A large area of forest in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai has been burnt down for farming.

Four Paws, an international animal welfare organisation, opened a bear sanctuary in Ky Phu commune of Nho Quan district, the northern province of Ninh Binh, on March 7. 

 The Green Climate Fund (GCF) will continue supporting the central province of Quang Nam’s climate change adaptation efforts this year by sponsoring the construction of flood-proof houses and the cultivation of mangrove forests.

 The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has approved the dumping of 14.3 million cubic metres of mud off the coast of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

 An illegal tourism site has been built on forested land by the son of an environment official in Quang Nam Province.

 HCMC aims to cut off non-biodegradable plastic bags in supermarkets, shopping malls and markets, collect and recycle plastic bags produced from household activities this year.

 Early March, gradual saltwater intrusion in coastal provinces in the Mekong Delta is threatening to the primary production system and daily activities.

 A program to survey the status of some large important animals at Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park has recorded tens of gaur individuals moving in herd.

 The Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment held a ceremony on March 5 in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho to put an environmental monitoring station in the southwest region into operation.

 Thailand, as chair of ASEAN, has hosted the Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Marine Debris. All member countries agreed to the Bangkok Declaration and the Framework of Action on marine debris management in the ASEAN region.

 Over 100,000 ha out of 350,000 ha of forests in the south central coastal province of Binh Thuan are on the highest alert for fires as the peak of the dry season begins, according to the provincial Forestry Management Department. 

Due to the rising volume of coal ashes produced by thermal power plants, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung noted that it was necessary to change the way of handling these ashes.

 There remain limitations in clean energy development in Vietnam, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong said on February 27. 

 The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has allowed the dumping of 15 million cubic metres of sand and mud into waters off Quang Ngai.

 A high risk of drought and water scarcity has been warned for the south central and Central Highlands regions of Vietnam from March to May this year.

 The seawall at An Luong Beach near Hoi An Town in the central province of Quang Nam has been covered by piles of rubbish.

 Residents of the area around the dumping ground in Vinh Long Commune, Vĩnh Linh District, the central province of Quang Tri have blocked garbage trucks attempting to carry waste to the dump.

 People visiting some pagodas in HCMC have recently seen statues of rhinos, elephants, and pangolins kneel in prayer to Buddha.

 Nearly the entire Mekong Delta region of Vietnam – an area that makes up 50 percent of the national rice output, 65 percent of seafood, and 70 percent of fruit – could sink underwater by the year 2100.

 Experts shared experience in marine spatial planning and ocean governance at the second annual conference of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) in the Asia-Pacific, which opened in Hanoi on February 18.