semi-Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Environment (WGE SAM-9) brought together WGE members, ADB representatives and development partners to review the Core Environment Program’s 2014 progress and discuss upcoming priorities.
more detailsEvent
Date: 10th November 2014
This CEP technical workshop on strengthening partnerships to increase natural capital investments in the GMS brought together government and development partners to jointly discuss the merits and potential shape of a GMS Natural Capital Partnership.
more detailsPublication
Date: 6th November 2014
This ADB report features how ADB applies climate risk management approach to investment projects in Asia and the Pacific, which aims to reduce risks resulting from climate change.
more detailsEvent
Date: 5th November 2014
The final review meeting on PRC of Yunnan Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (YBSAP) was held in Kunming, Yunnan, PRC, from 6-8 November.
more detailsActivity
Date: 5th November 2014
In recent years, there has been increased global recognition about the important socioeconomic contribution of ecosystem services for rural livelihoods and broader society. This has helped drive countries to make greater efforts to more sustainably manage their natural capital – forest, land, and water resources and related ecosystem services.
more detailsNews
Date: 5th November 2014
Greater Mekong Subregion
No time to lose for climate change action
Across East Asia, we have been witnessing deadly flooding and winds unleashed by another super typhoon. Local governments, people and communities are working to rebuild their shattered homes and livelihoods.
Source: VietnamNews (October 17, 2014)
Climate pact inked in Cambodia
Representatives of coastal communities in eight provinces of Viet Nam, Cambodia and Thailand endorsed the Preah Sihanouk Declaration last week, pledging to work more strategically to adapt to climate change.
Source: Vietnam News (October 27, 2014)
China, ASEAN sign MoU on disaster management
The Chinese government and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth 50 million yuan (about 8.1 million U.S. dollars) on disaster management, an initial step to improve partnership between ASEAN and China in the sector.
Source: The Japan Times (October 6, 2014)
Mekong countries hold talks on trans-boundary haze pollution
Five Mekong countries – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam are stepping up their cooperation to mitigate trans-boundary haze pollution in the region.
Source: Vientiane Times (October 28, 2014)
Laos' hydropower dams draw criticisms from neighbours
Laos is building a series of hydropower dams as it wants to transform the country into the "battery of Southeast Asia". But this ambition has drawn criticisms from its neighbours due to concerns over the impact on fishing communities and the environment.
Source: Channel News Asia (October 24, 2014)
Laos is acting responsibly on Mekong dam project
Environmental activists are once again lashing out at the Lao government and the intergovernmental Mekong River Commission (MRC) in the hope that hydropower projects on the Mekong will be delayed or cancelled.
Source: The Nation (October 24, 2014)
Experts say assessment of Laos’ dam unconvincing
Experts have cast doubt on the environment impact statement for the project to build Don Sahong dam over the Mekong River in Laos, saying if the neighboring country proceeds with the project, the Mekong Delta region will be adversely affected.
Source: Eco News (October 3, 2014)
Xinhua Insight: value chain shift to boost China-ASEAN trade
Low-end manufacturing is leaving China for cheaper labor in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, and this value chain shift will boost trade between China and ASEAN, according to economists.
Source: The Japan Times (October 27, 2014)
Myanmar, Cambodia to push oil and gas business
The two Southeast Asian nations of Myanmar and Cambodia are expanding their hydrocarbon production in an effort to capitalise on ever-rising domestic and regional demand. The Myanmar government announced last week that it will let international investors bid for 15 additional offshore oil exploration blocks by the end of next year, a move that comes after the earlier release of 40 blocks that have already been awarded to big international players like Chevron, Shell, Eni, Statoil and Total.
Source: Gulf Times (October 22, 2014)
REFILE-Climate change a "threat multiplier" for farming-dependent states-analysis
Climate change and food insecurity are "threat multipliers", and 32 countries dependent on farming face an "extreme risk" of conflict or civil unrest in the next 30 years, a global analytics firm said on Wednesday.
Source: Reuters (October 29, 2014)
Cambodia
One million hectares reclassified, gov’t says
More than 1 million hectares of forest terrain and land leased by private companies has been put under government control since Prime Minister Hun Sen initiated a moratorium on new economic land concessions (ELCs) in May 2012, the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction has claimed.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 27, 2014)
Gov’t urged to get serious about illegal logging
NGOs and community representatives called on the government Wednesday to open up its secretive auctions for confiscated timber and cancel a deal that lets timber magnate Try Pheap buy all the wood in government depots, both of which they say fuel illegal logging across the country.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (October 23, 2014)
Journalist investigating illegal logging shot dead
A 49-year-old journalist reportedly investigating illegal logging in Kratie province was shot dead early Sunday morning. Within hours, police arrested three men—a commune police chief, a military police officer and a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) soldier—for the murder, officials said.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (October 13, 2014)
Authorities confiscate illegal rare wood; smugglers escape
Authorities in Mondolkiri province on Tuesday seized more than 80 pieces of luxury-grade thnong wood from two vehicles they chased down on National Road 76, but the smugglers managed to escape, officials said Wednesday.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (October 23, 2014)
Rosewood haul found in truck with Sokimex logo
Ten tonnes of protected rosewood found stashed in a tanker truck bearing the logo of petroleum giant Sokimex was seized by police in Oddar Meanchey province on Friday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 27, 2014)
Illegal loggers complain to police over wages
About 20 villagers who were employed in an illegal logging racket in Pailin province’s Sala Krao district have submitted a report to the provincial police accusing their two ringleaders of failing to pay their “service fee,” an official said Tuesday.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (October 22, 2014)
Journalists, alleged illegal loggers clash
Journalists attempting to photograph a pickup truck transporting luxury wood said they were chased by the drivers and four other men wielding clubs before police intervened, but the police chief denied the reporters’ claims and accused them of extortion.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (October 16, 2014)
A provincial military police commander was named yesterday by a major conservationist group as the alleged owner of a huge haul of illegal rosewood confiscated in Kampong Speu province this week.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 16, 2014)
Two people were questioned yesterday over a huge haul of endangered rosewood discovered on Tuesday at a home in Banteay Meanchey province, officials have said.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 2, 2014)
Why Cambodia leads the way in rescuing captive bears
For Nev Broadis, it's important to act fast when a call comes to rescue a bear cub from the other side of Cambodia.
"There's a vulnerable animal in distress up to nine or 10 hours away, so there's a sense of urgency to get there as soon as possible," says Broadis, the regional director of Australian non-profit Free the Bears. "You put emotions on hold and start mobilizing -- readying equipment, cages, everything we might need."
Source: CNN (October 13, 2014)
ADB provides nearly 99 mln USD to Cambodia for 3 projects
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday signed to provide grant and loan agreements worth nearly 99 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia for three development projects, the bank said in a press statement.
Source: Xinhua (October 27, 2014)
Prime Minister Hun Sen has reportedly said the Chinese firm contracted to build the controversial Stung Cheay Areng hydropower dam will not be allowed to start construction in the near future.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 2, 2014)
Don Sahong Dam ‘Prior Consultation’ to begin
The Cambodia National Mekong Committee will soon begin meeting with villagers in Stung Treng province to gauge their concerns over the controversial Don Sahong dam, which Laos has proposed to build on the Mekong River 1.5 km from the Cambodian border.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (October 14, 2014)
KrisEnergy, Chevron deal given green light
Oil and gas company KrisEnergy has finalised its purchase of Chevron’s stake in Cambodia’s oil reserves in the Gulf of Thailand.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 8, 2014)
New Mekong cruise puts spotlight on eco-tourism
Starting this month, a new cruise ship by luxury travel company Aqua Expeditions will ply the Mekong River between Vietnam and Cambodia, putting a spotlight on tourism in the region.
Source: Eco News (October 1, 2014)
Irrawaddy dolphin found dead in Kratie province
Fishermen discovered an endangered Irrawaddy dolphin dead in the Mekong River in Kratie province on Tuesday, officials said Wednesday. There were no obvious clues as to what caused the animal’s death.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (October 23, 2014)
An elephant found dead and decaying in Mondulkiri’s Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary was slaughtered for its tusks and trunk, officials said yesterday, while offering a reward to anyone who helps find the poachers.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (October 8, 2014)
Lao PDR
ADB support for tourism sector seeks to boost revenue, create jobs
Tourism could generate an additional 2,654 billion kip (US$330 million) in earnings and 27,000 new jobs in Laos under a regional project supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Source: Vientiane Times (October 28, 2014)
Govt seeks update to loan for flood protection measures in Champassak
Champassak provincial Public Works and Transports Department is seeking adjusted loan funding from Korea Eximbank to establish flood protection facilities and upgraded infrastructure with an emphasis on integrated management of water resources.
Source: Vientiane Times (October 28, 2014)
Laos hosts ASEAN environment meeting
The 15th Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (15th IAMME) officially opened here on Thursday.
Source: Shanghai Daily (October 30, 2014)
Myanmar
Myanmar to host ASEAN financial inclusion conference
Myanmar will host an ASEAN conference to discuss challenges for countries -- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam -- in striving for access to finance.
Source: Xinhua (October 25, 2014)
Ahead of Myanmar trip, Obama urged to demand extractives transparency
Lawmakers here are urging President Barack Obama to put transparency in the extractives sector at the centre of an upcoming trip to Myanmar.
Source: IPS Inter Press Service (October 15, 2014)
Ministry mulling 11 coal-fired power plants, none approved yet, official says
Although 11 proposals to build coal-fired power plants have been submitted to the Ministry of Electric Power not a single one has yet to be approved, a senior official at the ministry said.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (October 24, 2014)
Major coastal coal power plant plan to get safety check – Ko Ko Gyi
Local residents have expressed concerns about the social and environmental threats that the coal power plant could pose.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (October 16, 2014)
Burma, Japan and Thailand sign MoU to build Myeik power plant
The Burmese government and companies based in Burma, Japan and Thailand signed a MoU on 9 October to conduct a feasibility study and an environmental and social impact assessment study (EIA/SIA) for a coal power plant the consortium is planning to build in Tenasserim Division’s Myeik City.
Source: DVB Multimedia Group (October 17, 2014)
Consultations for Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy in Myanmar
Ecotourism in Myanmar is set to receive a boost when the country's Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (MOHT), Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MOECAF), and Myanmar Tourism Federation (MTF) will finalize the formulation of the Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy for protected areas in the near future.
Source: Review Nepal (Oct 26, 2014)
The Mynamar Times: New bill to get tough on ship pollution – Shwegu Thitsar
An update to the Merchant Shipping Act with clauses to tackle pollution from cargo ships has been sent to the Attorney-General ahead of its formal submission to parliament, says an official from the Ministry of Transport.
Source: The Myanmar Times (October 2, 2014)
People’s Republic of China
Beijing to keep the lid on air pollution for APEC
Beijing plans to keep a tight rein on pollution by cutting emissions caused by industrial production and vehicles when it hosts the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November.
Source: China Daily (October 10, 2014)
China pollution levels hit 20 times safe limit
Days of heavy smog shrouding swathes of northern China pushed pollution to more than 20 times safe levels on Friday, despite government promises to tackle environmental blight.
Source: The Guardian (October 10, 2014)
Beijing's focus on coal lost in haze of smog: experts
The soaring, grimy chimneys of the coal-fired power station have belched the last of their choking fumes into Beijing's air, authorities say -- but experts doubt the plan will ease the capital's smog.
Source: AFP (October 22, 2014)
China to allow more private fund in energy, telecoms, infrastructure
China plans to attract more private investment in key sectors including energy and telecoms through policy support and fairer investment environment, Premier Li Keqiang said Friday.
Source: Xinhua (October 24, 2014)
Biogas, a low-tech fuel with a big payoff
In villages across China, tens of millions of families use farm and household waste to make clean cooking fuel in backyard fermenters. Germany generates as much electricity as two nuclear power plants with the gas produced by decaying plant matter and animal slurry. Near San Francisco, a landfill extracts enough energy from its stewing garbage to power 300 trucks on their daily runs.
Source: The New York Times (October 29, 2014)
Global clean energy investment sustains its recovery
World clean energy investment in the first three quarters of this year was 16% ahead of the same period of 2013, at $175.1bn(1), making it almost certain that 2014 will produce a bounce-back in dollars invested after two years of decline.
Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance (October 2, 2014)
China cuts forecast for offshore wind power by 60 per cent
China slashed its forecasts for offshore wind power by 60 per cent, an acknowledgment that installations are being held up by the cost and complexity of the technology.
Source: Eco business (October 23, 2014)
China promotes new-energy buses in Beijing
Chinese authorities released a plan Wednesday requiring the heavily polluted cities of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province to put more new-energy buses on the road to cut pollution.
Source: Xinhua Net (October 23, 2014)
Drugs flushed into the environment could be cause of wildlife decline
Potent pharmaceuticals flushed into the environment via human and animal sewage could be a hidden cause of the global wildlife crisis, according to new research. The scientists warn that worldwide use of the drugs, which are designed to be biologically active at low concentrations, is rising rapidly but that too little is currently known about their effect on the natural world.
Source: The Guardian (October 13, 2014)
China's coal-rich Shanxi to restore mined-out areas
North China's coal-rich Shanxi Province plans to restore the environment in its mined-out areas in the next five years, local authorities said on Thursday
Source: Xinhua (October 23, 2014)
Thailand
Prayut urged to suspend energy reform
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha was urged yesterday to suspend ongoing energy reform by the Energy Ministry because there was still some conflicts over the direction it should take, a National Reform Council (NRC) member said yesterday.
Source: The Nation (October 8, 2014)
Activists ask court to halt energy auction
A group of energy resource protection advocates petitioned the Central Administrative Court yesterday, asking it to stop an Energy Ministry plan to allow a new round of bidding for gas and oil exploration licences throughout the country.
Source: Bangkok Post (October 28, 2014)
As gas supplies dwindle, debate over extraction drags on
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha seems to have put a brake on a move by energy network civic groups opposing the government's new round of bidding for petroleum concessions.
Source: The Nation (October 31, 2014)
Energy officials accused of making false claims of depleted supplies
Two pressure groups on energy issues yesterday filed a complaint with the Ombudsman, requesting that the agency check if the country's top authorities on energy had committed constitutional offences.
Source: The Nation (October 30, 2014)
Thai company inks agreement to develop Myanmar's largest power plant
Green Earth Power (Thailand) has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Myanmar Ministry of Electric Power (MOEP) to formalise the development of a 220-megawatt solar power plant in Minbu, in that country's Magway Region.
Source: The Nation (October 20, 2014)
Four national park recreational zone revamps on way
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is planning major renovations to recreational zones inside its four main national parks with the aim of making them meet world-class standards.
Source: Bangkok Post (October 3, 2014)
Traders in protected timber arrested
Fifteen men, including a former military ranger, have been arrested and charged with illegal dealing in protected phayung timber (siamese rosewood) worth nearly one million baht in Nakhon Ratchasima on Monday, police said.
Source: Bangkok Post (October 28, 2014)
Pollution-free garbage facility hits snag
A pilot project for a clean-air waste-to-energy garbage disposal facility is being held up by a delay in getting land-use approval from the Treasury Department.
Source: Bangkok Post (October 28, 2014)
TEI: Carbon footprint key to agenda
Thailand Environment Institute (TEI) seeks to push carbon footprint reduction onto the national agenda despite lack of interest from carbon credit companies due to the low price.
Source: Bangkok Post (October 29, 2014)
Viet Nam
Son La exerts more efforts to protect biodiversity
The northern mountainous province of Son La has approved a plan on biodiversity protection between 2014 and 2020 in an effort to protect the eco-environment, cope with climate change and ensure security and defence.
Source: VietnamPlus (October 27, 2014)
Viet Nam moves to reduce demand for wildlife products
Viet Nam's rich biodiversity has made it a hub for illegal transportation of rare species and stronger efforts are needed to curb wildlife trafficking, experts said at a workshop that opened in Ha Noi on Tuesday.
Source: VietnamNews (October 23, 2014)
Wildlife released in Binh Dinh Province
Forest management officers from Tuy Phuoc District in the central province of Binh Dinh have released endangered animals they rescued from traffickers last week.
Source: VietnamNews (October 27, 2014)
Bear bile tourism shuts down in Ha Long
Bear bile tourism in the northern province of Quang Ninh's Ha Long City has finally been shut down, according to the non-governmental organisation Education for Nature – Viet Nam (ENV).
Source: VietnamNews (October 22, 2014)
Vietnam addresses wildlife consumption
Vietnam is currently focussing on law enforcement and awareness raising campaigns to reduce the illegal trade and consumption of wildlife, a senior official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said.
Source: VietnamPlus (October 22, 2014)
Illegal logging destroys Dak Lak pine forest
Over 90 per cent of the pine forest along the Ho Chi Minh Highway that runs through Krong Buk District in Dak Lak Province has been destroyed by residents as well as the local administration.
Source: VietnamNews (October 28, 2014)
Kim Hy park under threat in Bac Kan
Illegal logging and gold mining are threatening to destroy Kim Hy Nature Reserve in this northern province in spite of local authorities' prevention efforts.
Source: VietnamNews (October 27, 2014)
Funds allocated for evacuation plans during natural disasters
The Prime Minister has approved the allocation of VND239 billion (US$11.5 million) for urgent evacuation plans in areas threatened by natural disasters in 24 provinces nationwide.
Source: VietnamNews (October 28, 2014)
Agriculture sector aims to cut CO2 emissions
It was important to come up with ways to mitigate CO2 emissions in agriculture, which produces approximately 43 percent of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said at a recent seminar.
Source: VietnamNews (October 6, 2014)
Mekong Delta suffers as factories dump waste into local river system
Newly built seafood and garment factories have polluted once-pristine rural areas in the Mekong delta, but relief seems far away.
Source: VietnamNews (October 13, 2014)
Paper firm fined for dumping toxic waste
The People's Committee of the southern province of Tay Ninh is fining a paper production company over VND235 million (US$11,100) for discharging untreated waste into the environment.
Source: VietnamNews (October 16, 2014)
Renewable energy water supply project benefits Mekong Delta provinces
Outcomes of a two-year project on water supply using renewable energy in the Mekong Delta region were reviewed at a recent workshop held in Can Tho City.
Source: VietnamPlus (October 27, 2014)
Vietnam faces difficulties in marine protected area management
Vietnam is facing a number of challenges in managing and conserving its marine protected areas, a workshop co-organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the General Department of Fisheries heard in Hanoi on October 21.
Source: VietnamPlus (October 22, 2014)
Vietnam, RoK boost environmental partnership
The 11th conference of the environment ministers of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea took place in Ho Chi Minh City on October 27, focusing on the progress of cooperative projects in the field.
Source: VietnamPlus (October 28, 2014)
more detailsNews
Date: 4th November 2014
A set of reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the last of which was released on November 2, 2014, sets the scene for governments to renew their efforts on the issue through ambitious commitments for a comprehensive climate agreement in Paris in December 2015.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 29th October 2014
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is increasingly used by GMS countries to assess the environmental and social consequences of policies, plans and programs to achieve more sustainable development outcomes.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th October 2014
The National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) will undertake a case study on assessing climate change vulnerability and adaptation options in a ridge-to-reef setting that can serve to strengthen national and regional knowledge on appropriate assessment methodologies. The proposed site of the case study is the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park (SIEP) and its environs in Petchaburi Province. A partnership arrangement has been established between the NRCT and the United States Forest Service (USFS) to undertake part of this work.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th October 2014
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Date: 27th October 2014
More than 120 representatives from environmental protection authorities in Yunnan were trained on how to implement Yunnan Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (YBSAP). The training was organized by Yunnan Environmental Protection Department (YEPD) with support from ADB.
more detailsNews
Date: 23rd October 2014
On 22 October, ADB brought together sustainable development experts, including ADB’s Principal Environment Specialist, Mark Kunzer, for an online Live Chat titled “A New Development Path for the Rural Poor.”
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th October 2014
Rural communities throughout the world are seizing new opportunities to build livelihoods based on emerging niche markets that rely on and contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources. These include small, but growing markets for ecotourism and also non-timber forest products (NTFPs) including herbs, honey, and mushrooms, bamboo, rattan, medicines, and cosmetics.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th October 2014
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Date: 14th October 2014
ADB Op-Ed / Opinion
Fifty years ago, when European integration was gathering steam, most of Asia remained mired in poverty. As countries in the region gained independence, national rather than regional identity was paramount. So was getting food on the table.
Read full article here.
more detailsActivity
Date: 13th October 2014
Transboundary biodiversity landscapes in the GMS are rich in natural capital, but are increasingly under threat from development and climate change pressures, leading to environmental degradation and more vulnerable local communities.
more detailsEvent
Date: 8th October 2014
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Date: 8th October 2014
Collaboration with Roundtable Partners on the Fourth GMS Environment Ministers Meeting (EMM4) and the Regional Investment Framework (RIF)
At this fourth roundtable, partners discussed opportunities to raise the profile of climate change issues among environment leaders in the GMS and to ensure that environmental considerations are better integrated into the GMS Regional Investment Framework’s (RIF) $50 billion project pipeline.
more detailsEvent
Date: 7th October 2014
GMS environment stakeholders met in Bangkok this week to discuss the impacts of climate change on protected areas and look at best-practice responses to safeguard biodiversity and local livelihoods.
more detailsEvent
Date: 6th October 2014
This workshop launched a new CEP activity aiming to strengthen land-use modeling capacity in the GMS, targeting government planners and academic institutions.
more detailsEvent
Date: 6th October 2014
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Date: 5th October 2014
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Date: 5th October 2014
Greater Mekong Subregion
Vietnam, Laos foster energy co-operation
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister, Vu Van Ninh has expressed his hope of fostering energy co-operation with Laos in a common target of reasonably exploiting natural resources and ensuring mutual interest of the two countries for sustainable development.
Source: Nhan dan Newspaper (September 27, 2014)
ASEAN members boost energy cooperation
The 32nd ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) adopted a joint statement on strengthening cooperation among state members for sustainable energy development in Vientiane, Laos, on September 23.
Source: VietnamPlus (September 23, 2014)
Land in Mekong Delta sinks as inhabitants remove water
Land in the Mekong Delta, which is shared by Cambodia and Vietnam, is subsiding by between 1 and 4 cm per year as roughly 20 million inhabitants extract groundwater for drinking, agriculture and industry. That’s according to researchers from Stanford University, US, who used calculations and remote sensing to ascertain ground movements across the region.
Source: Environmental Research Web (September 4, 2014)
Cambodia
Hydropower not worth the trade-offs, experts Warn
In Cambodia, a number of hydropower dams have already been constructed, and even more are on the way. But environmentalists warn the dams can have serious ecological and social impacts.
Source: Voice of America (September 2, 2014)
Energy Minister plays down Areng concerns
Minister of Mines and Energy Suy Sem has issued a letter to the National Assembly commission on the environment, offering assurances that the planned Stung Cheay Areng Hydropower Dam will meet high environmental and social standards.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 29, 2014)
Cambodia arrests 11 in China dam protest
Authorities in western Cambodia have detained 11 activists after they tried to stop further studies for a planned Chinese-built dam.
Source: Voice of America (September 15, 2014)
Gibbon, big cat rescued in July raids
Conservation group Wildlife Alliance rescued 333 animals, including an endangered pileated gibbon, in 12 provinces during the month of July, the NGO announced on its website yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 16, 2014)
‘Delinquent’ companies lose ELCs
Seven private companies have had their land concessions – covering a total of more than 10,000 hectares in three provinces – recalled for not meeting their contractual obligations, Minister of Environment Say Sam Al said yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 30, 2014)
Land disputes aired in capital
Nearly one hundred people from three provinces gathered at Freedom Park yesterday to demand that the government help them solve their long-running land disputes.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 30, 2014)
Villagers whose homes will be destroyed if the controversial Lower Sesan 2 Dam is built are to deliver today a letter to provincial authorities announcing that they refuse to be resettled.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 29, 2014)
Gov’t releases data on timber baron’s deal
Tycoon Try Pheap has collected an estimated 1,500 cubic metres of timber from Forestry Administration offices since the government in July issued his companies permission to confiscate “waste wood” from their offices and from the Ministry of Environment, according to preliminary government figures obtained by the Post yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 19, 2014)
Prey Lang activists detain two loggers
Two illegal loggers were arrested by a community patrol in Prey Lang forest on Wednesday, the Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN) said yesterday.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 19, 2014)
Between a stone and a hard place
Nearly 200 families in Preah Vihear didn’t realise that by settling for a buyout from an extractive industry firm, they may have also discarded their religious site.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 18, 2014)
Koh Kong villagers seek PM’s help in capital
Villagers from Koh Kong province have descended on the capital, ready to petition Prime Minister Hun Sen and the government today to intervene in their long-running land dispute with prominent businessman Heng.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 18, 2014)
Ratanakkiri villagers claim mountain
Minority villagers from Ratanakkiri’s O’Chum district climbed up a mountain to a community forest yesterday morning to challenge a company they claim is illegally felling their trees.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 12, 2014)
In a surprising twist, border police detained 16 illegal rosewood loggers on Wednesday, but rather than making any arrests, they released the men and paid for their fare home.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 12, 2014)
Recertification of rubber firm is ‘cause for concern’
Investigative rights group Global Witness has lodged a complaint with an international forest management body after it recertified the Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) last week despite outstanding allegations that the company is driving a wave of land and forest grabs in Cambodia.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 11, 2014)
Six economic land concessionaires in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces have had their contracts to supply the government with wood to build housing for soldiers and their families cancelled.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 10, 2014)
Secret storage depots for illegal timber hidden in the forest in Ratanakkiri’s O’Chum district were discovered by ethnic minority villagers on Friday, prompting a rights worker to suggest local officials were involved in the illicit trade.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 8, 2014)
China donates to logging fight
China, a country credited with fuelling Cambodia’s lucrative illegal logging trade, this week donated thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment to help protect the Kingdom’s forests.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (September 5, 2014)
Lao PDR
Lao PM stresses energy security and sustainable future in Asean
Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong has highlighted the importance of renewable energy in ensuring energy security and a sustainable future in Asean and urged future cooperation in research and development.
Source: Vientiane Times (September 24, 2014)
ASEAN meets dialogue partners on environmental protection in Vientiane
Representatives of ASEAN member countries and three dialogue partners - China, Republic of Korea and Japan - met in Vientiane on Friday on cooperation on environmental protection and management in the region.
Source: Thai PBS (September 1, 2014)
MONRE: 10 projects to be cancelled
Officials are now considering cancelling contracts on 10 projects due to failure in following national resource and environmental regulations.
Source: Vientiane Times (September 24, 2014)
Myanmar
Conservation minister admits govt has failed to stop illegal logging
The Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry is unable to control the illegal timber trade despite the export ban on raw logs imposed on April 1, its minister admitted in Parliament on September 17.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (September 18, 2014)
VP Nyan Htun contemplates Burma’s energy needs
Burmese Vice- President Nyan Htun has raised concerns about energy consumption in Burma.
At the National Energy Management Committee meeting in Naypyidaw on Tuesday, he pointed out that Burma still derives 76 percent of its energy from non-renewable resources such as wood and charcoal.
Source: DVB Multimedia Group (September 10, 2014)
China News Agency: Myanmar’s rich sunshine may turn the country into the largest user of solar power
According to reports by the Irrawaddy magazine, the Myanmar Minister of Energy recently claimed that Myanmar is hoping to become the country with most solar power usage in the world.
Source: The Burmanet News (September 15, 2014)
Government plans 32 dams, most JVs with Chinese firms
The government plans to build 32 hydropower projects as joint ventures with foreign companies, most of which are Chinese firms, according to a report from the Ministry of Electric Power.
Source: The Burmanet News (September 22, 2014)
Large hydro projects may be dangerous for the country, energy firm says
Plans to build large-scale hydropower projects to meet the country’s increasing demand for power may be dangerous for the country, according to APR Energy (Asia-Pacific).
Source: Eleven Myanmar (September 22, 2014)
$670m in oil and gas investments approved in August, says DICA
The oil and gas sector comprised US$670 million (about K670 billion), or nearly a third, of foreign investment totalling $2.443 billion approved in August, show figures from the Directorate of Investment and Companies Administration.
Source: Mizzima News (September 22, 2014)
Kalay residents rally to demand power from national grid, not coal plant
Local people in Kalay town in Sagaing Region staged a protest yesterday, calling for a ban on construction of a coal-fired power plant and a supply of electricity from the national grid.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (September 29, 2014)
In Myanmar, China's scramble for energy threatens livelihoods of villagers
The mood at a ramshackle bar in this village on Ramree Island, in western Myanmar's Rakhine State, is one of fatalism punctuated by the occasional comic trope.
Source: National Geographic (September 5, 2014)
Thanlwin dams threaten farmers’ livelihoods: academics
Academics from Burma, China and Thailand gathering in Burma’s Mon State this week raised concerns about ongoing plans to build six dams on the Thanlwin River.
Source: The Irrawaddy (September 4, 2014)
Myanmar calls for agricultural growth in ASEAN countries
Myanmar President U Thein Sein Wednesday called on ASEAN member states to take sustainable agricultural development, food security and nutrition as the main national duties.
Source: Myanmar News (September 24, 2014)
Almost 90% of border trade with China: commerce dept
Trade with China through the four border checkpoints accounts for more than 87 per cent of total border trade, and has surpassed US$2 billion so far this fiscal year, according to the department of commerce and consumer affairs.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (September 15, 2014)
Myanmar can raise per capita income 500% by 2030, ADB says
Myanmar’s economic growth rate could rise to 9-10 per cent if the country invests more in human capital and infrastructure and this could push its per capita income up more than 500 per cent by 2030, according to a new report by the Asian Development Bank, “Myanmar: Unlocking the Potential”.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (September 12, 2014)
Thailand
Lawmakers discuss revised Water Resources Law
Lawmakers of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the International Finance Cooperation and the World Bank Group yesterday met at a workshop to discuss the final revision of the Law on Water Resources. The law is expected to be proposed to the National Assembly at its ordinary session in December this year.
Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (September 18, 2014)
Thailand must take climate threat seriously: experts
The government has been urged to put "climate change" on the national agenda in order to boost the country's credibility in future international climate talks.
Dr Natarika Wayuparb, Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management (TGO)'s deputy executive director, said the Kingdom should pioneer new policies by addressing climate change problems at a serious level.
Source: The Nation (September 10, 2014)
NCPO plans boost to forest coverage
The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will roll out plans to expand forest areas within the next three months as part of its efforts to combat forest encroachment nationwide.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 2, 2014)
Forest agency rhetoric hurts the landless
Because of the pouring rain it was difficult to say whether there were tears on the faces of the forest "encroachers" in Krabi's Plaipraya district as they faced a crackdown by about 800 armed personnel on Monday.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 17, 2014)
Phuket park mess a crucial test of NCPO resolve
Sirinat National Park in Phuket is not what you would call big. It is just 90 square kilometres in size with 60 sq km of marine area and 22 sq km of that land. But rai for rai, the land in the park which comprises Hat Nai Thon, Hat Nai Yang, Hat Mai Khao and Hat Sai Kaew beaches is the most expensive of all the national parks in this country and, above all, is most sought after by land grabbers and real estate developers.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 22, 2014)
Forest locals need a voice
In an apparent move to prove that a military regime can do what civilian governments could not, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has announced that it will increase the country's forest cover from 33.4% to 40% during its tenure.
Source: Bangkok Post (September 5, 2014)
Warnings for Mekong and Chao Phraya
Officials fear river could rise 3 metres as dam in China set to release huge amount of water.
Thai authorities have put people living along the Mekong River on high alert because a dam in Yunnan province in southern China needs to release a huge volume of water soon due to heavy rainfall upstream.
Source: The Nation (September 8, 2014)
People’s Republic of China
China punishes 19,289 environmental violations
As China cracks down on environmental violations, authorities handed out punishment in 19,289 cases in the first half of the year, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said on Tuesday.
Source: Xinhua Net (September 23, 2014)
UN climate summit: China pledges emissions action
China has pledged for the first time to take firm action on climate change, telling a UN summit that its emissions, the world's highest, would soon peak.
Source: BBC news (September 24, 2014)
China to seek emissions cap as Obama rallies climate action
China will seek to cap its carbon dioxide emissions as soon as possible, a senior member of the country’s leadership said, signaling his government’s willingness to take concrete steps to curb climate change.
Source: The Washington Post (September 23, 2014)
China's per capita carbon emissions overtake EU's
New data on carbon shows that China's emissions per head of population have surpassed the EU for the first time.
Source: BBC (September 21, 2014)
China heads for price on carbon; energy market overhaul is next
In the lead-up to the UN leaders’ summit on climate change, China is shifting up a gear in its drive towards national emissions trading. Yet for carbon pricing to be effective, market reform in China’s energy sector will be needed – a big task that will bring benefits not only for the environment but also to the quality of China’s economic growth.
Source: The Conversation (September 19, 2014)
Will China’s great fracking leap help it wean off coal?
Fracking technology has crossed over from the fields of Pennsylvania and Texas to the mountains of Sichuan, but so have risks and consequences, reports Mother Jones.
Source: The Guardian (September 18, 2014)
Smart farming the key to China's food problems, study says
Clever farming techniques would provide China with more than enough grain to feed its escalating population in the coming decades while easing stress on its environment, scientists reported on Wednesday.
Source: AFP (September 3, 2014)
Asia society has opened window on China's environment
Since 2007, the China Green project at the Asia Society, based in New York City but with a sizable presence in Hong Kong, has been tracking the mainland’s worsening environmental plight. As managing editor/producer of the project, Michael Zhao leads the effort to keep tabs and encourage reforms.
Source: Forbes (September 2, 2014)
Viet Nam
VN assesses dam impact on Mekong
Viet Nam held its first national preliminary consultation seminar in Can Tho yesterday to assess the impact of the construction of the Don Sahong hydropower plant on the Mekong River in Laos.
Source: Vietnamnet Bridge (September 26, 2014)
Hydro-power firms told to pay up
Many hydro-power plants have delayed paying annual charges for the preservation of catchment areas and associated forests used to produce electricity.
Source: VietnamNews (September 24, 2014)
Vietnam calls for climate change deal by 2015
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh called on countries to show political will and stronger commitment in order to establish a new global legally binding framework to achieve the goal of limiting the world to a less than 2 degree Celsius rise in global temperature.
Source: VietnamPlus (September 24, 2014)
Experts discuss climate change
With around 75 per cent of Viet Nam's urban population living in low elevation coastal zones, many people will be affected by rising sea levels, experts have warned.
Source: VietnamNews (September 22, 2014)
Ministry prioritises afforestation projects
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) is giving top priority to afforestation and reforestation projects in line with Viet Nam's Support Programme to Respond to Climate Change (SP-RCC).
Source: Vietnamnet Bridge (September 22, 2014)
Climate change affects children
Migrant and homeless children, children living in informal housing and children engaged in labour were more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in Da Nang.
Source: VietnamNews (September 24, 2014)
Vietnam has 10,000 sites with landslide risks
There are 10,226 sites in 10 northern mountainous provinces at in risk of landslides. The risk is especially high at 2,110 of those sites.
Source: Vietnamnet Bridge (September 15, 2014)
Erosion hits thousands all over Mekong Delta
Land erosion is becoming severe in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, affecting the lives of thousands of people.
Source: VietnamNews (September 23, 2014)
Waste reduction campaign to be launched
The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment is kicking off the national campaign “Take action for a waste-free environment” in the Northern Province of Thai Nguyen on September 24, in response to the global campaign “Clean up the world”.
Source: VietnamPlus (September 22, 2014)
Environment plan creates new jobs
Alang Thi Hoa once entered the forest every day to look for firewood to sell. Hoa, from central Quang Nam Province's Ma Cooih Commune, like many other locals, lives close to A Vuong forest.
Source: VietnamNews (September 24, 2014)
ADB continues to assist Vietnam in development process
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will continue to support Vietnam’s development process through the provision of around 1.3 billion USD in loans each year, ADB President Takehiko Nakao said at a press conference in Hanoi on September 19.
Source: VietnamPlus (September 19, 2014)
more details
Event
Date: 29th September 2014
Representatives from the Working Group on Environment, CEP National Support Units, andthe GMS Environment Operations Center came together to assess CEP implementation progress during the CEP Self-Evaluation Workshop, which built on an earlier results-based management event held in January 2014.
more detailsEvent
Date: 23rd September 2014
more detailsPublication
Date: 22nd September 2014
This brief summarizes major achievements, challenges, and key recommendations from a review of Viet Nam’s payments for forest environmental services (PFES) program. Led by the Center for International Forestry Research and Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with support from the GMS Core Environment Program, the brief was developed as resource for a national PFES review workshop held in Hanoi on 17 September 2014.
more detailsDate: 18th September 2014
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Six leading multilateral development banks (MDBs) provided almost $24 billion worldwide in financing in 2013 for projects in developing and emerging economies that address the challenges of climate change, according to the third annual joint MDB report on climate finance. The report, released today, demonstrates the shared engagement expressed by the six MDBs last week to reinforce transparency of their financing in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th September 2014
Since 2011, Viet Nam’s payments for forest environmental services (PFES) program has generated $140 million for rural households to protect around 4 million hectares (40%) of the country’s forests.
more detailsPublication
Date: 15th September 2014
This ADB e-news product provides readers with an update on activities and major developments in pursuit of accelerated development of the countries sharing the Mekong River.
more detailsNews
Date: 10th September 2014
An extensive GIS climate change dataset for the Lower Mekong Basin is now available to the public through the GMS Core Environment Program’s online Maps Portal.
more detailsDate: 10th September 2014
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The world’s six multilateral development banks today reaffirmed their shared commitment to lead by example by continuing to reinforce and further develop climate financing through a joint statement issued in advance of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Summit being convened in New York on 23 September.
Read the full article.
more detailsPublication
Date: 10th September 2014
This publication features ADB's support to the provincial authorities of Quang Nam in Viet Nam to scale up the implementation of payments for forest environmental services through a technical assistance financed by the Governments of Sweden and Norway. The project pilot-tested two innovations—the group approach and the use of a geographic information system—to speed up payments for forest environmental services planning and implementation in the province. Starting with five villages in Ma Cooih commune, the initiative expanded to include two more communes in the Song Bung 4 watershed.
more detailsNews
Date: 1st September 2014
Greater Mekong Subregion
Hydroelectric plant in Laos puts local farmers under tenterhooks
Farmers in the Mekong Delta have raised their voice against hydroelectric plants developed on the Mekong River in Laos, saying that those projects would cause huge difficulties for them in cultivation, fish farming and flood control.
Source: Viet Nam Net (August 27, 2014)
Soaring meat production threatens global environment, warns report
The world is eating too much meat, and that’s bad news for the earth’s forests, arable land, and scarce water. That’s the conclusion of a report released yesterday by the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute.
Source: Bloomberg (August 27, 2014)
Tons of emissions from power plants are already locked in, study says
Power plants like this coal-fired facility in England are already committing the globe to future carbon emissions that haven't previously been accounted for in climate models, say the authors of a new study.
Source: The National Geographic (August 26, 2014)
NASA: forest loss leaps in Bolivia, Mekong region
New satellite data from NASA suggests that deforestation is sharply increasing in Bolivia and Mekong countries during the second quarter of 2014.
Source: mongabay.com (August 08, 2014)
Cambodia
Cambodia, US share concerns over Lao dam
Following a meeting with a visiting U.S. diplomat on Wednesday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary of State Ouch Borith said the U.S. shares Cambodia’s concerns about a controversial hydropower dam Laos is planning to build on the Mekong River.
Source: The Cambodia Daily (August 28, 2014)
Rubber giant to hear villagers’ complaints
More than 15 months after a Global Witness report revealed that Vietnam’s state-owned rubber giant had illegally cleared land and displaced communities in Cambodia, the company has announced that it will accept and respond to complaints from those whose lives it has damaged.
Source: Cambodia Daily (August 23, 2014)
Cambodia water project could channel carbon credits to Japan
The city of Kitakyushu is exploring a project to supply drinking water in Cambodia. Japan’s Environment Ministry plans to conduct a feasibility study with a focus on the project’s potential to confer greenhouse-gas credits on Japan.
Source: Japan Times (August 19, 2014)
Gov’t seeks a greener tourism industry
The Tourism Ministry will announce a new “Green Hotel” standard later this month in an effort to make the industry more environmentally friendly, senior officials say.
Source: Phnom Penh Post (August 11, 2014)
People’s Republic of China
China's carbon emission down by 5%: Premier Li
China's carbon emission has declined by 5 percent this year, the largest progress in recent years, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday.
Source: China Daily (August 27, 2014)
Coal gas boom in China holds climate change risks
Deep in the hilly grasslands of remote Inner Mongolia, twin smoke stacks rise more than 200 feet into the sky, their steam and sulfur billowing over herds of sheep and cattle. Both day and night, the rumble of this power plant echoes across the ancient steppe, and its acrid stench travels dozens of miles away.
Source: Associated Press (August 22, 2014)
China confronts its coal problem
The Chinese government has indicated a strong desire — and made some specific proposals — to reduce its reliance on coal, a step that would be a welcome development for the Chinese people and the planet as a whole.
Source: New York Times (August 16, 2014)
China needs new laws to tackle illegal logging
Chinese forestry officials accept the need for an enforceable law to halt illegal timber imports, but argue the cost of legislation would be too high.
Source: China Dialogue (August 12, 2014)
Only 9 Chinese cities pass clean air test
If you are looking for a Chinese city with clean air, your best bets would be Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Zhoushan, Zhanjiang, Yunfu, Beihai, Haikou, Sanya or Lhasa, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
Source: New York Times (August 7, 2014)
Lao PDR
ASEAN senior officials on environment wrap up meeting
ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN) wrapped up their 25th meeting in the Lao capital city of Vientiane on August 28.
Source: Viet Nam News Agency (August 29, 2014)
ASEAN boosts links in environment protection
The 16th meeting of the Governing Board of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) took place in Vientiane, Laos on August 25, gathering 150 delegates from ASEAN member nations and the bloc’s dialogue partners.
Source: Viet Nam News Agency (August 25, 2014)
Laos receives $3.6 million grant for forest protection
The Lao government has received a $3.6 million grant to strengthen forest protection and management, according to a World Bank press release Friday.
Source: globalpost (August 22, 2014)
Myanmar
Dry zone may face food crisis due to climate change
The arid zone in the central Myanmar is likely to face a food crisis in coming three years if the current climate pattern continues, said Dr Ohmar Khaing, project coordinator of the Food Security Working Group at a talk on “Assessing the Vulnerability of Communities in the Dry Zone of Myanmar” in Yangon on August 25.
Source: Eleven Myanmar (August 28, 2014)
Kachin News Group: NGO working with Myitsone Dam firm to establish wildlife park in NDA-K area
The British environmental NGO Fauna & Flora International (FFI) has been cooperating with the Burmese subsidiary of China Power Investment (CPI)—the Chinese company that was building the controversial Myitsone Dam—to establish a national park in Kachin State in order to protect a rare species of monkey called the Burmese snub-nosed monkey.
Source: The Burmanet News (August 27, 2014)
Burma's Mergui Archipelago: Is tourism a force for good?
As resort developers sense the money to be made in Burma's Mergui Archipelago, Nigel Richardson sails around its 800 islands and realises what is at stake
Source: The Guardian (August 26, 2014)
Opaque to transparent: Myanmar and the implications of EITI
Myanmar became the 45th country to be granted candidate status with the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in early July.
Source: Mizzima News (August 22, 2014)
Struggling to save Myanmar’s national parks
Southeast Asian nation is struggling to preserve its natural areas, from marine parks to Himalayan peaks. One park, Lampi National Marine Park, is suffering from overfishing.
Source: The Associated Press (August 17, 2014)
Thailand
39 environment directors transferred--Huge shake up of C9 officials at Natural Resources
Thirty-nine senior officials at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have been transferred it was reported on Wednesday, affecting positions at Level 9 held by people appointed during the tenure of the past Yingluck Shinawatra government.
Source: Bangkok Post (August 27, 2014)
Long-awaited investment promotion strategy arrives
The silence that followed the introduction of the new investment promotion strategy of the Board of Investment (BoI) in January 2013 has finally been broken. A BoI meeting last Tuesday, chaired by Prayuth Chan-ocha, approved the principle of the strategy for 2015-21, a seven-year plan aimed at strengthening Thailand's competitiveness, creating value for the industrial sector and shifting the country from the middle-income trap to a high-income nation
Source: Bangkok Post (August 26, 2014)
For some Thai farmers, insects become cash crop
Depending solely on the rains to either yield a good rice crop or leave their fields dry and barren, farmers in this village in northeastern Thailand, the country’s poorest region, led a precarious and back-breaking existence. And then they discovered bugs.
Source: Associated Press (via Japan Times) (August 26, 2014)
Locals fight NCPO plan to move dump
Bang Ban villagers have signed a petition against the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)'s plan to relocate a waste-management facility in the neighbourhood.
Source: Bangkok Post (August 25, 2014)
Thai consumers could trigger sustainable seafood market
Makro, Tesco Lotus and Tops supermarket chains recently became the first retailers in Thailand to stop selling parrotfish, after receiving an overwhelming number of petitions from environmentalists and concerned consumers.
Source: The Nation (August 8, 2014)
Viet Nam
Mekong Delta urged to control flooding amid climate change
The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta should make efforts to control floods that are unseasonably early or too powerful to minimise damage and take advantage of the phenomenon for economic development, experts have said.
Source: Viet Nam News (August 26, 2014)
Protective forests destroyed, as forest-ranger units refuse to investigate
A protective forest in Xuan Chinh Commune in Thanh Hoa province was cut down illegally over the last month, but local authorities deny they know nothing about the action.
Source: Viet Nam Net (August 26, 2014)
Organic waste to be turned into renewable energy
Renewable green energy will be created from organic waste discharged in industrial-agricultural activities in Mekong Delta region through a new project funded by the Japanese government.
Source: Viet Nam News (August 25, 2014)
Environmental plan for Mekong region discussed
Policy-makers discussed final details of a 2015 environmental work plan for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Core Environment Program in Viet Nam at a workshop in Ha Noi yesterday.
Source: Viet Nam News (August 20, 2014)
Mekong Delta mangrove forests declining at alarming rate
The coastal mangrove forests in the Mekong River Delta, which protect the local ecosystem and local residents, is declining at a rapid rate because of the proliferation of shrimp ponds.
Source: Eco Business (August 18, 2014)
Ministry assesses hydro power plants
Hoang made the statement at a conference on hydro power plants last Wednesday, vowing that the ministry would strengthen its oversight over the construction and operation of hydro power plants across the country. He also said that violations would be met with strict penalties.
Source: Eco Business (August 14, 2014)
more detailsNews
Date: 27th August 2014
Can solutions to Asia’s water problems come from its youth? ADB is partnering with young water leaders to help solve the region’s water challenges.
more detailsNews
Date: 26th August 2014
In collaboration with the Electricity and Regulatory Authority of Viet Nam, ADB has been supporting communities in Quang Nam to strengthen their livelihoods following their resettlement due to hydropower projects. Through support from the Poverty and Environment Fund, the communities are engaged in a payments for forest environmental services (PFES) scheme, which has helped them develop new skills and increased incomes in return for patrolling forests to reduce illegal logging.
Learn more about the project story and its results through this short video, photo essay and feature article.
more detailsActivity
Date: 21st August 2014
Growing demand for energy goes hand-in-hand with rapid economic development. Since 2005, GDP per capita in the GMS has increased 260% while electricity consumption has nearly doubled. As their economies continue to rapidly grow, all six countries need to utilize additional energy resources to meet increasing domestic demand. In addition, Lao PDR and Myanmar view energy exports as a major economic opportunity.
more detailsActivity
Date: 21st August 2014
Under Viet Nam’s 2011 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) decree, development plans of five years duration or more, including socioeconomic development plans (SEDP), are required to undergo an SEA. However, implementation of the decree is still relatively weak, with technical SEA capacity one of the major constraints.
more detailsNews
Date: 20th August 2014
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting a 290-megawatt hydropower project in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) under a public-private partnership arrangement.
Read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 19th August 2014
EOC representatives were among eighty participants from nine countries that gathered in Jakarta to exchange best practices in land cover and land use assessments, and discuss strategies for building national land cover datasets.
more detailsEvent
Date: 18th August 2014
CEP progress in Viet Nam during 2014 and plans for 2015 were the topic of a workshop in Hanoi held on Tuesday 19 August. Around forty participants attended, including government agriculture, environment, energy and planning officials, and international development partners from FAO, GIZ, JICA and Winrock.
more detailsNews
Date: 17th August 2014
Safeguards are operational policies and procedures that seek to avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse environmental and social impacts, including protecting the rights of those likely to be affected or marginalized by the development process.
Read the full article.
more detailsPublication
Date: 13th August 2014
This series of posters show how inefficient freight truck fleets in the GMS are impacting the environment, why greener trucks will benefit both businesses and environment, and how this will be achieved under the Green Freight Initiative.
more detailsNews
Date: 10th August 2014
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) needs to ensure that economic corridors yield benefits in terms of trade, investment, and jobs, participants at the 6th GMS Economic Corridors Forum (ECF) heard today.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsPublication
Date: 7th August 2014
This ADB publication features the outcomes of a workshop on Green Freight and Logistics in Asia, co-organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für InternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ) from 25-27 June, 2014 in Singapore. The workshop was held to promote peer learning and exchange among key stakeholders active in freight and logistics.
more detailsActivity
Date: 7th August 2014
Development planning in the GMS is often fragmented, with ministries and sectors lacking the capacity, tools, or incentives to work together to meet sustainable development goals. When competing for the same natural resources, implementing one sector plan is often to the detriment of another. As a result, resource allocation can become inefficient, costly, and ultimately unsustainable.
more detailsPublication
Date: 7th August 2014
This poster features the vision of the Core Environment Program in GMS.
more detailsVideo
Date: 6th August 2014
This ADB video features coffee farmers in Viet Nam's Central Highlands joining in efforts to conserve forestland and biodiversity.
more detailsNews
Date: 4th August 2014
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Asian Development Bank (ADB), ORIX Corporation (ORIX) and Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (Robeco) today announced the formation of Asia Climate Partners (ACP), a joint venture that will undertake commercially-oriented private equity investments across a variety of environmentally supportive, low-carbon transactions throughout Asia.
more detailsNews
Date: 31st July 2014
Greater Mekong Subregion
UN puts new momentum behind its radical green agenda for 'climate change'
EXCLUSIVE: The United Nations is putting new momentum behind the radical green effort to reduce global carbon emissions and drastically reshape the world’s economy — a campaign that is wobbling badly due to international defections and the huge cost of cutting back economic growth in the name of controlling “climate change.”
Source: Fox News
more detailsNews
Date: 30th July 2014
A memorandum of understanding establishing a knowledge hub on green development and eco-compensation was today signed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Western Development Department of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and China Agricultural University (CAU).
Read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 30th July 2014
more detailsEvent
Date: 29th July 2014
Bridging the Divide: Linking Science-based Adaptation Approaches and Climate Change Policy-making in the GMS
This third in a series of roundtable discussions bought together climate change experts and government officials to discuss how climate change adaptation science can better inform policy making in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 23rd July 2014
The National Environment Board (NEB) has approved a long-delayed three-billion-baht plan to build a "wildlife corridor" to aid wild animals crossing Highway No.304 which cuts through the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai forest complex in Prachin Buri province.
Read the full article.
more detailsVideo
Date: 9th July 2014
This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.
more detailsVideo
Date: 6th July 2014
This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 6th July 2014
Greater Mekong Subregion
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries have exhibited high growth rates over the past decades, weathering even the worst of the global financial crisis. This impressive growth and accompanying rise in household income has brought great benefits to the ASEAN population of nearly 600 million, including declining poverty and strengthened social safety nets in many countries.
Source: Asia Foundation
more detailsEvent
Date: 6th July 2014
more detailsVideo
Date: 3rd July 2014
This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.
more detailsVideo
Date: 1st July 2014
This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.
more detailsPublication
Date: 29th June 2014
This paper presents the results of CEP-funded research conducted during 2011 and 2012 to assess increases in carbon dioxide caused by deforestation and emissions in Savannakhet Province in Lao PDR. The research was based on assessing the above ground biomass and carbon stocks for different land-cover types.
more detailsVideo
Date: 26th June 2014
This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.
more detailsDate: 24th June 2014
TOKYO, JAPAN — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced today the establishment of a new trust fund to support the adoption of advanced low-carbon technologies in its developing member countries (DMCs), with a grant of ¥1.8 billion (about $17.65 million) from the Government of Japan.
Read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 24th June 2014
more detailsPublication
Date: 23rd June 2014
This paper examines four environmental dimensions of energy security—climate change, air pollution, water availability and quality, and land-use change—and the environmental impact of various energy systems. Since all energy sources have an environmental impact, policymakers must begin to incorporate the cost of these negative consequences into energy prices.
more detailsEvent
Date: 21st June 2014
During the side event “Private Sector Engagement in Disaster Risk Management,” Ornsaran Pomme Manuamorn, EOC Climate Change Coordinator, presented on the role of risk financing in strengthening the climate change resilience of GMS rural communities living in transboundary biodiversity landscapes.
more detailsActivity
Date: 18th June 2014
While strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is a statutory requirement for most major strategic planning exercises in Viet Nam, there has been little guidance on how to apply SEA to river basin planning.
more detailsNews
Date: 17th June 2014
The 9th Asia Clean Energy Forum today saw the launch of a Sustainable Energy for All hub for Asia Pacific, aimed at mobilizing investment and finding innovative ways to bring clean, modern energy to the people of Asia and the Pacific.
Read the full article.
more detailsActivity
Date: 16th June 2014
Lao PDR is developing a decree and guidelines for strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in an effort to mainstream SEA in the country's development planning processes.
more detailsActivity
Date: 15th June 2014
The following are major results from the Xishuangbanna biodiversity corridors work so far, covering CEP Phase I and II
more detailsActivity
Date: 12th June 2014
Tourism in Myanmar has boomed in recent years, with the industry generating nearly $1.8 billion in revenue in 2014 as international tourist arrivals hit the 3 million mark for the first time, nearly triple the number of arrivals in 2012.
more detailsDate: 11th June 2014
WWF-- A giant flying squirrel, a skydiving gecko, a fish that mates head-to-head, and an eyeless cave-dwelling spider are among the 367 new species revealed by scientists in the Greater Mekong region in 2012-2013, and described in WWF’s new report, Mysterious Mekong.
Click here to read more.
more detailsPublication
Date: 10th June 2014
This report summarizes the investments in clean energy made by the operations departments of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2013, condensing information from project databases and formal reports in an easy-to-reference format. This report was prepared by ADB’s Clean Energy Program which provides the cohesive agenda that encompasses and guides ADB’s lending and non-lending assistance, initiatives, and plan of action for sustainable growth in Asia and the Pacific.
more detailsActivity
Date: 8th June 2014
Readily available environmental information and data is an essential prerequisite for government planners to make effective development decisions and realize sustainable development goals.
more detailsActivity
Date: 8th June 2014
The industrial sectors of Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar are rapidly growing and are helping drive economic development. For example, in Lao PDR, industry has doubled its proportion of national Gross Domestic Product during the past decade (12% to 25%). While the expansion of pulp industries including paper mills, cement factories, food processing and garment manufacturing, are providing new jobs and economic benefits, there are increasing concerns over industrial pollution, particularly on water and land quality.
more detailsEvent
Date: 8th June 2014
At the “Tourism and the Future of GMS Heritage” themed 2014 Mekong Tourism Forum, the Asian Development Bank’s Sanath Ranawana presented on the need to invest in natural heritage.
more detailsNews
Date: 28th May 2014
Ha Noi, Viet Nam-29 May 2014. A group of countries has come together to create new pathways for an inclusive green economy. They are gathering in Ha Noi, Viet Nam on 29-30 May to tell their success stories and exchange innovative ideas and research results in a ‘Policy Dialogue on Mainstreaming Natural Capital into Development Decisions: Bringing Environment to the Center Stage’.
more detailsPublication
Date: 28th May 2014
This report presents the methodology and lessons from a climate change adaptation study conducted by the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Core Environment Program. The study yielded a framework and methodology for assessing climate vulnerability and adaptation options for rural communities in the GMS. It was conducted in biodiversity conservation corridors in Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand, and Viet Nam during 2011–2012. The report introduces the framework, describes how it was applied, major results, and makes recommendations for future improvement.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th May 2014
On 29–30 May, representatives from more than 13 countries, including from the GMS, met in Ha Noi, Viet Nam to exchange experiences and innovative ideas on how to integrate natural capital into development decisions.
more detailsPublication
Date: 27th May 2014
This document presents ADB’s experience in the development of CIF programs and highlights some of the innovative transformations anticipated or already achieved by ADB projects using CIF funding.
In particular, this overview of ADB and CIF activities in the region shows that ADB continues to be committed to building the capacity of its DMCs to address climate change issues by delivering not only finance but also critical knowledge and technology, and by leveraging additional finance, particularly from the private sector.
more detailsNews
Date: 26th May 2014
Mobilizing viable investments to effectively protect and enhance natural resource stocks and ecosystem services in Asia’s landscapes is one of the region’s most challenging sustainable development issues.
more detailsVideo
Date: 26th May 2014
ADB’s Sanath Ranawana (and CEP project officer) was a panelist at the Forests Asia Summit on May 6 2014 in Jakarta, Indonesia. During the ‘Investing in Landscapes for Green Returns’ panel, he discussed the role of public financing to support environmentally friendly private sector investments in Asia’s landscapes (3:35–13:25).
more detailsEvent
Date: 26th May 2014
With support from the Core Environment Program, the Government of Viet Nam hosted a consultation workshop to introduce and gather feedback on a proposed strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of the country’s revised national power development plan (PDP VII).
more detailsNews
Date: 25th May 2014
South-East Asia faces unique climate-related challenges given its vulnerability to extreme weather and rising sea levels, according to Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Takehiko Nakao.
Nakao told participants at a session on climate at the World Economic Forum on East Asia that “we will have more severe and more frequent disasters in the region.”
more detailsPublication
Date: 20th May 2014
This book is first in a series of a three-volume publication on the environments of the poor, and contains selected papers on Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific from a conference organized in 2010 by ADB, in cooperation with various development partners and think tank institutes in Asia. The book introduces a spatial approach to poverty, and argues that a triple win -- reducing poverty, protecting the environment, and responding to climate change -- is possible.
more detailsEvent
Date: 19th May 2014
more detailsNews
Date: 18th May 2014
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved nearly $1 million for the Core Environment Program (CEP) to strengthen regional collaboration on transboundary landscapes. The funding was allocated under GEF’s Greater Mekong Subregion Forests and Biodiversity Program (GMS-FBP).
more detailsNews
Date: 12th May 2014
Coconut farmers in the Philippines, factory workers in Thailand and the fishing community in Indonesia know a hard truth about the losses wrought by natural hazards: lost income can significantly stall a community's recovery, pulling those who survive deeper into a cycle of poverty and loss that's hard to break.
Read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 5th May 2014
Government and international organization representatives attended a two-meeting organized by EOC to explore collaboration opportunities for improving the management of Transboundary Biodiversity Landscapes (TBLs) in the GMS.
more detailsDate: 4th May 2014
Please fiind Day 5 training materials below:
more detailsEvent
Date: 4th May 2014
more detailsDate: 30th April 2014
Please fiind Day 4 training materials below:
more detailsPublication
Date: 24th April 2014
This brief draws on the findings and key discussions from the 'Workshop on Valuing and Accounting for the Environment in Asia,' which was held in Bangkok 8-10 October, 2013. The brief was compiled by the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE). The Core Environment Program provided funding support for the workshop.
more detailsNews
Date: 24th April 2014
Transport and energy officials from the six GMS countries are in Bangkok this week to deepen their understanding of transport and energy in the context of climate change and to brainstorm ideas for mitigation and adaptation projects.
more detailsEvent
Date: 24th April 2014
more detailsDate: 23rd April 2014
Please fiind Day 2 training materials below:
more detailsDate: 22nd April 2014
Please fiind Day 2 training materials below:
more detailsVideo
Date: 21st April 2014
This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.
more detailsDate: 20th April 2014
Please fiind Day 1 training materials below:
more detailsEvent
Date: 20th April 2014
Overview
This training is a five-day intensive program designed to enhance understanding of energy and transport practitioners on issues and challenges which arise from climate change. It is a collaborative learning program in partnership with GMS Phnom Penh Plan (PPP) for Development Management.
more detailsPublication
Date: 14th April 2014
This ADB report provides a recent major initiative to assess the initial impact of ADB-supported projects under the Greater Mekong Subregion Program. As part of this exercise, a range of representative projects in the road transport, health, tourism, and energy sectors were selected for detailed analysis, and research institutes working with international consultants assessed their socioeconomic impact.
more detailsPublication
Date: 8th April 2014
This ADB e-news product features progress update on activities and major developments in pursuit of accelerated development of the countries sharing the Mekong River.
more detailsActivity
Date: 6th April 2014
The freight sector in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is emerging as a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, driven in part by regional economic cooperation and the associated development of economic corridors. In order to test interventions that could mitigate increases in emissions from freight transport, pilot projects are being implemented in Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam through the GMS Green Freight Initiative .
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st April 2014
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2014
This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 24th March 2014
25 March 2014
NAY PYI TAW, MYANMAR – Member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion face losing recent development gains unless they invest more to secure natural resource stocks, senior officials from the six countries heard at a meeting in Myanmar today.
more detailsEvent
Date: 23rd March 2014
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
The GMS Working Groups on Agriculture and Environment (WGE, WGA) held a joint knowledge event and their respective annual meetings in Nay Pyi Taw on 25 and 26 March.
more detailsNews
Date: 19th March 2014
Striking rates of economic growth notwithstanding, 550 million people remain hungry in Asia and the Pacific, 65% of the population has no safe piped water, and more than 600 million people live without electricity. Overcoming these problems requires a combined approach in which food, water and energy are treated as a nexus, rather than as separate, standalone issues, which has too often been the case in the past.
Read the full article.
more detailsDate: 19th March 2014
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
25 March 2014
High and accelerating demand for natural resources from competing development sectors, notably agriculture and energy, is resulting in the depletion and degradation of natural capital stocks and associated ecosystem services in GMS region. The agriculture sector alone uses a third of the land area and 88% of freshwater resources in Southeast Asian countries. In addition, increasing weather variability and extreme events due to climate change are exacerbating existing trends and further threatening the secure supply of resources.
more detailsDate: 19th March 2014
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
26 March 2014
Hosted by Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, the 20th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Environment (WGE) brought together WGE members, ADB representatives and development partners to review the Core Environment Program’s 2013 progress and discuss upcoming priorities.
Please find all meeting documents and presentations below:
more detailsDate: 19th March 2014
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
26 March 2014
Hosted by Myanmar’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, the 11th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Agriculture (WGA) brought together WGA members, ADB representatives and development partners to review the Core Agriculture Support Program’s 2013 progress and discuss upcoming priorities.
more detailsNews
Date: 18th March 2014
New biodiversity corridors and increased transboundary cooperation activities in PRC under the GMS Core Environment Program (CEP) kicked off last week following inception workshops in Kunming and Nanning.
more detailsEvent
Date: 17th March 2014
This workshop was organized within the context of a UN ESCAP project entitled “Pro-poor and sustainable solid waste management in secondary cities and small towns”. As part of this project, ESCAP is exploring the potential for NAMAs to serve as “win-win” strategies i.e. as ways of promoting sustainable approaches to solid waste management, while at the same time reducing GHG emissions.
The objective of the workshop was to review the current status on the development of NAMAs and discuss future prospects for the waste sector. Naeeda Crishna Morgado, Climate Change Mitigation Specialist at EOC, presented an overview of prospective NAMA development with respect to freight transport in the GMS.
more detailsEvent
Date: 4th March 2014
more detailsEvent
Date: 19th February 2014
more detailsNews
Date: 13th February 2014
Viet Nam’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources hosted a ceremony in Hanoi on Friday to celebrate the signing of two Letter of Agreements (LOA) with ADB for the GMS Core Environment Program (CEP).
more detailsEvent
Date: 11th February 2014
more detailsEvents
Date: 10th February 2014
Please find the documents on the Environmental and Social Safeguards Awareness Seminar day 1 attached.
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Events
Date: 10th February 2014
Please find the documents on Environmental and Social Safeguards Awareness Seminar Day 2 attached.
more detailsEvent
Date: 9th February 2014
ADB and the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MOECAF) co-hosted a 2-day seminar in Nay Pyi Daw on 10 and 11 February to raise awareness about environmental and social safeguards.
more detailsPublication
Date: 9th February 2014
This is Cambodia’s second Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) Report, covering 2006–2010 and following the first EPA report which covered 2003–2006. This report presents an overall picture of progress in the country’s pursuit of its sustainable development and environmental health goals. It addresses nine environmental concerns: forest resources, threats to biodiversity, fishery resources, drinking water, unsustainable agricultural practices, inland water pollution, solid waste management in Phnom Penh, threats to coastal zone, and climate change.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th January 2014
The PM has recently approved a master plan on biodiversity conservation through 2020 with vision towards 2030.
The master plan aims to preserve and develop important natural ecosystems, valuable and endangered genetic sources; maintain and strengthen ecosystem services in response to climate change in order to boost national sustainable development.
Click here to read more.
more detailsEvent
Date: 27th January 2014
more detailsNews
Date: 16th January 2014
EOC hosted a climate change round table meeting in Bangkok on Thursday, bringing together development partners and programs working in the GMS to share information and discuss areas of collaboration. The meeting was used to highlight the climate change portfolio of the Nordic Development Fund, including its support to CEP’s climate change program.
Apart from NDF and EOC, attendees included representatives from the Government of Sweden, ADB, IGES, USAID, GIZ, UNDP and UNEP.
Key areas of collaboration identified at the meeting included finding more effective ways to monitor the impact of climate change programs, closer coordination on specific climate change issues, and sharing experiences on leveraging private sector investments.
more detailsEvent
Date: 15th January 2014
Key development partners and programs working in the GMS met to share information and discuss areas of collaboration on climate change initiatives in the region. The meeting, hosted by EOC, was used to highlight the climate change portfolio of the Nordic Development Fund.
more detailsNews
Date: 14th January 2014
In continuation of CEP support to strengthen Myanmar’s environmental safeguards system, a 2nd Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedures was held in Yangon on 6 January 2014.
more detailsNews
Date: 8th January 2014
During a three-day visit to People’s Republic of China (PRC), Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao expressed appreciation for the PRC’s reform vision announced last month and assured Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of ADB’s strong support for reforms and efforts to address environment and poverty.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 8th January 2014
Building on earlier strategic environmental assessment (SEA) awareness-raising activities in Lao PDR, EOC’s environmental planning team recently visited the country to scope out potential areas for further SEA support.
more detailsEvent
Date: 5th January 2014
more detailsPublication
Date: 1st January 2014
This ADB publication looks at the experience of economic corridor development from across the world, including successful economic corridor developments in the European Union and South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) regions. There are important lessons to be learned for successful corridor development including for two priority regions in Asia, the Greater Mekong Subregion and the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation.
This publication also features a chapter on CEP experience applying spatial tools for economic corridor planning in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 31st December 2013
EOC’s environmental planning team recently met with key stakeholders in Viet Nam to discuss proposed strategic planning activities under the Core Environment Program (CEP).
more detailsPublication
Date: 23rd December 2013
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Sustainability Report has been issued every 2 years since 2007. The current Sustainability Report contains selected performance highlights of ADB’s operations and corporate footprint during 2011–2012.
more detailsNews
Date: 23rd December 2013
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sharply increased support for projects promoting sustainable, inclusive, and environmentally sound growth in Asia and the Pacific, says a new report.
“Strategy 2020, our long-term strategic framework, recognizes the essential role that environmental sustainability plays in poverty reduction and inclusive growth, and the ADB sustainability report for 2011 and 2012 shows we are making headway on many fronts,” said Nessim Ahmad, ADB’s Director for Environment and Safeguards.
Click here to read full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 19th December 2013
more detailsEvent
Date: 19th December 2013
more detailsEvent
Date: 17th December 2013
This three-day conference held in Chiang Rai was organized by the Asia-Pacific Adaptation Network to facilitate discussion and share lessons about climate change adaptation, resilience and urban biodiversity in Southeast Asia.
more detailsPublication
Date: 16th December 2013
This sector assessment, strategy, and road map highlights the Government of Myanmar’s plans and strategies for addressing priority needs for the agriculture, natural resources, and environment sector and identifies possible preliminary areas of international assistance. It assesses key sector development needs by analyzing the strengths, constraints and weaknesses, various risks, and potential threats, as well as the opportunities, including further evolving the development partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
more detailsDate: 12th December 2013
Opening statement by ADB Vice-President Stephen P. Groff at the 19th GMS Ministerial Conference on 11 December 2013 held at Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen:
It is with great pleasure that I join you at this 19th Ministerial Conference of the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program. Please allow me to first thank our hosts, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and all participants, as well as for the excellent arrangements for our meeting. I would like to especially thank His Excellency Mr. Noulinh Sinbandhit, Lao PDR's GMS Minister, for welcoming us so graciously, and for chairing our meeting. It is my honor and pleasure to co-chair this meeting with him today.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th December 2013
Member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) have agreed to draw up a $50 billion pipeline of potential projects under a new Regional Investment Framework (RIF), including investments in non-traditional areas like railways and multisector projects to be made over the next decade.
Click here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 8th December 2013
more detailsNews
Date: 4th December 2013
Chinese and Lao PDR environment officials agreed last week on a three-year plan to scale up transboundary conservation efforts in the Mekong Headwaters.
more detailsNews
Date: 3rd December 2013
An Asian Judges Network on Environment has been formally launched in Manila, marking a new stage of cooperation amongst justices cast with enforcing environmental laws and helping to preserve the region’s precious natural capital.
more detailsDate: 3rd December 2013
ADB SPEECH- 4 December 2013
Welcome remarks by ADB President Takehiko Nakao at the Second Asian Judges Symposium on Environment:
Natural Capital and the Rule of Law held in Manila, Philippines on 2 December 2013
Activity
Date: 2nd December 2013
From early 2012, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) begun preparing a Regional Investment Framework (RIF) to operationalize the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Strategic Framework 2012–2022.
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st December 2013
A workshop to synergize landscape and livelihood activities between CEP and the Biodiversity Conservation Corridors project (BCC) in the provinces of Quang Nam, T.T. Hue and Quang Tri was held in Hue, Viet Nam. The workshop, which included provincial and central government representatives, aimed to raise awareness about the biodiversity conservation pilot projects conducted during CEP Phase I and to discuss how planned activities under CEP Phase II can align with ongoing BCC work.
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st December 2013
An Asian Judges Network on Environment was officially launched at the Second Asian Judges Symposium on Environment to be held in Manila, 2 to 5 December.
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st December 2013
more detailsPublication
Date: 27th November 2013
This CEP brief summarizes the methodology and lessons learned from a Spatial Multicriteria Assessment (SMCA) recently applied to the GMS Regional Investment Framework. It concludes that SMCA is a valuable tool to help decision makers understand and respond to the economic, environmental, and social risks of investments. For example, SMCA can assist decision-makers to prioritize investments, determine appropriate land allocation, and plan mitigation measures.
more detailsPublication
Date: 27th November 2013
This brochure introduces the GMS statistics and maps available on the GMS Core Environment Program website.
more detailsNews
Date: 24th November 2013
Representatives from the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Environment (WGE), ADB, and CEP shared their regional cooperation experience in managing transboundary biodiversity landscapes at the first Global Forum on Natural Capital.
more detailsVideo
Date: 21st November 2013
This animation produced by the James Hutton Institute explains why Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes are attracting increasing interest as policy mechanisms to improve conservation and achieve sustainable development outcomes. PES initiatives aim to reach mutually beneficial agreements between providers and users of ecosystem services, entailing a reward mechanism for ecosystem managers for maintaining or improving the provision of the services valued by beneficiaries.
more detailsEvent
Date: 20th November 2013
The Global Forum on Natural Capital was organized to attract business and sustainability leaders around the globe to discuss the value of natural assets (clean air, clean water, forests) and progress with factoring these assets into business decision making and countries’ systems of national accounting.
Sanath Ranawana, Senior Natural Resources Specialist of ADB, presented on the Core Environment Program and the GMS Regional Investment Framework at the Forum.
more details
Event
Date: 20th November 2013
The 4th Joint Committee Meeting for the Greater Mekong Subregion Cross-Border Transport Agreement was held in Yangon, Myanmar on 21-22 November 2013.
more detailsNews
Date: 19th November 2013
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is helping the People’s Republic of China (PRC) improve the quality of wastewater management and reuse through a $240 million private sector loan package to Beijing Enterprises Water Group Limited (BEWG), an integrated water infrastructure operator. The loan agreement was signed today in Beijing.
Please click Here to read the full article.
more detailsNews
Date: 18th November 2013
ADB NEWS RELEASE- 19 November 2013
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) new country partnership strategy with Thailand for 2013-2016 will help support achieving high, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth by bringing knowledge and international best practices, contributing to private sector development, and supporting regional cooperation and integration.
more detailsNews
Date: 18th November 2013
Thailand will inform a United Nations climate change conference this week it remains committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7-20% by the end of 2020.
Click here to read the rest of the article .
more detailsNews
Date: 14th November 2013
ADB NEWS RELEASE- 15 November 2013
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – 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.
more detailsNews
Date: 14th November 2013
Newswise — LONDON (November 11, 2013) — The Wildlife Conservation Society announced that the Nam Nern Night Safari, an ecotour based in Laos’ Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area in Houaphan Province, won the prestigious World Responsible Tourism Award for Best for Responsible Wildlife Experience at the World Travel Mart in London, England.
more detailsEvent
Date: 14th November 2013
Chief justices from the region met last week to explore legal responses to pressing environment issues such as cross border threats from climate change, pollution, deforestation and the illegal trade in wildlife and timber.
more detailsEvent
Date: 13th November 2013
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st October 2013
This ADB book provides an energy outlook for the region up to the year 2035 to help identify policy, social, infrastructure, and technology issues that must be addressed to meet future energy needs of ADB members in Asia and the Pacific.
more detailsNews
Date: 29th October 2013
Recently, MEP has issued a Circular on Imposing Penalty on Regions Failing to Pass the Assessment of Special Plan for Prevention and Control of Water Pollution in Key River Basins, stating that some counties and districts would be subject to withdrawal of EIA approval which included Hefei and Liu’an of Anhui Province in the Chaohu Lake basin, Kunming, Yunnan Province of Dianchi Lake basin, Siping, Jilin of Liaohe River basin and Enshi Prefecture, Hubei of the Three Gorges Reservoir area and its upper reaches.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th October 2013
The GMS Working Group on Environment (WGE) met on 30 October 2013 in Champasak, Lao PDR, to review CEP implementation progress and endorse the 2014 work-plan. Also discussed were the GMS Regional Investment Framework environment pipeline and preliminary concept and preparatory work for the 4th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting.
more detailsPublication
Date: 27th October 2013
This ADB document outlines the Greater Mekong Subregion human resource development strategy.
more detailsEvents
Date: 23rd October 2013
Champasak, Lao PDR
Hosted by Lao PDR’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the 8th Semi- Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Environment brought together WGE members, ADB representatives and development partners to review the Core Environment Program’s 2013 progress and discuss upcoming priorities.
Please find all meeting documents and presentations below:
more details
News
Date: 23rd October 2013
ADB NEWS RELEASE- 24 October 2013
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Hospitals, hotels, shopping malls, and many other businesses in Southeast Asian countries are expected to adopt cost-effective, energy-saving solutions once positive results are demonstrated through pioneering energy efficiency projects funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
more detailsNews
Date: 22nd October 2013
More than one million people living in the coastal areas of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) could be displaced, with a landmass four times the size of Hong Kong, China submerged by 2050, if the country does not take action to prepare for rising sea levels and more intense cyclones, a new report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) warns.
Please click Here to read the full article.
more detailsEvents
Date: 21st October 2013
Champasak, Lao PDR
The GMS Working Group on Environment, EOC and ADB representatives and development partners met on October 29 to deepen understanding of the CEP program. Presentations and discussions focused on the CEP conceptual framework, transboundary landscape management, the emerging GMS environmental information hub, the new communications strategy, and mainstreaming gender and social inclusion into the program.
more details
News
Date: 17th October 2013
EOC representatives summarize five key messages from the regional workshop 'Mainstreaming ecosystem-based approaches to climate change into biodiversity conservation planning in Viet Nam,' held in Hanoi on 15 & 16 October.
more detailsNews
Date: 14th October 2013
Ministers from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies pledged strong commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth at the close of the 25th APEC Ministerial Meeting in Bali, Indonesia, on 8 October 2013.
Click Here to read full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 14th October 2013
The Core Environment Program (CEP) supported Viet Nam’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to host the regional workshop: “Mainstreaming ecosystem-based approaches to climate change into biodiversity conservation planning in Viet Nam.”
more detailsPublication
Date: 13th October 2013
In the context of Strategy 2020 and in the follow-up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), this ADB report provides a coherent overview of ADB environment operations and to articulate how it will step up efforts to help the region achieve a transition to environmentally sustainable growth or green growth. Building on ADB sector and thematic plans, this paper includes a brief review of recent ADB experience in environment operations, and identifies effective approaches for the development of “greener” country partnership strategies, investment projects, and associated knowledge and technical assistance activities.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th October 2013
The Prime Minister of Viet Nam has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to re-consider the development plans of hydro-power projects No 6 and 6A and others along the Dong Nai River.
The request is part of a document giving the PM's response to a petition by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) on the negative impacts these projects would have on the Dong Nai River Basin.
Please click Here to read the full article.
more detailsEvent
Date: 13th October 2013
more detailsNews
Date: 9th October 2013
Viet Nam has become the first of 47 UN-REDD partner countries to receive REDD+ Phase II funding, with $30 million approved through the country’s National REDD+ Programme, funded by the Government of Norway.
Please click Here to read the full article.
more detailsPublication
Date: 8th October 2013
The ADB annual Asian Development Outlook, generally launched in April, presents an analysis of developing Asia’s recent economic performance plus its prospects for the next 2 years. This Update shows whether these forecasts were met, explaining divergence between forecasts and the actual outturn, and firms the forecasts for the next 18 months or so.
more detailsNews
Date: 7th October 2013
The strengthening of country safeguard systems is a central objective of ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement. There are several reasons for this strong emphasis. First, and most importantly, enhancing country safeguards systems should be a development objective in its own right. A broader focus on safeguards at country and sector level can extend our development impact far beyond a ring-fenced project approach. This clearly makes sense given that the vast majority of infrastructure and other development to be financed in the future will not be subject to MDB safeguards.
Read the full article here.
more detailsActivity
Date: 7th October 2013
Since late 2012, CEP has supported Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MOECAF) to establish a national environmental safeguards system.
more detailsNews
Date: 7th October 2013
Under the Biodiversity Conservation Corridors (BCC) project in Cambodia, 6,600 tree seedlings were recently planted on 15 hectares of Chong Long community forest in Mondulkiri province.
more detailsNews
Date: 7th October 2013
ADB NEWS RELEASE- 8 October 2013
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Government of Norway will help Myanmar overhaul its ageing electricity regulations, clearing the way for sector reforms and a new era in power supply.
more detailsNews
Date: 7th October 2013
ADB NEWS RELEASE- 8 October 2013
BANGKOK, THAILAND—Ministers and senior government officials from the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries met today to discuss multi-billion dollar projects and activities that will be pursued under the Regional Investment Framework (RIF) as the means of widening and deepening economic corridors.
more detailsEvent
Date: 7th October 2013
The Core Environment Program supported the conference “Valuing and Accounting for the Environment in the Asia Region,” which looked at how environmental values can be incorporated into national accounting systems.
more detailsNews
Date: 6th October 2013
ADB-NEWS RELEASE
Bangkok, Thailand (7 October 2013) – Statisticians, economists, ecologists and policy makers across Asia will meet in Bangkok from the 8th to 10th of October to define ways of calculating the value of natural resources that could reshape the way country success is measured.
more detailsEvent
Date: 29th September 2013
The Asia Low Emissions Development Strategies (LEDS) Forum aims to facilitate regional coordination; share tools, models, approaches, and best practices; and increase capacity and readiness of practitioners to lead and implement LEDS and green growth initiatives. Policymakers, donors, practitioners, and other experts involved in developing low-emission strategies in Asia will attend the annual event.
more detailsEvent
Date: 25th September 2013
This workshop brought together government representatives and development partners to share experiences on measuring greenhouse gases from the transport sector. Naeeda Crishna Morgado, Climate Change Mitigation Specialist at EOC, presented the results of the ‘Carbon Neutral Transport Corridor’ feasibility study with a focus on measuring emissions and identifying mitigation actions for the GMS East West Economic Corridor. The workshop was hosted by UNESCAP.
more detailsEvent
Date: 23rd September 2013
A delegation of 12 Officers of the National Environment Commission Secretariat from the Royal Government of Bhutan paid a study visit to the Environment Operations Center (EOC) to learn about Strategic Enviroment Assessment (SEA) application in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
more detailsPublication
Date: 17th September 2013
This report features the discussions, experience and lessons learnt from a regional dialogue on New Opportunities for Natural Wealth Management in June 17-20, 2013. This public private dialogue served as a platform for participants from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors to explore emerging opportunities in natural wealth management that are arising in the context of the green economy, and in turn catalyze a dialogue on enabling conditions for sustainable natural wealth management that promotes green economic development in the GMS countries.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th September 2013
As part of a round of planning missions to GMS countries, CEP held a scoping mission to Viet Nam to consult with stakeholders on the program’s Phase II strategic planning, safeguards, and monitoring activities.
more detailsActivity
Date: 15th September 2013
Rural households and communities in the GMS employ a wide range of strategies to minimize the impact of climatic shocks. These include crop and labor diversification, personal savings, investments in semi-liquid assets such as livestock, and informal risk pooling arrangements among peers.
more detailsActivity
Date: 15th September 2013
A number of development organizations in the GMS are working closely with the countries to help them more effectively integrate climate change considerations into development decisions.
more detailsActivity
Date: 11th September 2013
The freight and logistics sector in the GMS plays a pivotal role in supporting the expansion of trade, and in turn, economic growth. A 2010 Core Environment Program study of the GMS East-West Economic Corridor – connecting Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam - found that promoting green freight through improved logistics management and fuel efficiency measures could reduce GHG emissions and lower freight company fuel costs.
more detailsActivity
Date: 11th September 2013
Forests in the GMS are important carbon sinks, provide valuable eco-system services, contain extensive and unique biodiversity, and are an important source of livelihood for millions of local people, many of whom live in poverty. The on-going destruction and damage to natural forests in the GMS through over-exploitation has long been one of the major environmental challenges facing the subregion. In response, GMS countries are engaging in REDD+ (“Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation”).
more detailsEvent
Date: 11th September 2013
As part of a round of planning missions to GMS countries, CEP held a scoping mission to Lao PDR to consult with stakeholders on the program’s Phase II strategic planning, safeguards, and monitoring activities.
more detailsPublication
Date: 4th September 2013
This ADB report was produced under the Technical Assistance Grant: Determining the Potential for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in Southeast Asia (TA 7575-REG), and is focused on an assessment of the CCS potential in Thailand, Viet Nam, and specific regions of Indonesia (South Sumatra) and the Philippines (Calabarzon).
more detailsEvent
Date: 3rd September 2013
more detailsEvent
Date: 3rd September 2013
more detailsEvent
Date: 2nd September 2013
“Building up partnerships on green development transformation” was the main theme of the 2013 ASEAN-China Environmental Cooperation Forum, which was held in Guilin, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China (PRC).
more detailsDate: 27th August 2013
This ADB report provides provincial and district policy makers with an understanding of the key areas of vulnerability and hotspots with regard to climate change in Viet Nam in the period up to 2050. The study identifies potential future climate conditions in the Mekong Delta region and assesses the effects of future climate scenarios on natural, social, and economic systems in the region.
more detailsDate: 27th August 2013
This ADB study aims to provide guidance to ADB’s Viet Nam country program on applying ADB’s corporate guidelines on environment and climate change to improve ongoing and future priority sector activities. It provides a review of major environment and climate change issues in Viet Nam and their impact on socioeconomic development. This report also includes a discussion of sector risks and opportunities in the agriculture and natural resources, energy, health, transport, urban and water sectors.
more detailsNews
Date: 26th August 2013
Lao PDR’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MONRE) hosted a ceremony today to celebrate the recent signing of a Letter of Agreement (LOA) with ADB for the Core Environment Program.
more detailsVideo
Date: 20th August 2013
The video takes a look at the conservation of the Cao Vit gibbon, which was believed to survive only in one location in northern Viet Nam until, in 2006, three groups were discovered in adjacent forest in Guangxi Autonomous Province, China. The video was produced by Guangxi Environmental Protection Department and is in Chinese with English subtitles.
more detailsDate: 14th August 2013
Please find all documents related to BCC activities in Lao PDR.
more detailsDate: 14th August 2013
Please find all documents related to BCC activities in Viet Nam.
more detailsDate: 14th August 2013
Please find all documents related to BCC activities in Cambodia.
more detailsPublication
Date: 13th August 2013
This ADB paper examines the role of international trade in employment growth in micro- and small enterprises using a representative sample of manufacturing firms in six Southeast Asian countries
more detailsPublication
Date: 6th August 2013
This ADB document assesses the needs of urban development and the water sector in Myanmar, and outlines key ADB initiatives to improve access of the population, including poor urban communities, to basic urban services.
more detailsEvent
Date: 5th August 2013
more detailsNews
Date: 25th July 2013
Picture this: rapid urbanization and massive infrastructure development and people trapped in outdated polluting transportation, escalating environmental degradation and deforestation, rising potable water shortages and food security concerns, extreme climate change occurrences and growing disaster risks.
Read the full ADB blog here.
more detailsNews
Date: 25th July 2013
My visits to Myanmar including the last one in December amazed me at the pace with which world’s view of Myanmar had changed. Equally impressive was the impatience with which Myanmar seemed to be ready to reengage with the regional and global economy and get on with the business of economic development. The external investor interests were palpable particularly in the exponential increase in hotel rates in Yangon. Like many observers, I believe Myanmar could achieve 7-8% annual growth in the coming years and be a middle income country in a few decades.
Read the full ADB blog here.
more detailsNews
Date: 25th July 2013
We’ve been thinking a lot lately about investing in “natural capital” in Asia and the Pacific – one of four key thrusts of ADB’s newly approved Environment Operational Directions for 2013-2020.
Read the full ADB blog here.
more detailsEvent
Date: 25th July 2013
In continuation of the Core Environment Program’s support to strengthening Myanmar’s environmental safeguards system, a Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedures was held in Yangon on 26 July 2013.
more detailsEvent
Date: 7th July 2013
more detailsNews
Date: 27th June 2013
ADB SPEECH-28 June 2013
Speech by ADB Vice-President Stephen P. Groff on 28 June 2013 at the Economic Growth in Southeast Asia: Integration, Sustainability, and Capacity Development, co-hosted by WWF USA and George Washington School of International Affairs in the United States
more detailsNews
Date: 20th June 2013
On 21 June, National Coordinators from the ADB-funded Biodiversity Conservation Corridors (BCC) Project met with EOC staff to discuss a monitoring framework for measuring the outcomes and impacts of biodiversity corridor investments in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 18th June 2013
Private sector delegates at this week’s GMS Green Growth Public-Private Dialogue in Bangkok attended a dinner event on Tuesday 18 June to learn about the GMS Core Environment Program and to discuss collaborative opportunities.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th June 2013
The Core Environment Program is helping further the green growth agenda in the GMS by bringing together public and private stakeholders to develop a shared understanding of green economy intiatives and how to operationalize them in the subregion.
more detailsPublication
Date: 6th June 2013
This ADB energy sector assessments, strategies, and road map document updates development issues, needs, and priorities of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) for ADB assistance in the coming years, with a focus on the electricity subsector.
more detailsPublication
Date: 5th June 2013
This ADB report examines prospects for ADB to ramp up efforts in the region for greater utilization of demand-side energy efficiency, the most cost-effective source of energy supply. The report further identifies global and regional trends that are driving Asia’s energy demand and the resulting policy and regulatory environment for energy efficiency.
more detailsPublication
Date: 5th June 2013
This ADB transport sector assessment, strategy, and road map highlights development issues, needs and strategic assistance priorities of the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and ADB, with a focus on energy.
more detailsNews
Date: 15th May 2013
Pilot projects to help small-medium trucking companies in Viet Nam ‘green’ their operations were discussed at a workshop in Ha Noi on Thursday 17 May. The proposed projects aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased freight efficiency and reduced diesel use. A revolving fund mechanism is planned, which would provide freight companies with the financial means to upgrade their fleets with cleaner technologies. Improved driver training and logistics management projects were also discussed.
more detailsEvent
Date: 15th May 2013
A workshop held in Ha Noi yesterday put forward the idea of green freight pilot projects for trucking SME companies in Viet Nam. Attended by 35 participants from transport authorities, freight companies, associations, universities and NGOs, the meeting was hosted by the Director General, Department of Environment, Ministry of Transport.
more detailsPublication
Date: 7th May 2013
This ADB e-news product features progress update on the Regional Investment Framework, preparations of the 19th Ministerial Conference, and meetings on tourism, agriculture, and environment. It also has a special article on GMS Program and the urban development sector.
more detailsNews
Date: 5th May 2013
On 3 May, the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) signed a co-financing agreement with ADB committing $5.3 million to climate change activities under the GMS Core Environment Program.
more detailsPublication
Date: 16th April 2013
This ADB report includes analyses of national plans at sector levels, and regional investment priorities that were preliminarily identified in the energy sector. The primary objective is to update information on regional energy resources and to analyze the prospects for regional energy sector development.
more detailsPublication
Date: 16th April 2013
This report, prepared by the International Organization for Migration and funded by ADB, highlights issues on labor migration in the GMS and offers recommendations toward increasing social protection for migrants, strengthening capacity and legal framework, and enhancing knowledge management mechanisms.
more detailsNews
Date: 1st April 2013
NEWS RELEASE
XIENGKHOUANG, LAO PDR (2 April 2013) – Senior agriculture and environment officials from the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries met today to discuss environmentally sustainable agriculture and natural resource management in the region.
more detailsEvent
Date: 1st April 2013
Cross-sector collaboration is central to the long-term success of the GMS Economic Cooperation Program, particularly among inter-dependent sectors such agriculture and environment.
more detailsDate: 26th March 2013
2 April 2013
Natural resources play a pivotal role in the lives of people in the GMS with 67% of the population living in rural areas and 40% employed by the agriculture sector. Increasing cross border economic integration and development is changing agricultural systems in the GMS and creating ever-increasing pressure on the natural resource base.
In response, more efficient agricultural production systems are needed as well as greater access to markets for ecosystem-based products. ‘Greening’ of the supply chain will enhance the overall competitiveness of the agriculture sector and provide both socio-economic and environmental benefits.
Agriculture and environment officials from the six GMS countries explored these issues and looked at ways to increase collaboration between these two inter-dependent sectors. This 1-day knowledge event was followed by the 2013 annual meetings of both the GMS Working Group on Agriculture and GMS Working Group on Environment on 3 April.
more detailsDate: 26th March 2013
3 April 2013
Hosted by Lao PDR’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the 19th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Environment brought together WGE members, ADB representatives and development partners to review the Core Environment Program’s 2012 progress and discuss upcoming priorities.
Please find all meeting documents and presentations below:
more detailsDate: 26th March 2013
3 April 2013
Hosted by Lao PDR’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the 10th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Agriculture brought together WGA members, ADB representatives and development partners to review the Core Agriculture Support Program’s 2012 progress and discuss upcoming priorities.
Please find all meeting documents and presentations below:
more detailsDate: 24th March 2013
Water security in Asia and the Pacific is under threat from many sources: population growth, urbanization, increasing water pollution, the over-abstraction of groundwater, water-related disasters, and climate change. Current planning and management have proven insufficient to address the challenges of meeting society's diverse needs for water.
more detailsDate: 24th March 2013
Below are the presentations from the PPP Training on Environmental Safeguards for Energy and Transport in the GMS.
more detailsEvent
Date: 24th March 2013
This 5-day training program aimed to provide planners and environmental assessment practitioners with the concepts, tools and approaches to systematically integrate environmental safeguards into the transport and energy sectors of the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th March 2013
In October 2012, ADB took regional journalists along the East-West Economic Corridor, from coastal Vietnam to the Lao-Thai border to see first hand the impact of GMS Program support. As part of the press tour, EOC and Lao PDR's Minstry of Natural Resources and Environment organized a two-day visit to the Xe Pian Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Pilot Site in Champassak Province. There journalists saw how the Core Environment Program's work has benefited local people and their environment.
more detailsEvent
Date: 11th March 2013
Climate change and associated extreme weather events will have a significant impact on economic growth and human development in the GMS. Key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and tourism support economic growth and local livelihoods and are highly dependent on climate-sensitive natural resources including forests, water resources, biodiversity and other ecosystem services.
more detailsNews
Date: 16th January 2013
This quarterly newsletter produced by the ADB highlights recent and upcoming initiatives and events from the GMS Economic Cooperation Program. This issue covers the 18th GMS Ministerial Meeting as well as various GMS Working Group meetings, while the feature article looks at social security for migrant labor in the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th January 2013
The Asian Development Bank is seeking an energetic and highly motivated individual to lead the EOC's dynamic and dedicated team of international and national technical specialists implementing the GMS Core Environment Program and Biodiversity Corridors Conservation Initiative (CEP-BCI).
Please visit our Careers Page for more information, including the Terms of Reference and how to apply.
News
Date: 6th January 2013
The GMS Environment Operations Center is seeking an experienced biodiversity and landscape conservation specialist to lead integrated conservation and livelihood development work for the Core Environment Program. This position, which is being readvertised, is based in Bangkok and is for international applicants.
Applications are due by 18 February 2013.
more detailsPublication
Date: 17th December 2012
This ADB e-news product features a summary of the concluded GMS events related to transport, power, and labor. It also features a special article on safe labor migration in the GMS and information on upcoming events.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th December 2012
ADB News Release
MANILA, PHILIPPINES (12 December 2012) – The next phase of Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) investments should expand the program into new areas such as multisector investments towards urban development, connecting remote areas with growth centers, and extending existing corridors into Myanmar, ministers attending the 18th GMS Ministerial Conference in Nanning, People’s Republic of China (PRC) said today in a joint statement.
more detailsPublication
Date: 11th December 2012
Prepared for the 20th Anniversary of the GMS, this second edition of the Atlas offers a unique overview of the exquisite beauty and diversity of the subregion’s natural environment. It also highlights the tremendous progress made by the GMS countries, as well as the need to address the increasing risks that they face.
more detailsNews
Date: 9th December 2012
Green freight technologies and driver training in the People's Republic of China are reducing greenhouse gases and fuel costs as well as providing important lessons for other GMS countries.
more detailsNews
Date: 6th December 2012
NEWS RELEASE
BANGKOK, THAILAND: The Government of Sweden today committed $8.3 million for a second phase of the Core Environment Program and Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative (CEP-BCI), an Asian Development Bank (ADB) administered program helping the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) achieve environmentally-friendly economic growth.
more detailsPublication
Date: 5th December 2012
This ADB report briefly reviews the progress of the Greater Mekong Subregion (both the region and the program) and outlines some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
more detailsDate: 4th December 2012
Below are the speeches and presentations from the Environmental Safeguards Knowledge Sharing Workshop held in Nay Pyi Taw on 29 and 30 November 2012.
more detailsEvent
Date: 4th December 2012
The Better Air Quality (BAQ) conference is an event on air quality in Asia, covering transport, energy, industry and climate change, with a particular emphasis on government policies and measures. BAQ 2012 was co-organized by the Clean Air Initiative-Asia (CAI-Asia), the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), and in partnership with the Asian Development Bank and World Bank.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th November 2012
Background
If current reforms in Myanmar continue, ADB estimates the country’s economy could expand by 7-8% per year. While this will greatly assist poverty reduction efforts, a major challenge for the country will be balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability – particularly as growth will be largely supported by the country’s rich endowment of natural resources.
more detailsNews
Date: 26th November 2012
The EOC is seeking proposals to develop additional functionality and tools for its website and Environmental Information Portal.
more detailsNews
Date: 14th November 2012
The GMS Environment Operations Center gave a presentation about CEP work to develop green freight pilot projects in Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam at the ADB Transport Forum, held in Manila on 8 November.
more detailsPublication
Date: 28th October 2012
This paper shares findings from land demand allocation modeling used to assess pressures on hydropower catachments based on development scenarios in Viet Nam. The modeling was applied as part of a strategic environmental assessment of the Quang Nam province land use plan. The paper was presented at the International Association of Impact Assessment Annual Meeting, held June 2012 in Portugal.
more detailsPublication
Date: 28th October 2012
This paper presents findings from a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of Viet Nam's Power Development Plan VII. The SEA analyzed social and environmental costs and benefits of potential power generation alternatives and led to adjustments in the Plan's power generation source mix as well as its energy and efficiency targets. The paper was presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the International Association of Impact Assessment, held in June in Porto, Portugal.
more detailsNews
Date: 28th October 2012
The GMS Working Group on Environment met on 25 October in Beijing, PRC, to review CEP-BCI's 2012 implementation progress and upcoming priorities.
more detailsEvent
Date: 24th October 2012
The GMS Working Group on Environment met on 25 October in Beijing, PRC, to review CEP's 2012 implementation progress and upcoming priorities. All the meeting documents and presentations are listed below, including the meeting minutes.
more detailsNews
Date: 17th October 2012
The EOC is seeking a Project Implementation Specialist to support the effective and efficient delivery of CEP-BCI and to assist with coordination between it and other GMS sub-regional programs.
Applications close 2 November, find out more and access the ToR on our Careers page.
more detailsNews
Date: 26th September 2012
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing $600 million for a package of green projects that will transform waste into clean energy, reduce CO2 emissions, expand eco-friendly transport, and protect fragile wetland areas in fast-growing second-tier cities in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Read the full ADB story here.
more detailsNews
Date: 23rd September 2012
News Release: 24 Sept 2012
BANGKOK, THAILAND - The Government of Finland today committed $14 million for a second phase of a program administered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is helping the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) achieve environmentally-friendly economic growth.
more detailsPublication
Date: 13th September 2012
This collection of images illustrates the progress and challenges of 20 years of work in the Greater Mekong Subregion. It makes no attempt to focus solely on the work of the Asian Development Bank, or any one partner. It is a celebration of the work of everyone who has labored to make the Greater Mekong Subregion into what it is today.
more detailsNews
Date: 13th September 2012
The six member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) celebrate 20 years of economic cooperation today, with the once conflict-ridden area now an Asian showcase for growth, poverty reduction, and regional integration.
Read the full ADB story here.
more detailsPublication
Date: 4th September 2012
This publication provides all the presentations, speeches, discussions and papers from the GMS 2020 International Conference: Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability. The event, which was held in Bangkok 20-21 February 2012, focused on the Food-Water-Energy nexus and was attended by more than 230 delegates from the subregion and beyond.
As the full proceedings file is large (11mb), as an alternative you can download by session.
more detailsPublication
Date: 2nd September 2012
This brochure overviews the Core Environment Program; covering the development context, history of the program, areas of work and some major program results. Please find the brochure in Burmese, Chinese, English, Khmer, Lao, Thai and Vietnamese.
more detailsPublication
Date: 20th August 2012
This ADB publication focuses on agriculture trade facilitation plan which lays out systematic ways to increase movement and flow of agri-food products and their impacts on the Greater Mekong Subregion sector.
more detailsNews
Date: 16th August 2012
The Environment Operations Center currently has a number of exciting vacancies available as implementation of CEP-BCI Phase II begins.
These include:
Applications close soon, visit our Careers page for Terms of References and application details.
more detailsPublication
Date: 7th August 2012
This ADB book brings together studies highlighting challenges to trade facilitation in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
more detailsDate: 5th August 2012
Simply click on the (blue) session/subsession headings to download.
Foreword and Conference Inauguration
Welcome Craig M. Steffensen, Country Director, ADB Thailand Resident Mission
Inaugural Speech Mingquan Wichayarangsaridh, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand
Opening Remarks Stephen P. Groff, Vice President (Operations 2), ADB
Session 1: Decade of Development, Growth and Impacts 2001–2010 in the GMS
Dynamics of Economic Growth in the GMS - Retrospective and Prospective Views Arkhom Termpittayapaisith
Growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion in 2000-2010 and Future Prospects Utsav Kumar and Pradeep Srivastava
Economic Growth and Development in Cambodia, 2001–2010, and Strategies and Plans for 2011–2020 Hing Vutha
Recent Economic Development Performance and Some Perspectives on Economic Development Strategy for 2020, Lao PDR Leeber Leebouapao
Economic Growth and Development in Myanmar, 2001–2010, and Strategies and Plans for 2011–2020 Tin Htoo Naing
Economic Growth and Development in Viet Nam, 2001–2010 and Strategies and Plans to 2020 Duong Duc Ung
The Future of GMS Water: Is it History? Arjun Thapan
Environmental Impacts: Current and Future Challenges in the Greater Mekong Subregion Jeffrey A. McNeely
The Impact of Trade Liberalization on the Environment in GMS and Southeast Asian Countries: An Empirical Study Loi Nguyen Duy
Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in the Greater Mekong Subregion Peter Warr
Water and Food Security in the Greater Mekong Subregion: Outlook to 2030/2050 Mark W. Rosegrant, Claudia Ringler, Tingju Zhu, Simla Tokgoz and Pascale Sabbagh
Gender and Regional Economic Integration in the GMS: Role of Cross-Border Transportation Development Kyoko Kusakabe
Water-Energy Nexus: Sustainable Urbanization in the Greater Mekong Subregion Peter Rogers
Session 2: Food – Water – Energy Nexus
Food Security in the Greater Mekong Subregion Historical Perspectives from the Mekong Committee Jeffrey A. McNeely
Policies for Long-Term Food Security in the Greater Mekong Subregion Shikha Jha, David Roland-Holst and Songsak Sriboonchitta
The Future of GMS Forestry in the Context of the Food-Water-Energy Nexus Broadhead, J.S.; Damen, B.; Durst, P.B. and Brown, C.L.
Climate Risks to Agriculture/Food Security in the GMS Countries and Early Warning Systems in the Context of the Food-Water-Energy Nexus S.V.R.K. Prabhakar
Impact of Soil, Management Practises and Climate Change on Water Productivity of Winter Rice in the Mekong Delta Marjorie Menard and Mohammed Mainuddin
A Remote Sensing-based Method to Map Irrigated Rice Cropping Patterns of the Mekong Delta, Viet Nam, with Respect to the Variation in Local Environmental Conditions Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, C.A.J.M. de Bie, Amjad Ali and E.A.M. Smaling
Health Cost of Pesticide Use Practices in Mung bean (Vigna radiata L) Production in Myanmar Seinn Seinn Mu and Corazon T Aragon
Session 2.2: Land - Water and Climate Change
Water for Food and Energy in the GMS: Issues and Challenges to 2020 R. Johnston, P.G. McCornick, G. Lacombe, A. Noble, C.T. Hoanh and R. Bartlett
Development and Application of a Land-Use Prediction Model for Future Water Resources Management in the Greater Mekong Subregion Akiyuki Kawasaki, Masatsugu Takamatsu and Peter Rogers
Challenges Facing Cooperation and Sustainability on Water Security and Hydropower Development in the Mekong River Basin: The GMS Response Suzanne Ogden
Drought Risk Management as CCA-DRR Linkages in Lower Mekong Region: Issues, Challenges and Potentials Rajib Shaw
Water and Development in the Lower Mekong Basin Ton Lennaerts, Phetsamone Southalack and Satit Phiromchai
Mainstreaming of Wetland Ecosystem Services in Policy Planning Process – Case of Viet Nam Kim Thi Thuy Ngoc
The Role of Tree Crops in Local Adaptation to Climate Variability: Learning from the Field Su Yufang and Neera Shrestha Pradhan
Managing Concession Forests for Carbon Benefits in Cambodia Nophea Sasaki and Kimsun Chheng
Forests, Past, Present and Future in the GMS Alastair Fraser
Using Spatial Models to Improve the Outcomes of Land-Use Planning: The Case of Quang Nam Province, Viet Nam Lothar Linde and Wilbert van Rooij
Land, Water, Forests, Biodiversity, and Climate Change in Myanmar Htwe Nyo Nyo
Mekong Energy Metabolism: Connecting Energy Demand into the Nexus of Food-Water-Energy Security John Ward, Tira Foran, Alex Smajgl, Lilao Bouapao, Sokhem Pech and Lu Xing
Water Resources Management in the Greater Mekong Subregion: linkages to Hydropower Planning for a Sustainable Future Jeremy Bird
The Role of Clean Coal Technologies in the Greater Mekong Subregion Countries J.R. Kessels
Biofuels in the Greater Mekong Subregion: Energy Sufficiency, Food Security, and Environmental Management Pradeep Tharakan, Naeeda Crishna, Jane Romero and David Morgado
Global Environment and National Information Evaluation System (GENIES) for Urban Impact Analysis Jitendra (Jitu) Shah, Peter Urich, Yinpeng Li, Wei Ye and Robert Carr
Internalizing the Externalities: Strategic Environmental Assessment of Power Development Plans in Viet Nam - Implications for the GMS John Soussan, Sumit Pokhrel and Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen
Status of Energy Use, Power Sector Expansion Plans and Related Policies in the GMS: Challenges and Opportunities Butchaiah Gadde, Karthik Ganesan and Pradeep J Tharakan
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation by Hydropower Trading from Myanmar to Thailand Cherry Myo Lwin, Ji Han, Hiroaki Shirakawa and Hiroki Tanikawa
Panel Discussion Day 1: Scaling Economic Development and Environmental Challenges Nessim Ahmad, ADB
Session 3: Group Discussion Reports - Day 1
Session 4: Challenges and Dynamics of Growth in the Next Decade: 2011–2020
Food-Water-Energy Nexus: GMS Challenges of Growth for 2020 and Beyond David Roland-Holst and Samuel Heft-Neal
Panel Discussion: Developmental Outlook for the Next Decade – Opportunities and Challenges Arjun Thapan
Session 5: Responses to Challenges of the Next Decade in the GMS
Group Discussion Reports – Day 2
A) Food security; B) Land, Water, and Climate Change C) Energy D) Private Sector: Emerging Role
Eliminating Toxic Effluents from Pulp and Paper industry: Creating Green Jobs and Sustainable Economies in the Greater Mekong Subregion Archie J. Beaton
The Public-Private Partnership Role in Development and Environment: Capacity Development for Sustainable Public-Private Partnership Ohnmar Khaing
Session 6: Seizing Opportunities – The Way Forward
Panel Discussion - Day 2 Seizing Opportunities: The Way Forward James Nugent
Session 7: Conference Closing Remarks
Appendix 2: List of Participants
more detailsPublication
Date: 2nd August 2012
This ADB e-news product highlights the GMS Program’s Achievements and Prospects for the next decade as well as projects aimed at the development of the six member countries of the GMS.
more detailsNews
Date: 31st July 2012
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has taken another step toward re-engagement with Myanmar by opening an office and dispatching staff in the country.
more detailsNews
Date: 24th July 2012
A BBC article published today reports on the declining biodiversity of tropical forests in Asia, Africa, and South America, and how ongoing degradation to forest and land outside of protected areas poses a grave threat to biodiversity in broader landscape areas.
Read the BBC article here.
more detailsNews
Date: 22nd July 2012
This quarterly publication produced by the ADB highlights recent and upcoming initiatives and events from the GMS Economic Cooperation Program. In this edition, the feature article focuses on the current environmental context in the GMS and how the Core Environment Program and Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative will respond as it embarks on its second phase.
more detailsPublication
Date: 22nd July 2012
This publication is a historical summary of progress made in energy cooperation in the GMS since the beginning of the economic cooperation program in 1992. It highlights a two-pronged and phased approach to develop the GMS power market to realize the full benefits of synchronous operations—the policy and institutional framework to promote power trade and the physical interconnection to facilitate cross-border power transfers. This publication aims to help stakeholders understand GMS members' efforts in power cooperation and to draw attention to crucial issues on regional power trade.
more detailsDate: 9th July 2012
These reports are produced every 6-months and overview CEP implementation progress.
more detailsNews
Date: 5th July 2012
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) is offering advanced strategic environmental assessment (SEA) training to government planners and decision makers from selected countries. SEA practitioners in Cambodia, PR China, Lao PDR and Viet Nam are among those invited to apply. The first training will be held in Sweden in March 2013 and applications close 31 August 2012.
See the below attachments for more information about the course, including how to lodge an application.
more detailsNews
Date: 20th June 2012
Statement by ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda on 21 June 2012 at the Riocentro Convention Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
more detailsEvent
Date: 17th June 2012
Two side events prior to the main Rio +20 event featured the Greater Mekong Subregion and CEP.
more detailsActivity
Date: 13th June 2012
One of the major successes of CEP Phase I was the scaling up of its biodiversity conservation corridor pilot work. In 2011, ADB approved grants and loans worth $69 million for Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam under a new project to further engage local communities in the sustainable management of important biodiversity landscapes.
more detailsPublication
Date: 6th June 2012
This ADB e-news product provides readers with an update on activities and major developments in pursuit of accelerated development of the countries sharing the Mekong River.
more detailsActivity
Date: 31st May 2012
CEP provided technical and financial support to the Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study II (APFSOS II), which began in 2007. Led by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the outlook studies provide a benchmark for monitoring change, and predicting future trends, for forestry in the GMS and broader Asia-Pacific region.
more detailsActivity
Date: 31st May 2012
The North-South Economic Corridor (NSEC) – linking Kunming to Bangkok, Kunming to Hanoi, and Hanoi to Nanning – is one of the flagship investments under the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.
more detailsActivity
Date: 31st May 2012
Rural communities in the GMS are particularly vulnerable to climate change. While there is considerable indigenous knowledge within communities on managing climate-related risks, understanding how a community’s vulnerability profile will change from climate and non-climate risks is essential for empowering local people to develop strategies for a climate-resilient future.
more detailsActivity
Date: 31st May 2012
To create synergy and avoid duplication, development planners need to know what projects other organizations are doing and where they are doing them. Without this knowledge, opportunities to maximize impact and use resources efficiently will be missed.
more detailsActivity
Date: 31st May 2012
In recent years, the border region around the Golden Quadrangle, involving PR China, Lao PDR, and Thailand, has received attention for potential tourism development. There is increased tourism development in the Xishuangbanna area and in Northern Lao PDR (both ecotourism and cultural tourism) and this area has been designated as a key development priority under the GMS Tourism Sector Strategy.
more detailsActivity
Date: 31st May 2012
Viet Nam has a rapidly growing demand for electricity, with current growth rates of around 15% per annum expected to continue, or increase, for the foreseeable future. This reflects Viet Nam’s rapid progress in economic development and the country’s growing income, urbanization and changing consumption patterns.
more detailsNews
Date: 31st May 2012
Porto, Portugal: Seven government representatives from the GMS attended the 2012 Annual Conference of the International Association of Impact Assessment (IAIA), together with staff from the Environment Operations Center and the Asian Development Bank.
more detailsEvent
Date: 16th May 2012
Hosted by PRC’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, the 18th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Environment endorsed an 18-month work plan for CEP.
more detailsPublication
Date: 6th May 2012
This ADB publication focuses on the Greater Mekong Subregional economic cooperation, which covers nine priority sectors: agriculture, energy, environment, human resource development, investment, telecommunications, tourism, transport infrastructure, and transport and trade facilitation. This cooperation, through support of ADB and other development partners, assists participating countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals through increased connectivity, improved competitiveness, and a greater sense of community (the three Cs).
more detailsPublication
Date: 26th April 2012
Here we provide the core documents for the program, including the Technical Assistance paper, Phase II inception report, procurement plan, as well as our annual and semi-annual progress reports.
more detailsPublication
Date: 23rd April 2012
These eight briefs were produced by the FAO as part of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study II, with support from CEP-BCI.
more detailsPublication
Date: 5th March 2012
This ADB e-news product provide readers with an update on activities and major developments in pursuit of accelerated development of the countries sharing the Mekong River.
more detailsPublication
Date: 29th February 2012
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Cooperation Program will begin its third decade in 2012. The start of a new decade is an opportune time for the GMS Program to assess its achievements and develop this new strategic framework for 2012–2022. The new strategic framework builds on the substantial progress the program has made and the likely global and regional trends, as well as the commitment that member countries have made in their national development plans to the promotion of regional integration.
more detailsNews
Date: 21st February 2012
BANGKOK, THAILAND (20 February 2012) - The management of food, water and energy resources in the Greater Mekong Subregion will be the most critical challenge of the coming decade, requiring careful balance of economic and environmental interests and better management of natural resources, a conference on the future of the region heard today.
more detailsNews
Date: 16th February 2012
BANGKOK, THAILAND (17 FEBRUARY 2012) – Policy-makers from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) will meet in Bangkok next week to discuss the challenges and opportunities for balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability.
The GMS 2020: Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability conference, organized by GMS countries in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will propose strategic measures to ensure economic growth is balanced with food, water and energy security, especially in light of increasing climate variability.
“Countries in the GMS are well-placed to continue on the impressive growth during the last two decades. The challenge will be to adopt development pathways that secure the subregion's economic prosperity without depreciating the environment,” said Javed Mir, ADB’s Director, Environment and Natural Resources Division for Southeast Asia.
Since the six countries sharing the Mekong River formed the economic cooperation program in 1992, gross domestic product growth in the subregion has averaged about 8% a year, while real per capita incomes more than tripled between 1993 and 2010. But as the economies of Cambodia, the People's Republic of China (PRC), Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Namgrow, so do competing demands for natural resources.
The conference, taking place 20-21 February at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, will examine how growth has impacted the environment and look at the future of water in the region. Conference participants, including government officials, development partners, academics and private sector representatives, will look at whether economic growth has led to poverty reduction, forecast food and water needs to 2050, and discuss ways of scaling environmental and economic challenges.
GMS countries already cooperate on theCore Environment Program Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative (CEP-BCI), which addresses adaptation and mitigation measures, as well as environmental implications for agriculture, energy, tourism and transport planning and investment decisions. In December, GMS leaders endorsed a 10-year strategy to enhance agricultural development, pro-poor sustainable tourism, low-carbon development and management of the sub-region’s richly diverse ecosystems.
Since 1992, ADB has provided the GMS Economic Cooperation Program with technical assistance worth more than US$ 57 million for specific environmental initiatives.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members – 48 from the region.
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For media inquiries, kindly contact:
Sylvia O. Inciong, oinciong@adb.org Mobile: (+63) 917810 0056
Kritsana Chonweerarong, kchonweerarong.consultant@adb.org Mobile (+66) 081 862 8588
Sarah Katz, sarah@gms-eoc.org Mobile: (+66) 089 883 9298
more detailsEvent
Date: 12th February 2012
The Strategic Environment Assessments and Safeguards Application in Transport and Energy Sector Planning in the Greater Mekong Subregion is a five-day intensive program designed to provide opportunities for enhanced understanding and awareness on how environmental planning systems, methods and safeguards can enhance the investment performance in GMS transport and energy sectors. The learning program introduced key concepts, tools and approaches for policy makers and planners to effectively use environmental and social safeguards, as well as, planning and management tools in transport and energy sectors under the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.
It is a collaborative learning program in partnership with GMS Phnom Penh Plan (PPP) for Development Management.
more detailsNews
Date: 17th January 2012
At a two-day training workshop organized in Khon Kaen this week, 30 representatives of freight transport companies and government agencies in Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam debated the relative pros and cons of different measures to ‘green’ truck fleets, including the use of aerodynamic equipment, eco-driving training, reducing idling, increasing maintenance and changing tyres.
more detailsPublication
Date: 5th January 2012
This ADB paper reviews existing literature and integrates various themes to provide an overview of four main issues related to biofuels deployment in the GMS: the need for alternative energy, risks to food security, considerations for environmental management, and opportunities for rural development.
more detailsPublication
Date: 1st January 2012
This report describes The Core Agriculture Support Program (CASP) Phase II (2011-2015), which is implemented by ADB's Working Group on Agriculture (WGA) to address issues on expanding cross-border trade in agri-food products, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and promotion of inclusive supply chain to enhance food security in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
more detailsPublication
Date: 1st January 2012
This ADB e-news product features the 4th GMS Summit; ADB President report to GMS Leaders; Trade Facilitation workshop and initiatives; GMS meetings; and Developing the GMS Investment Framework under the New GMS Strategy.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2011
This series of policy briefs were produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from CEP as part of the Asia Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study II. The briefs focus on forestry in the GMS, including investment in forestry resources, biodiversity conservation, and training and education.
more detailsPublication
Date: 30th December 2011
A report documenting the achievements of the Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative (BCI) from 2006-2011. It includes impacts and lessons learned, coverage of the eight pilot sites in Cambodia, PR China, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
more detailsPublication
Date: 29th December 2011
This ADB sector assessment, strategy, and road documents the current strategic assistance priorities in the tourism sector of the governments of the Greater Mekong Subregion and the ADB.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th December 2011
By the year 2025, energy demand for the Greater MekongSubregion (GMS) is expected to reach 237,000 megawatts, a threefold increase compared to the 77,000 megawatts used in 2010 and requiring substantial investments in power generation.
more detailsNews
Date: 11th December 2011
Energy planners and relevant stakeholder received training on strategic environment assessment (SEA) in Lao PDR on 29 November, 2011. The training seminar was jointly organized by Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Ministry of Energy and Mines, and supported by GMS Environment Operations Center. The training showcased the SEA best practices from Greater Mekong Sub-region and demonstrated SEA as a planning tool in support of energy planning in the Lao PDR. The training seminar was a part of the series of activities targeted at building Lao PDR SEA capacity in support of energy sector development in Lao PDR.
more detailsPublication
Date: 30th November 2011
This publication summarizes the achievements of the Core Environment Program (CEP) from 2006–2011. It highlights thematic work including SEA, EPA, and BCI, as well as cross-cutting areas such as climate change and capacity building.
more detailsPublication
Date: 30th November 2011
A 5-year implementation plan for phase II of the CEP program from 2012 to 2016.. The report includes: achievements from CEP phase I (2006-2011); the program background and key lessons learned; a detailed plan on program goals, monitoring frameworks, investment strategy; and an action plan for the next phase.
more detailsPublication
Date: 30th November 2011
A report produced in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under the Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study II (APFSOS II). Five country reports and over 15 thematic studies examine challenges facing GMS countries in forest conservation, including related policies and regulatory frameworks.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th November 2011
29 November 2011
A training seminar was jointly organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Ministry of Energy and Mines, supported by EOC. The training showcased strategic environmental assessment (SEA) best practice from the GMS and demonstrated SEA as a planning tool in support of energy planning in the Lao PDR.
more detailsNews
Date: 1st November 2011
Hanoi, Viet Nam (2 November 2011): The findings of a policy review on transport fuel efficiency were discussed at a consultation meeting held in Ha Noi, Viet Nam 1 November 2011.
more detailsNews
Date: 22nd August 2011
Bangkok, Thailand (26 July 2011) –Viet Nam is one of the countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) which has applied the results of strategic environmental assessments (SEAs) in its energy development plan.
more detailsNews
Date: 26th July 2011
VIENTIANE, LAO PDR (27 July 2011): Locally managed financing instruments are now an integral part of commune development plans, encouraging people’s participation and accountability while at the same time injecting direct cash incentives, especially among ethnic groups.
more detailsEvent
Date: 26th July 2011
Representatives of Cambodia, PRC, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Union of Myanmar, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam met to discuss and decide on the continuing collaboration on the most important resource that countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) share - the environment.
more detailsNews
Date: 24th July 2011
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (25 July 2011)- Community-based eco-tourism (CBET) among forest communities in Cambodia is now gaining popularity as the country gears up to meet its target of reaching the mark of 5.5 million international tourist arrivals by 2015.
more detailsNews
Date: 30th June 2011
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - Representatives of GMS countries comprising of Cambodia, Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC), Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Union of Myanmar, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam are meeting here today to discuss and decide on the continuing collaboration on an important resource that the countries share - the environment.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2010
This CEP publication discusses the application of the geographic information systems (GIS) in land allocation planning and distribution processes, to increase awareness of the implications of economic development, including experiences and lessons learned when applied across the GMS.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2010
This publication illustrates how climate change activities are being integrated across CEP programs. A case study of Peam Krasaob Province, Cambodia, demonstrates how vulnerability and adaptation capacity can be strengthened when the appropriate measures are taken as part of program design.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2010
This publication describes how strategic environmental assessments (SEAs) have been utilized by the Government of Viet Nam as an integrated part of their strategic power development plan, including future recommendations for implementing SEAs in the power sector under the Power Development Plan (PDP) VII.
more detailsPublication
Date: 30th November 2010
A publication on the Tenassarim Corridor produced in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Thailand’s National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. The report highlights environmental challenges and key interventions in six areas of the corridor according to a study conducted by the WCS Thailand Program.
more detailsPublication
Date: 13th September 2010
Here is the draft Synthesis Report on Climate Risk Assessment Framework.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2009
Produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with support from CEP, Cambodia's outlook paper outlines changes in administration of forests, government efforts to gain control of the forestry sector and support sustainable forest management in collaboration with development partners and NGOs.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2008
Produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with support from CEP, this country outlook draws attention to key areas including forest protection, plantation development, and community involvement in forest and protected area management in Thailand’s forestry sector.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2008
A policy summary outlining key messages from the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of hydropower in Viet Nam. Recommendations include: increased capacity building; addressing knowledge and data gaps; and benefit sharing mechanisms.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2008
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) that examines the status and trends in Cambodia’s tourism sector, including: key tourism policies; plans and programs; monitoring tools; stakeholder participation; and capacity building initiatives. Recommendations include on the following topics: finance and investment, human resources, pro-poor tourism, licencing and regulations.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2008
This paper was produced by the by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with support from CEP. It explores a range of topics, including prospects for China's reforestation efforts, supply and demand for forest products and ecological services, key drivers of change, impacts of globalization, policy developments, and social objectives of forestry.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2008
This country outlook paper was produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with support from CEP. It examines the impacts of population growth, rapid economic development and the current environmental protection programs in Viet Nam on forestry.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2008
Produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with support from CEP, the paper for Lao PDR reviews the state of the forestry sector and the need for political commitment to the Forestry Strategy 2020 for sustainable management and a basis for rural development.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2008
This report outlines the state of forests and forest management in Myanmar, drawing attention to the decline in natural forest resources, focusing on plantation establishment for sustainable resources. It highlights the need for a sound policy foundation for sustainable forest management to take hold.
more detailsPublication
Date: 30th November 2008
A report on the first environmental performance assessment (EPA) conducted in Yunnan Province, PR China. The assessment covers seven environmental concerns: land degradation, threats to biodiversity, inland water pollution, inadequate waste management, forest degradation, the impact of natural disasters and climate change.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
The forest of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) nurture a remarkable biodiversity and provide resources vital to human welfare and the region's economic prosperity. But these same forests are fragmenting and disappearing under pressure from rapid economic development, land conversion, and overuse.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
The forest of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) nurture a remarkable biodiversity and provide resources vital to human welfare and the region's economic prosperity. But these same forests are fragmenting and disappearing under pressure from rapid economic development, land conversion, and overuse.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
The forest of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) nurture a remarkable biodiversity and provide resources vital to human welfare and the region's economic prosperity. But these same forests are fragmenting and disappearing under pressure from rapid economic development, land conversion, and overuse.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
The forest of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) nurture a remarkable biodiversity and provide resources vital to human welfare and the region's economic prosperity. But these same forests are fragmenting and disappearing under pressure from rapid economic development, land conversion, and overuse.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
The forest of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) nurture a remarkable biodiversity and provide resources vital to human welfare and the region's economic prosperity. But these same forests are fragmenting and disappearing under pressure from rapid economic development, land conversion, and overuse.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
The forest of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) nurture a remarkable biodiversity and provide resources vital to human welfare and the region's economic prosperity. But these same forests are fragmenting and disappearing under pressure from rapid economic development, land conversion, and overuse.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
Conserving our Natural Heritage introduces the GMS Core Environment program, a joint action plan by Mekong countries to improve environmental management and promote sustainable development across the region.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
Conserving our Natural Heritage introduces the GMS Core Environment program, a joint action plan by Mekong countries to improve environmental management and promote sustainable development across the region.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
Conserving our Natural Heritage introduces the GMS Core Environment program, a joint action plan by Mekong countries to improve environmental management and promote sustainable development across the region.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
Conserving our Natural Heritage introduces the GMS Core Environment program, a joint action plan by Mekong countries to improve environmental management and promote sustainable development across the region.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
Conserving our Natural Heritage introduces the GMS Core Environment program, a joint action plan by Mekong countries to improve environmental management and promote sustainable development across the region.
more detailsVideo
Date: 31st March 2008
Conserving our Natural Heritage introduces the GMS Core Environment program, a joint action plan by Mekong countries to improve environmental management and promote sustainable development across the region.
more detailsEvent
Date: 28th January 2008
The Second GMS Environment Ministers Meeting (EMM-2) was held in Don Chan Palace Hotel in Vientiane, Lao PDR on 29 January 2008. The theme of the meeting was "Sustainable Natural Resource Use for Economic Competitiveness."
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2007
A 2007 status report on six pilot sites of the Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative (BCI) implemented by the Core Environment Program (CEP). The report covers background information on each of the sites in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam, including implementation partners and regulatory framework.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2007
A status report of the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) conducted in the GMS during under CEP from 2006–2009. The report covers three SEAs: Hydropower Master Plan, Viet Nam; Tourism Sector, Cambodia; and the North-South Economic Corridor.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2007
This subregional environmental performance assessment (EPA), a collaborative effort between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), examines methodologies used to create environmental performance assessment (EPAs) for member countries in the GMS to develop national and subnational capacities for implementing EPA.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2007
A report on the first environmental performance assessment (EPA) conducted in Cambodia. The assessment covers six environmental concerns: forest resources, threats to biodiversity, management of fishery resources, utilization of water resources, agricultural land degradation, and climate change.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2007
A report on the first environmental performance assessment (EPA) conducted in Lao PDR. The assessment covers eight environmental concerns: forest resources, water resources, fish resources, threats to biodiversity, land degradation, inadequate solid waste management, inadequate hazardous waste management, and climate change.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2007
A report on the first environmental performance assessment (EPA) conducted in Myanmar. The assessment covers seven environmental concerns: forest resources, biodiversity, land degradation, management of water resources, waste management, air pollution from mobile sources, and climate change.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2007
A report on the first environmental performance assessment (EPA) conducted in Thailand. The assessment covers seven environmental concerns: forest resources, water resources, land degradation, inland water pollution, solid waste management, hazardous substance management, and climate change.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2007
A report on the environmental performance assessment (EPA) conducted in Viet Nam. The assessment covers seven environmental concerns: forest resources, land degradation, threats to coastal zones, threats to biodiversity, inland water pollution, pollution from mobile sources, and inadequate solid waste management.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2007
This synthesis report focuses on the findings of the first round of EPA reports in the GMS (comprising Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Yunnan Province in PR China).
more detailsActivity
Date: 31st May 2007
During the second round of EPAs, increased emphasis was given to building national capacity, producing better quality information, and ensuring that analytical results fed into national planning processes.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2006
A summary of the proceedings for the Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative (BCI) International Symposium held in Bangkok, Thailand, 27–28 April 2006. Implementers and practitioners of biodiversity corridors gathered to share experiences and lessons learned, serving as a benchmark for moving forward in program implementation.
more detailsPublication
Date: 30th November 2006
This CEP report outlines the ADB’s 10 year plan for the Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative (2005-2014). The report provides an overview of the BCCI program in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), as well as potential partnerships and sustainable financing.
more detailsDate: 30th June 2006
The EOC was established in 2006 as the Secretariat to the WGE, with the purpose of implementing program activities.
It has since been recognized as a GMS technical environmental referral center within the economic cooperation and development community, especially in the areas of strategic environmental assessments (SEA component), biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods (BCI component), environmental performance assessments (EPA component) and geographic information systems (GIS). It also functions as ‘information/technical’ hub on climate change risk assessment in the economic corridors.
more detailsActivity
Date: 31st May 2006
Environmental performance assessments were conducted in six GMS countries, namely Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Yunnan Province in the PR China. This was part of an ADB regional technical assistance project known as Strategic Environment Framework Phase II (SEF II) conducted from 2003–2005.
more detailsEvent
Date: 23rd May 2005
The first GMS Environment Ministers Meeting (EMM) was held in Shanghai, PRC on 25 May 2005. The overall theme of the meeting was “Managing Shared Natural Resources for Sustainable Development“. The meeting took stock of achievements in GMS environmental cooperation and discussed future directions for regional cooperation in environment and natural resources management.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st December 2004
This CEP publication outlines the ADB’s 10-year program plan for the Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative (2005-2014). It provides an overview of the BCI program in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), as well as potential partnerships and sustainable financing.
more detailsPublication
Date: 31st January 2004
This atlas was produced as a collaborative effort between by Asian Development Bank and United Nations Environment Programme. It presents detailed maps, photographs, remote sensing images, tables, graphs, and text to provide an overview of important environmental, social, ethnic, and economic aspects of the diverse Greater Mekong Subregion. A 2nd edition was published in December 2012.
more details