Hanoi (VNA) – The final pitching competition andawards ceremony for the Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge tookplace in Hanoi on January 26.
Funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, theASEAN-wide competition aims to tackle plastic pollution in coastal areas ofVietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines by seeking, upgrading andspreading innovation solutions.
Among 14 finalists, four teamswon the awards, namely Galaxy Biotech, Green Joy and Refill from Vietnam andCIRAC from Thailand. Each winner received a seed funding of 18,000 USD and will start a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
The organisingboard received 159 entries from six ASEAN member states. The best 14 teamsjoined an incubation programme launched by the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme and the Vietnam Silicon Valley’s Accelerator Programme from October –December.
Team membersreceived necessary skill training and took field trips to Ha Long Bay in the northernprovince of Quang Ninh and Samui island in Thailand to learn about plasticwaste pollution there and meet with potential partners and clients./.
It has been more than a year since the fight against plastic waste was launched on a national scale and despite claims of success by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, single-use plastic bags are still commonly used at markets and supermarkets in Hanoi.
A workshop on increasing awareness in plastic waste management for the private sector in Vietnam was held in Da Nang on December 4 by the Center of Education and Development (CED) and the Da Nang branch of the Vietnam Chamber of Industry and Commerce (VCCI).
“It is time for us to take drastic and effective action to change models of production and the consumption of traditional plastic products in a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner,” Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has said.
The Vietnamese Government has over the past time exerted a great deal of effort in addressing plastic waste in oceans by introducing various policies and regulations to tackle the scourge.
Floodwater levels in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta are high and will continue to rise this month, especially in upstream areas, according to the hydraulic works management and construction department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Conservation efforts to restore habitat and boost the population of red-crowned cranes in Tram Chim National Park are finally showing progress, with the cranes and many other rare wild birds coming back to the park.
Torrential rains from the night of July 31 to early August 1 triggered flash floods and landslides across several communes in Dien Bien province, leaving at least two people dead and eight others missing.
Transitioning to a circular economy not only offers a sustainable development path for Ho Chi Minh City but also serves as a pivotal step toward establishing a fully green economy.
An exhibition featuring 100 green, recycled, and circular economy models and products from 50 businesses and educational establishments took place in Ho Chi Minh City on July 31, as part of the local green transition forum and recycle day 2025.
Regional solidarity and cooperation are the key factor for the effective implementation of wildlife protection regulations. Only through sustainable cooperation, innovative approaches, and collective action can biodiversity be safeguarded for the present and future generations, an Vietnamese official has said.
Hanoi has approved a comprehensive plan to restore the environmental quality and develop four major urban rivers – the To Lich, Kim Nguu, Lu, and Set reverine environments.
The Javan pangolin is listed in Vietnam’s Red Book as critically endangered and is protected under Group IB – a category reserved for forest species facing an extremely high risk of extinction and requiring strict conservation measures.
As a key member of the core group of 18 countries, initiated by Vanuatu, Vietnam engaged in advocating for the UN General Assembly’s Resolution N.77/276, requesting for the ICJ’s advisory opinion. Following the resolution's adoption, Vietnam fully participated in all procedural steps for the first time, from submitting written proposals to presenting directly at the court’s hearings.
The wild elephant population in Da Nang includes a full developed herb of mature males, females, and calves. To date, the herd has grown to nine individuals.
Conservation efforts here have become a model, helping to save millions of turtle hatchlings and promoting Con Dao as a member of the Indian Ocean-Southeast Asia Turtle Site Network.
As part of its drive to fulfil its net zero emissions commitment by 2050, Vietnam is fast-tracking the development of a legal corridor to launch a pilot carbon market by the end of 2025, according to the Department of Climate Change.
Under the plan, from 2025 to 2026, the city will complete mechanisms and policies to support businesses in switching to green vehicles, expand the electric and green-energy bus network, and build charging stations. The targeted proportion of green buses is set at 10% in 2025 and 20–23% in 2026.
Storm Comay, the fourth in the East Sea this year, was at around 16.7 degrees North and 118.3 degrees East, in the east of the East Sea's northern waters as of 4am on July 24.
The disaster risk warning level for flash floods, landslides, and ground subsidence due to heavy rains and flows is rated at level 1, except in Nghe An, where it is raised to level 2.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) 
