Day: April 6, 2024

Hanoi: In the face of biodiversity degradation risk, Vietnam has rolled out various measures, including completing the legal framework, to reverse the decline trend.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Vietnam is one of the countries with the richest biodiversity in the world and many ecosystems including tropical forests, marine and coastal ecosystems. More than 100 bird species and 10% of flora in the country are endemic.

However, experts from the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF Vietnam) warned that Vietnam’s biodiversity is degrading.

Pham Minh Thao, Director of WWF Vietnam’s Programme Development, said that the degradation of natural ecosystems greatly affects the supply chains of food, energy, infrastructure, and transportation as well as people’s lives. She blamed the degradation to population growth, changes in land use, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, and impact of global climate change and environmental pollution. In addition, the legal system
on biodiversity protection is incomplete and ineffective, while the awareness of authorities and people about the issue remains limited.

Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Department, said preventing biodiversity loss in Vietnam not only fulfills national targets but also contributes to achieving global goals.

To reduce biodiversity loss, Nhan said the Vietnamese Government promulgated the National Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050, which aims to increase the acreage of protected ecosystems and promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, contributing to socio-economic development in the direction of green economy and proactive adaptation to climate change.

Besides the strategy, the Government has also issued a project to strengthen the prevention and combat against biodiversity crimes until 2030, with a vision to 2050, with a resolve to create breakthroughs in compliance with
regulations relating to biodiversity.

Last year, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment submitted the draft National Biodiversity Conservation Plan for 2021 – 2030 period, with a vision to 2050 and the draft national programme on conserving endangered, precious and rare wildlife to 2030 with a vision towards 2050 to the Prime Minister for approval.

Specialised agencies are also urgently finalising amendments to Decree No.08/2022/ND-CP and Circular No.02/2022/TT-BTNMT providing detailed guidance on the implementation of some provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection which include content on biodiversity impact assessment and biodiversity compensation.

This year, the Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Department will assess the 15-year implementation of Law on Biodiversity, Thao said, elaborating that it will create a foundation for proposing amendments to the 2008 Law on Biodiversity.

Meanwhile, research will be conducted to propose mechanisms, policies, and management measures for pro
tecting natural landscapes, establishing management mechanisms for conservation areas beyond protected areas, she continued.

The implementation of commitments in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which was adopted during the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity organised by the United Nations in December 2022 in Montreal, Canada, is also a motivation for Vietnam to work harder in reversing the biodiversity decline trend./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: In the face of biodiversity degradation risk, Vietnam has rolled out various measures, including completing the legal framework, to reverse the decline trend.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Vietnam is one of the countries with the richest biodiversity in the world and many ecosystems including tropical forests, marine and coastal ecosystems. More than 100 bird species and 10% of flora in the country are endemic.

However, experts from the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF Vietnam) warned that Vietnam’s biodiversity is degrading.

Pham Minh Thao, Director of WWF Vietnam’s Programme Development, said that the degradation of natural ecosystems greatly affects the supply chains of food, energy, infrastructure, and transportation as well as people’s lives. She blamed the degradation to population growth, changes in land use, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, and impact of global climate change and environmental pollution. In addition, the legal system
on biodiversity protection is incomplete and ineffective, while the awareness of authorities and people about the issue remains limited.

Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Department, said preventing biodiversity loss in Vietnam not only fulfills national targets but also contributes to achieving global goals.

To reduce biodiversity loss, Nhan said the Vietnamese Government promulgated the National Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050, which aims to increase the acreage of protected ecosystems and promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, contributing to socio-economic development in the direction of green economy and proactive adaptation to climate change.

Besides the strategy, the Government has also issued a project to strengthen the prevention and combat against biodiversity crimes until 2030, with a vision to 2050, with a resolve to create breakthroughs in compliance with
regulations relating to biodiversity.

Last year, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment submitted the draft National Biodiversity Conservation Plan for 2021 – 2030 period, with a vision to 2050 and the draft national programme on conserving endangered, precious and rare wildlife to 2030 with a vision towards 2050 to the Prime Minister for approval.

Specialised agencies are also urgently finalising amendments to Decree No.08/2022/ND-CP and Circular No.02/2022/TT-BTNMT providing detailed guidance on the implementation of some provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection which include content on biodiversity impact assessment and biodiversity compensation.

This year, the Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Department will assess the 15-year implementation of Law on Biodiversity, Thao said, elaborating that it will create a foundation for proposing amendments to the 2008 Law on Biodiversity.

Meanwhile, research will be conducted to propose mechanisms, policies, and management measures for pro
tecting natural landscapes, establishing management mechanisms for conservation areas beyond protected areas, she continued.

The implementation of commitments in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which was adopted during the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity organised by the United Nations in December 2022 in Montreal, Canada, is also a motivation for Vietnam to work harder in reversing the biodiversity decline trend./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: Princess Superal is excited to be back on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT), joining a highly competitive field in the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship set to be held at the Caliraya Springs Golf Club in Cavinti, Laguna on April 9.

Also competing in the event, which offers PHP1 million in cash prizes, are LPGT leg winners Sarah Ababa and Harmie Constantino, along with Lois Kaye Go and Mafy Singson, Chihiro Ikeda, Florence Bisera, Marvi Monsalve, Annika Cedo, Velinda Vestil, Rev Alcantara, and the multi-titled Chanelle Avaricio.

Superal said she is more focused on improving her driving technique than the results.

‘The goal is always to win. But since I am working on my long game, I want to focus first on the process more than the results,’ said the 2014 US Girls’ Junior Championship winner.

Under the guidance of swing coach Bong Lopez at Manila Southwoods, Superal has prepared herself for the tough challenge ahead in Caliraya.

‘I play four times a week, then practice at the range and work
on my short game,’ shared Superal, who will resume her campaign at the Japan Step Up Tour next month.

Superal is the first amateur to win an LPGT event at John Hay in 2013.

Her last title victory in the circuit was at Eagle Ridge in 2021. The following year, she lost the Hallow Ridge title to Avaricio in sudden death.

Superal also won the 2022 Asia Pacific Cup in Indonesia, upstaging the likes of major winners So Yeon Ryu and Hyo Joo Kim of Korea and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed a law creating a new district engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Zamboanga City.

Under Republic Act (RA) 11994 signed by Marcos on April 4 and made public on Saturday, the new engineering office of the DPWH will be known as the Zamboanga City First District Engineering Office.

The Zamboanga City First District Engineering Office will be located in the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone – Zamboanga Freeport Authority in Talisayan village.

The existing district engineering office in Zamboanga City, which is located in Barangay Divisoria, will now be known as the Zamboanga City Second District Engineering Office.

According to RA 11994, the new office will serve the villages of Ayala, Baliwasan, Baluno, Cabatangan, Calarian, Camino Nuevo, Campo Islam, Canelar, Capisan, Cawit, Dulian (Upper Pasonanca), La Paz, Labuan, Limpapa, Maasin, Malagutay, Mariki, Pamucutan, Pasonanca, Patalon, Recodo, Rio Hondo, San Jose Cawa
-cawa, San Jose Gusu, San Roque, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Maria, Sto. Niño, Sinubung, Sinunuc, Talisayan, Tulungatung, Tumaga, Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3, and Zone 4.

On the other hand, the Zamboanga City Second District Engineering Office will serve the villages of Arena Blanco, Boalan, Bolong, Buenavista, Bunguiao, Busao, Cabaluay, Cacao, Calabasa, Culianan, Curuan, Dita, Divisoria, Dulian (Upper Bunguiao), Guisao, Guiwan, Kasanyangan, Lamisahan, Landang Gua, Landang Laum, Lanzones, Lapakan, Latuan, Licomo, Limaong, Lubigan, Lumayang, Lumbangan, Lunzuran, Mampang, Manalipa, Mangusu, Manicahan, Mercedes, Muti, Pangapuyan, Panubigan, Pasilmanta, Pasobolong, Putik, Quiniput, Salaan, Sangali, Sta. Catalina, Sibulao, Tagasilay, Taguiti, Talabaan, Talon-Talon, Taluksangay, Tetuan, Tictapul, Tigbalabag, Tigtabon, Tolosa, Tugbungan, Tumlautab, Tumitus, Victoria, Vitali, and Zambowood.

The new law mandates the DPWH Secretary to include in the department’s program the operationalization of Zamboanga City First and Second Dis
trict Engineering Offices.

The funding for the two offices will come from the annual General Appropriations Act.

The law was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on March 21, 2023, and Nov. 2, 2023, respectively.

RA 11994 takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

Source: Philippines News Agency