What does environmental protection agency do

Ceremony to mark the 20th founding anniversary of Vietnam Environment Protection Fund (Photo: VNA) Quang Ninh (VNA) – The Vietnam Environment Protection Fund (VEPF) has contributed importantly to protecting the environment and reducing pollution over the past 20 years. Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 20th founding anniversary of the fund on June 26 in the northern province of Quang Ninh, its Director Nguyen Duc Thuan said that in the past two decades, VEPF has provided preferential loans for nearly 400 projects with a total disbursed capital of nearly 3 trillion VND (129 million USD). It has also financed over 100 billion VND to help localities deal with post-disaster environmental pollution, received combined deposit amount of 250 billion VND from over 360 projects to ensure the restoration of the environment after the projects are completed, and mobilised a non-refundable aid worth 84 million USD from the Global Environment Fund. Deputy Minister of Natural … [Read more...] about 20-year-old fund helps protect environment, reduce pollution

The event was jointly organized by the Naval Region 2 Command, the Military Youth Advisory Board, the Political Department of the Navy, the provincial Youth Union Chapter. During the program, Deputy Political Chief of the Naval Region 2 Command Senior Captain Vu Duy Luu launched a campaign, themed “Naval youth join hands to clean up the sea and fight against plastic waste.” During the campaign, troops from units under the Naval Region 2 Command, in collaboration with local youths, conducted information dissemination activities to raise public awareness of environmental protection, plastic waste prevention, and the sorting, collection and recycling of plastic wastes, contributing to protecting beaches in particular and marine environment in general. After the launching ceremony, more than 100 troops from military units in the province and youths of Vung Tau city collected garbage along the beach near Quang Trung park and Dau beach. On the occasion, the Military Youth Advisory … [Read more...] about Naval troops’ festive program to protect marine environment

Vietnam has banned swimming and scuba diving at a popular central tourist spot in an attempt to revive its damaged coral reef, officials said Monday. The Southeast Asian nation boasts more than 3,200 kilometres of coastline with crystal clear waters, vibrant sea life and sandy beaches that are a huge tourism draw. Coral reefs across Southeast Asia have been badly hit by global warming, with scientists warning their degradation could have devasting environmental and economic knock-on effects. Recent photos taken off Hon Mun island -- about 14 kilometres from the city of Nha Trang and popular with divers thanks to its diverse ecosystem -- showed the reef bleached and damaged. "The Nha Trang bay management authority decided to halt swimming and scuba diving activities in areas around Hon Mun island," officials said. In a statement they said the ban was to "evaluate the condition of sensitive area so that an appropriate plan to enact the sea conservation area" could be made. … [Read more...] about Vietnam halts scuba diving off popular island to protect coral

Saravoot Yoovidhya, CEO of TCP Group, announced the new corporate purpose in Vietnam From 2022 to 2024, TCP Group is further driving the organisation towards sustainable business growth and creating a positive impact on society and the environment, locally and globally. "Five years ago, we announced the synergy of our various businesses into TCP Group, and we have been working towards sustainable development goals ever since. Up to now, events like COVID-19 and digital transformation have tremendously affected business, society, and the environment. We, therefore, are revisiting our purpose and strategies in every aspect to prepare for the volatile future and to create growth for the organisation while energising the sustainability of the world with a new purpose, called Energising A Better World For All,” said Saravoot Yoovidhya, CEO of TCP Group. Throughout its over 60 years of operation, TCP Group's priority has been to ensure the development of the economy, society, and … [Read more...] about TCP Group’s CEO announced a new corporate plan

Peter Bernhardt, team leader of the ARISE+ Vietnam project Since coming into force in August 2021, the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has become an effective tool for boosting trade ties between the EU and Vietnam. What should Vietnam pay attention to in order to benefit more from this deal? I agree that the overall picture of EVFTA performance in this starting period, where exporters and government authorities from both sides have to adapt to the new situation, looks definitely promising. The EVFTA is the most ambitious FTA that the EU has ever signed with a developing country. The deal will mutually lift about 99 per cent of the tariffs within 10 years. Duty was lifted from 65 per cent of EU exports to Vietnam and 71 per cent of Vietnamese exports to the EU, immediately after the EVFTA came into effect. As most Vietnamese exporting products are consumer products, the real challenge Vietnam exporters will face to comply with EU consumer protection regulations is … [Read more...] about EU supporting comprehensive implementation of the EVFTA

Part of Van Don district in Quang Ninh province (Photo: VNA) Quang Ninh (VNA) – The northern province of Quang Ninh posted an estimated growth rate of 10.66% in Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in the first six months of this year, which is 2.64 percentage points higher than the rate in the same period of 2021. In the period, the province has effectively implemented its overall strategy on containing COVID-19 and safely and flexibly adapting to the pandemic, thus facilitating development in the new normal situation. Quang Ninh collected over 27.18 trillion VND (1.17 billion USD at current exchange rate) for the State budget , an increase of 18% year-on-year. Total social investment in the period is estimated at 42.3 trillion VND, up 10.9% from the same period last year. The tourism industry of Quang Ninh has also enjoyed a stable recovery, serving 5.5 million visitors in the six-month period, a 2.2-fold rise year-on-year. The figure also showed a 19.57% increase … [Read more...] about Quang Ninh posts 10.66% economic growth for first half

Viet Nam has seen rapid growth in e-commerce in recent years, and demand for logistics services is growing commensurately. — Photo courtesy of J&T Express The rapid growth in e-commerce is driving an unprecedented increase in demand for logistics services, including express delivery services, according to industry insiders. In its E-commerce White Book 2021, the Viet Nam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency said Viet Nam has the highest number of people shopping on e-commerce platforms in the Southeast Asia region at some 49.3 million. In the last two years, the country has seen both consumers and firms moving online, it said. Nguyen Ngoc Dung, president of the Vietnam E-commerce Association, said there has been a boom in e-commerce since the pandemic began. More than 70 per cent of the population have access to the internet and nearly 50 per cent shop online, he said. The online shopping boom has offered opportunities as well as challenges to the logistics industry, … [Read more...] about Explosive e-commerce growth drives demand for logistics

A health worker injects COVID-19 vaccine for a local resident in Selangor, Malaysia. (Photo: XINHUA/VNA) Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia is not likely to see an exponential spike in daily Covid-19 cases despite the possibility of facing a new wave of infection in the next few months, local media said, quoting the opinion of a virologist. Dr Kumitaa Theva Das at Universiti Sains Malaysia said what set Malaysia apart from other countries currently facing the new wave of COVID-19 infections were high vaccination and booster rates. According to her, the vaccination and booster rates in Malaysia are one of the highest in the world, so it provides a certain amount of protection, at least against severity against re-infections. Malaysia also retain its indoor mask-wearing mandate and people are still wearing them outdoors, which are effective in keeping people safe, she said. Earlier, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin cautioned Malaysians to brace for a possible new … [Read more...] about Surge in COVID-19 cases unlikely in Malaysia: expert

The Vietnam Circular Economy Forum 2022 illustrates the efforts of key stakeholders to establish a circular economy for sustainable development in Vietnam The forum is organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in collaboration with relevant agencies. It welcomes nearly 500 delegates, which are representatives of ministries, municipalities, foreign embassies, international organisations, as well as research and educational institutes. The event’s purpose is to examine feasible circular economic (CE) models for Vietnam in light of the finest regional and global practices. In addition, it will specify the procedures, policies, and financial resources necessary to foster CE in the country. According to the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), developing Asia's ongoing reliance on fossil fuels and raw materials for manufacturing continues to strain already vulnerable ecosystems. Vietnam has the second-highest levels of air pollution in Southeast Asia in … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s ministries and private sector sit down on circular economy talk

Foreign nationals living in Vietnam will be granted an electronic identification account to perform public administrative procedures. The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) is considering issuing identification (ID) cards for long-term foreign residents. Accordingly, people of Vietnamese origin who were born in Vietnam or abroad but have returned to Vietnam and lived permanently for more than five years will be eligible to receive ID cards. Currently, citizens in Vietnam have to carry too many paper documents such as citizen identification card, health insurance card, social insurance book, birth certificate, driver's license, student identification card, social insurance card, among others. Identity card with barcode is currently the most modern form in Vietnam. Photo: The Hanoi Times The fact that there are too many different types of papers issued by competent authorities causes numerous inconveniences for citizens in storing … [Read more...] about Vietnam to issue ID cards for non-Vietnamese nationals