New Report Compares Payments for Environmental Services in Greater Mekong Region

With support from USAID, the Center for International Forestry Research recently published the “Regional Synthesis of Payments for Environmental Services (PES) in the Greater Mekong Region.” The report combined studies on PES schemes in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to compare the various schemes and assess their current statuses, implementation processes and lessons learned.The paper…

USAID MPE and PFAN-Asia Make the Business Case for Environmental, Social and Governance Principles

With support from the U.S. Agency for International Development Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA), the Mekong Partnership for the Environment and Private Financing Advisory Network (USAID PFAN-Asia) brought together over 40 non-government organizations, civil society and private sector representatives in the Mekong region to learn about emerging international trends in sustainable investment and environmental,…

USAID LEAD and VFD Programs Conduct Training to Support Green Growth Planning in Thanh Hoa Vietnam

From March 18 to 19 in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam, the USAID LEAD and USAID-funded Vietnam Forest and Deltas programs provided training for 15 representatives from provincial departments and academies on the “Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Analysis to Support Deriving Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Targets.” Attendees learned MACC concepts, approaches and analysis data needs.They also…

Thuan Hoa Villagers to Pilot Adaptation Measures to Climate Change

At a recent ceremony organized by the U.S. Agency for International Development Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (USAID Mekong ARCC) project and with partners Asian Management and Development Institute (AMDI) and the Vietnam Red Cross, over 300 households in Thuan Hoa commune in Vietnam’s Kien Giang Province received tools to help them adapt…

Improved Women’s Awareness of Climate Change Found in Thailand and Vietnam

The USAID Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (USAID Mekong ARCC) project surveyed climate change awareness among 290 women in rural communities in Thailand (Chiang Rai and Sakon Nakhon) and Vietnam (Kien Giang) before and after conducting climate change awareness raising activities.Among the results were that 85 percent of women in target communities were…

New iTHINK Global Online Wildlife Conservation Forum in Vietnam

On March 3, the iTHINK Global Online Wildlife Conservation Forum went live on www.ithink-now.org. The website is designed to provide the conservation community and the general public with tools to support biodiversity conservation.The forum is available in Vietnamese and English and allows users to engage in wildlife conservation issues, while also inspiring conservationists to showcase…

The U.S. and Vietnam Team Up to Protect Wildlife

On March 3, top officials from Vietnam, the United States and the international wildlife community joined forces to launch Operation Game Change (OGC) in Hanoi, coinciding with World Wildlife Day. OGC brings governments, non-governmental organizations, students and celebrities from Vietnam, the U.S. and South Africa together to stop the illegal trade of rhino horns and…

USAID LEAF Releases Gender Analysis of Lam Dong Provincial REDD+ Action Plan

The U.S. Agency for International Development Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (USAID LEAF) program released the “Gender Analysis of Lam Dong’s Provincial REDD+ Action Plan” this week.Developed in collaboration with and the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD), the report provides analysis of Lam Dong’s Provincial REDD+ Action…

USAID Delivers Third Regional Training on National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Systems

From February 25 to 27, the USAID Low Emissions Asian Development (USAID LEAD) program held the third of five sessions of its Regional Training on National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Systems.Over 30 participants, including key national greenhouse gas inventory organizers from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, gathered in Bangkok for the…

USAID Grants Support Lower Mekong Civil Society Organizations to Improve Forest Equity

This month, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Grassroots Equity and Enhanced Networks in the Mekong Program (USAID GREEN Mekong) released a second round of awards under its Challenge Fund to civil society organizations from the Lower Mekong region. The grants provide winners with the opportunity to advance the promotion of equitable and inclusive forest…

Art Competition Encourages Vietnamese Youth to Speak Out About Wildlife Trafficking

Under the USAID-supported Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking (USAID ARREST) Program, Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) received thousands of entries for its national artwork competition designed to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products. As of February 2, more than 3,900 entries have been submitted.ENV has worked closely with Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training,…

USAID Introduces Innovative Teaching Method for Climate Change Curriculum

Participants from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam gathered in Bangkok from February 2 to 6 to test a role play training activity focused on the Low Emission Land Use Planning module of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forest (USAID LEAF) climate change curriculum.Participants placed themselves in roles from communities…