Vietnam Dairy Products JSC (Vinamilk) has been validated as the first dairy company in Vietnam to have carbon-neutral factories and farms, according to the British Standard's Institution (BSI) PAS 2060 specifications that demonstrate carbon neutrality. Reducing emissions and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and transitioning to a net-zero standard in the dairy industry has proved to be an extremely difficult task, particularly for large-scale dairy farms. Nguyen Dinh Minh Tam, a representative of the BSI, said, "With its target of net zero by 2050, we expect Vinamilk to establish more facets of their business as carbon-neutral in the near future." Vinamilk's general director Mai Kieu Lien said, "Managing emissions and minimising our carbon footprint are among the company's core sustainable development initiatives. Presently, 13 Vinamilk farms and 10 of its factories have been completely outfitted with solar energy while promoting renewable energy sources such as biomass at the … [Read more...] about Vinamilk receives BSI nod for carbon-neutrality efforts
Low carbon urban projects
Vietnam needs to modify policies to foster offshore wind power
According to Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) deputy general director Nguyen Tai Anh, "It will be crucial to implement a swift legal framework on investment, building, and operating offshore wind power projects while simultaneously drawing in investment and enhancing the existing transportation system." "The urgent need is to alter the policy framework as well as regulations to effectively accomplish the defined goals," added Tai Anh, speaking at a conference hosted by EVN on June 1. According to international practice, bringing an offshore wind power project into action requires about 8–9 years of planning and execution. Some analysts predict that Vietnam will require a vigorous preparatory process with suitable regulations to expedite the implementation time to meet the target of 7GW of power from offshore wind by 2030. The German Development Agency's Energy Support Programme and Vietnam Energy Partnership Group (VEPG) gathered specialists to share their international knowledge … [Read more...] about Vietnam needs to modify policies to foster offshore wind power
NASA astronauts to take part in first Vietnam Space Week
Vietnam Space Week will be held in Hậu Giang and Bình Định provinces and HCM City from June 5 to 9. Organised by the two provinces, Thủ Đức City in HCM City and the HCM City Computer Association (HCA) with support from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, it will make Việt Nam the first Southeast Asian country to host such a NASA event. Visitors will have the chance to meet with US astronauts and experience space exploration and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) educational activities. Michael Koetsier, vice president of client management at Skyrora UK Ltd, an orbital launch vehicle manufacturer focused on providing clients with low cost access to space for a range of satellites, said astronaut Mike Baker and flight surgeon Dr Josef Schmid would be in attendance. Baker was on four space missions, twice each as pilot and mission commander, and later became director of operations for NASA based at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia, … [Read more...] about NASA astronauts to take part in first Vietnam Space Week
Parents battle children’s video game addictions
Still, they couldn’t prevent him from wasting away his life playing video games. Anh, a 38-year-old resident of Nam Tu Liem District in Hanoi, said he’s tried everything to stop his son from compulsively playing video games. A gamer is playing games in the middle of the night. Illustration photo by Pexels He promised to give the 12-year-old boy VND 50,000 (around $2.13) a day for each day he didn’t touch video games. His son agreed with the deal, but was then caught by his mother in the middle of the night: headphones on, swearing, and pounding the keyboard with his eyes glued to the computer screen. That night, Anh and his wife Truc beat their son. The following day, they secretly installed a surveillance camera in their son’s bedroom. With the help of it, they saw their son lying in bed with a blanket over his head playing video games on his mobile phone. They decided to take his phone away and change their computer’s password. Still, somehow, their son … [Read more...] about Parents battle children’s video game addictions
Citi: Asia is a time machine to the future
The bank’s recent report looks specifically at seven areas – super apps, mobile payment, social commerce, short-form videos, eSports, webtoons, and digital health – that are currently essential elements in the Asia marketplace. According to the report, while infrastructure has historically been underdeveloped relative to the West, Asia’s high internet connectivity, young and increasingly affluent and urban demographics, and entrepreneurial spirit have driven the region to adopt many technologies at a faster pace. In doing so, Asia provides a glimpse of what the future could look like in more developed, Western economies. Asia is also the first region to introduce several social commerce formats such as livestreaming e-commerce, helping it to become the undisputed 'time machine' for social commerce globally. “We hope the report provides fresh insights on current differences in technological adoption between Asia and the West, as well as a potential path for how these … [Read more...] about Citi: Asia is a time machine to the future
PM Anthony Albanese’s visit hoped to lift up Vietnam-Australia partnership
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) meets with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits in Cambodia (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ’s visit from June 3-4 is expected to further promote the sound relations between the two countries in all fields, including peacekeeping, education and training. This is the first official visit to Vietnam by Anthony Albanese since taking office and only two months after the state visit by Australian Governor-General, showing Australia's great attention to the Southeast Asian nation. Highlighting the Vietnam-Australia partnership in peacekeeping operations, Colonel Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, said that Australia was one of the first countries to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Vietnam in UN peacekeeping activities in 2015. The MoU laid a foundation for the two countries to … [Read more...] about PM Anthony Albanese’s visit hoped to lift up Vietnam-Australia partnership
1 dead, 2 hospitalized in northern Vietnam after sleeping in car with AC on
A 20-year-old girl was found dead, while her father and younger brother were hospitalized after sleeping in the family car with the air conditioner switched on during a blackout in Hai Phong City, northern Vietnam on Thursday evening. The fatal incident took place in Truong Son Town, An Lao District, a local official told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday. When the power supply was restored in the area, a family member came to wake up the trio and found them lying unconscious in an old Toyota Camry, which was manufactured over 30 years ago. They were rushed to Kien An General Hospital where the daughter, Pham Minh H., was confirmed dead, while the father, Pham Van T., 49, and the son, Pham Ngoc K., 15, slipped into a coma. The father and the son are now out of danger. Doctors of the hospital warned that leaving the air conditioner on and the windows closed when a car is parked will result in the content of oxygen in the car dwindling and that of carbon monoxide … [Read more...] about 1 dead, 2 hospitalized in northern Vietnam after sleeping in car with AC on
Faslink introduces fashion collection with sustainable materials, innovative technology
Faslink in collaboration with designer Lam Gia Khang introduced a fashion collection using eco-friendly materials such as fabrics made from bamboo, lotus stem, coffee grounds and mint fibres, and nano fabrics in HCM City on May 26. — Photo courtesy of the company Faslink, a pioneer in supplying green materials to the fashion industry, in collaboration with designer Lam Gia Khang, has introduced a fashion collection using eco-friendly materials such as fabrics made from bamboo, lotus stems, coffee grounds, mint fibres, and nano fabrics in HCM City last week. The collection includes "infiTec polo" shirts, the first shirts in Viet Nam that were woven using 3D knitting technology, a new fashion technology that helps optimise the production process, save costs and reduce material waste and CO2 emissions. In addition, Faslink also introduced a series of health-protecting and user-friendly products such as polo shirts using “cooling cafe” material with SPF100+ sun protection, “Offsun” … [Read more...] about Faslink introduces fashion collection with sustainable materials, innovative technology
Generali confirms its extremely solid capital position
In the first quarter, Generali ’s gross written premiums increased to $23.76 billion – up 1.3 per cent – driven by robust growth in the property and casualty (P&C) segment – up 10.1 per cent. Life net inflows were entirely focused on unit-linking and protection, consistent with the group’s strategy. Meanwhile, its operating result rose to $1.9 billion, a rise of 22.1 per cent, mainly thanks to the strong contribution from the P&C segment, while the Life segment was resilient. The combined ratio improved to 90.7 per cent, down 5.6 per cent on-year. The excellent new business margin stood at 5.72 per cent, up 0.32 per cent against Q1 last year. Generali's adjusted net result grew substantially to $1.27 million, an increase of 49.7 per cent, reflecting the benefit of diversified profit sources. The extremely solid solvency ratio stood at 227 per cent, compared with 221 per cent in the financial year 2022. Generali Group CFO Cristiano Borean said, “The strong … [Read more...] about Generali confirms its extremely solid capital position
40 per cent renewable energy target for Vietnam’s commercial power consumption
Vietnam aims to increase the proportion of renewable electricity production, including hydropower, to 30-39 per cent of total commercial electricity. Consequently, when investing, it is crucial to evaluate energy storage requirements and forecast prices. According to a number of analysts, the research model by the Vietnam Initiative for Energy Transition (VIET) for forecasting energy storage demand and electricity pricing, which was announced on the afternoon of May 31, has wide applicability. The research conducted by VIET on energy storage systems yielded three significant findings. To accelerate the energy transition in a reliable and sustainable fashion, it is necessary to first increase the capacity of hydroelectric power sources and electricity storage. Secondly, to achieve the ambitious objective of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), it is advised to have at least 6GW of conserved hydroelectricity or other electricity storage systems to guarantee energy … [Read more...] about 40 per cent renewable energy target for Vietnam’s commercial power consumption