African swine fever how can global spread be prevented

Damaged sea dyke in Phu Loc district (Photo: VNA) Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – Authorities of the central province of Thua Thien – Hue on March 26 approved a Luxembourg-funded climate change adaptation project in the locality. The project costs about 2.3 million EUR. Of the sum, 2 million EUR is sourced from the Luxembourg government’s non-refundable aid via the Global Climate Partnership Fund, while the remaining comes from the local budget. The project will be carried out in 30 months in 29 communes in Quang Dien, Phu Vang, and Phu Loc districts, aiming to enhance local capacity to respond to climate change. Its first component, “capacity”, focuses on raising public awareness of climate change response. Infrastructure facilities to cope with climate change in targeted areas will be set up in the second component, while management measures will be promoted in the third one to preserve natural resources and develop markets for organically-cultivated … [Read more...] about Thua Thien – Hue to run 2.3 million EUR climate project

Illustrative photo (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on June 14 launched a parenting website, bringing fathers together to share their parenthood experiences. The event was made on the occasion of the Father’s Day which is observed across nearly 90 countries on June 17. This is part of the UNICEF’s “Super Dads” campaign which is implemented to recognise the role of fathers in their children’s early development. UNICEF is calling for more support for fathers globally, including for policies that give parents time and resources they need to spend quality time with their children. It also uses the Father’s Day to renew its call to break down cultural and financial barriers preventing fathers from spending quality time with their young children. The online site will bring together fathers from all over the world to share their parenting tips, struggles, needs and successes. It features “mini … [Read more...] about UNICEF launches parenting site on Father’s Day

Editor’s note: Aban Marker Kabraji is regional director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Asia and director of the IUCN Regional Hub for Asia - Oceania.  Known for its beautiful beaches and coral reefs, Trat Province, on the eastern coast of Thailand, is struggling with a very real problem. Like other coastal areas in the country, the province is being polluted by the daily dumping of waste into the ocean. While there is no shortage of environmental management efforts in Trat, dealing with waste, particularly plastic pollution, remains a big struggle. For long-time village chief Natsini Intaraprasert of the Mairood sub-district, home to one of the province’s giant landfills, waste is the “most challenging problem to manage.” Trat’s waste and plastic woes are not unique, with plastic pollution topping the list of problems affecting the world’s oceans. Every year, the world produces over 300 million tons of plastic, half … [Read more...] about ​Solving the plastics crisis in Vietnam, Asia

A sluice in a coastal commune in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang prevents saltwater intrusion. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Authorities in provinces in the Mekong Delta and Can Tho city are dredging irrigation works and storing fresh water to cope with saltwater intrusion during the dry season. Saltwater intrusion is expected to be more severe this year because of low flooding levels and lower than usual rainfall during the rainy season, according to local authorities. During the dry season, saline intrusion will occur earlier than usual, causing a shortage of fresh water for agricultural production, according to the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research. Kien Giang province's People’s Committee has told agencies to dredge irrigation canals to improve water storage and to build temporary dams to prevent saline intrusion.  The province plans to … [Read more...] about Delta provinces take steps to control saltwater intrusion

Tan Lap Floating Village in the Mekong Delta province of Long An (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved an action programme implementing the Government’s resolution 120/NQ-CP on sustainable development of the Mekong Delta in response to climate change. The programme outlines six groups of tasks and solutions, including the revision, improvement and supplementation of mechanisms and policies on land to serve large-scale, highly competitive and sustainable agricultural goods production; supporting the application and transfer of science technology in agro-production; and developing urban and rural residential areas suitable with the conditions of each region. The PM requested an appropriate agricultural production structure focusing on aquaculture, fruit and rice along with developing the green and low-carbon emission industry, renewable energy and forestation, as well as protecting coastal areas. He suggested developing service – … [Read more...] about Action programme on sustainable development in Mekong Delta