The smoke and dust caused by traditional brick kilns has long been considered a threat to the environment and residents' health, but many obstacles stand in the way of their elimination.

The coastal area of Go Cong Dong, a major agricultural hub in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, has taken effective measures against drought and saltwater intrusion into rivers this year.

Seventeen bears – which used to be kept in captivity and illegally traded to harvest their bile - are living in a bear conservation centre in the northern province of Ninh Binh.

Con Dao National Park is one of the most popular coral reef diving destinations in Vietnam. With coral cover of about 65 percent, it has some of the most gorgeous jagged coral reefs in the country.

The central province of Thua Thien-Hue recently issued Decision No.1038/QD-UBND on receiving and implementing the second phase of the carbon and biodiversity (Carbi) project funded by non-refundable aid of the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

Saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta is expected to increase between April 28 and May 6 as the volume of water flowing southward from the Mekong River will decline, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Irrigation Department.

The good management of waste helps ensure urban beauty and safety, protect people’s health, reduce air and water pollution, adapt to climate change and spur economic development, Japanese experts said at a workshop in Hanoi on April 24.

The International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Working Week 2019 opened in Hanoi on April 23 under the theme “Geospatial information for a smarter life and environmental resilience”.

The Huong Khe District People's Court in the central province of Ha Tinh has recently sentenced six local people to a total of 66 months in prison for violating “regulations on protection of endangered, precious and rare animals”.

Educational institutions in several provinces and Ho Chi Minh City are encouraging their students and staff not to use single-use plastic water bottles and straws as part of the UN’s global Beat Plastic Pollution campaign.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held a consultation seminar in the central province of Quang Tri on April 19 to discuss refining mechanisms on feedback and dealing with complaints under the Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) for the 2018-2025 period.

The Cuc Phuong National Park on April 17 received 39 pangolins rescued from wildlife traffickers and handed over by authorities of the northern province of Hung Yen.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved an action programme implementing the Government’s resolution 120/NQ-CP on sustainable development of the Mekong Delta in response to climate change.

The national strategy on environment protection should cover more issues other than just biodiversity conservation, waste management and monitoring.

Environmental pollution in some craft villages, especially food processing villages in the central province of Nghe An, has gotten worse. It not only affects the local communities but also raises concerns over food safety.

The appearance of a 15ha sandbank, 1.8km off the Cua Dai Beach since early this year offers a chance to research changing riverhead flows and sand sedimentation at lower lands, according to experts.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hailed the water pollution treatment idea suggested by Japanese environmental experts while receiving them in Hanoi on April 11.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on April 10 decided to ban the use of glyphosate, an active ingredient in many weed controls.

Dutch experts suggested constructing artificial islands off Hoi An coast in the central province of Quang Nam to shield it from strong waves, helping reduce coastal erosion and creating new tourist attractions in the locality.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has revealed a plan to check 51 solid waste treatment facilities in 25 provinces and cities throughout the country.