Green growth

The two-day event, which is held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will include a leaders’ discussion with the participation of many leaders, including Korean President Moon Jae-in, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. A general discussion will draw the attendance of 170 officials, representatives from international organizations, businesses, civil organizations, and scholars. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria are also among the participants. Speaking at the opening ceremony, RoK President Moon Jae-in announced Seoul's plans to expand support for developing nations, including a significant increase by 2025 in its official development assistance (ODA) associated with climate and green projects. Moon also made public the RoK's bid to host the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) in 2023. He reaffirmed the country's commitment to further raise its carbon emission reduction target as part of efforts achieve the goal of going carbon neutral by 2050 and to halt official financial support for construction of new overseas coal-fired power plants. The RoK will play a responsible role as a bridging nation between developing and advanced countries, going forward as well, the President stated. In the second day of the event, Moon will chair a leaders’ discussion on carbon neutrality and green growth. Participants are expected to adopt a Seoul statement in the closing session. P4G was formed in 2017 as an initiative of Denmark. So far, it has 12 members and the engagement of more than 90 countries, international organizations as well as businesses across the globe. P4G is a global platform pioneering green partnerships and providing market-based solutions in developing countries. It mobilizes a global ecosystem consisted of countries, …

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“Second Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal” in the pipeline The Saigon Times A scene of Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal - PHOTOS: THANH HOA The project to improve the water environment of the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal system is one of the most ambitious environmental endeavors in HCMC since 1975. Once the most polluted canal system in this city, Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe, which used to be lined with slums on its bank and whose unmistakably pungent smell was unbearable, has undergone a sweeping change to become a symbol of the efforts to improve environmental pollution in HCMC. Now that the preparations for the project to clean up and renovate the environment of the Tham Luong Canal – Ben Cat – Nuoc Len Canal system is being completed, it is expected to become another Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal system, reported Tuoi Tre newspaper. Stretching on a total length of 33 kilometers, the Tham Luong Canal – Ben Cat – Nuoc Len Canal system is the longest of its kind in HCMC. The system runs across seven districts, including Binh Chanh District, District 12, Go Vap District, Tan Binh District, Tan Phu District, Binh Tan District and Binh Thanh District. In fact, this project is not totally new as the city government once tried to implement it to improve the heavily polluted environment along this canal system. In 2016, the second phase of this project was approved with construction scheduled to begin in 2017. However, in that year, the World Bank, the project’s then money lender, withdrew, and it has been stalled since. A project to benefit many But it has revived. The HCMC People’s Council has recently given the green light to the investment in cleaning up the Tham Luong Canal – Ben Cat – Nuoc Len Canal system. Of the estimated fund for this environmental plan worth VND8.2 trillion, some VND4 trillion will be sourced by the central Government’s budget and the rest from the municipal budget. Scheduled to be implemented during 2021-2025, according to Tuoi Tre, the …

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Camping becomes an ideal option for many people to enjoy and relax in the Covid-19 time, even at home. Camping has gained increasing popularity among urban families in recent years, especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, alongside the growing number of personal cars. Particularly, in face of the movement restriction due to Covid-19, camping is becoming even more trendy. Camping- a raising tourism trend amidst Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Lan Cao Thi Increasing demand After busy days of work and study, weekends are the time that families look forward to, to rest and relax. With a car, many families prefer a picnic to a tour to famous destinations with more costly accommodation and longer traveling time. There are many camping groups in the country like Camping together, Hanoi Camping - Picnic Association, or Camping with Children, among others. Members of these groups usually recommend each other campsites, share experiences, exchange camping equipment, and plan trips together. In Hanoi, there are ideal places such as Yen So Park, Ecopark Urban Area, and the banks of Red River. On the weekends and holidays when the weather is nice, these places are colorful with camping tents and lively with children playing and laughing. Additionally, those places in Hanoi’s suburbs that used to attract only backpackers, painters or photographers, are now drawing more and more families to come for camping, for example, Tram Mountain, Ham Lon Mountain, or Dong Do Lake. Travelers can go camping in some secluded places around Hanoi such as Son Tinh Camp, Ban Rom ecotourism area, Dong Mo Camping Sport, Ban Xoi Village. Photo: Truong Van Vi Frequently taking her children for a picnic at these places, Lan Cao Thi, a public servant, said: “The children in the city today usually spend a lot of time indoor with smart devices and become idle. So, I want to spend more time with them outdoors.” There are also professional campsites …

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