Stronger regional cooperation proposed to reduce marine litter
Cooperation with regional partners will enable Vietnam to gain experiences from other countries in monitoring and assesing marine debris, said Dr. Nguyen Le Tuan, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Seas and Islands (VISI) on October 10.
Hanoi (VNA) – Cooperation with regional partners will enable Vietnam to gain experiences from other countries in monitoring and assessing marine debris, said Dr. Nguyen Le Tuan, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Seas and Islands (VISI) on October 10.
Tuan made the statement at the Fourth Meeting of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) Working Group on Marine Litter hosted by the VISI both in person and virtually forms within the framework of part two of the 25th Inter-governmental Meeting of the COBSEA. The meeting is underway in Hanoi from October 10–14.
A number of ideas were put forth at the event to address the current challenges in surveying and monitoring marine litter, including insufficient scientific evidence, data and information on marine debris and a lack of technology and tools for regular and effective monitoring of marine plastic pollution.
He suggested that regional partnerships are also important to tackling cross-border plastic pollution, facilitating the development of recycled plastic markets in East Asia and allowing regional countries to climb the circular economy’s global value chain.
According to Tuan, around 70–80% of marine litter originates from land-based human activities, and plastics accounts for some 80% of total marine debris. Six out of ten ASEAN member states alone create more than 31 million tonnes of plastic waste annually.
To address this issue, the Government of Vietnam has issued a national action plan on managing marine plastic litter by 2030 in which it pledges to cut the volume of plastic waste dumped into the oceans by 50% and 75%, respectively, by 2025 and 2030.
The Vietnamese Government has released a decree guiding the enforcement of the 2020 Law on Environment Protection on the management, recycling, reusing and treatment of plastic waste and development of a circular economy for plastics, he said, adding that Vietnam has developed a fundamental regulatory framework for the management of waste generally and marine litter, from production and consumption, to treatment.
The COBSEA member states are Cambodia, China, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam./.
Vietnam is striving to become a regional pioneer in reducing ocean plastic waste, heard a recent virtual meeting of environmental officials of Vietnam, Germany, Ecuador and Ghana.
A representative from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has affirmed that Vietnam supports and stands ready to engage in discussions to join efforts in building an agreement on marine pollution.
Vietnam is ready to join negotiations on a draft resolution which aims to pave the way for an international legally binding agreement on marine litter and plastics to be presented by Peru and Rwanda at the second segment of the 5th UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) in late February.
As the amount of plastic waste from Vietnamese is rising quickly, many projects are being implemented in collaboration with international organisations to reduce plastic waste.
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) 
