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.

 Local authorities in the Mekong Delta have warned about forest fires during the dry season as temperatures in the last two days reached 34 degrees without any rain.

 A mass release of aquatic species into Dong Ho lagoon took place in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang’s Ha Tien city on February 19, aiming to regenerate the local fishery resources.

 Authorities in the Mekong Delta are setting up firebreaks, preparing equipment and putting up warning boards as the area’s forests face a high risk of fire in the dry season.

 The recent abnormal weather conditions have indicated that natural disasters will be unpredictable in the time ahead, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

 A group of divers living in Nha Trang have been cleaning the sea for years off Hon Mun island. Taking up diving as a hobby and ending up using it to protect the environment, they are taking matters in their own hands.

 A beach spanning nearly 4 kilometres in Danang City has been seriously polluted with the water turned into black colour for days.

 Comprehensive measures have been taken to preserve biodiversity at the Nui Chua National Park in the south central province of Ninh Thuan. 

Squirrels, porcupines, and deer are still displayed for sale right after being slaughtered at the Huong Pagoda Festival in Hanoi this year despite a ban from local authorities.

 More than 5,000 residents in Phuc Tho district of Hanoi have signed their names to a petition calling for an end to bear farming, said Deputy Director of the Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung.