Southeast Asia is in the grip of a biodiversity crisis

theconversation.com

Rich in wildlife, Southeast Asia includes at least six of the world’s 25 “biodiversity hotspots” – the areas of the world that contain an exceptional concentration of species, and are exceptionally endangered. The region contains 20% of the planet’s vertebrate and plant species and the world’s third-largest tropical forest.

In addition to this existing biodiversity, the region has an extraordinary rate of species discovery, with more than 2,216 new species describedbetween 1997 and 2014 alone.

Global comparisons are difficult but it seems the Mekong region has a higher rate of species discovery than other parts of the tropics, with hundreds of new species described annually.

Habitat loss

Southeast Asia’s biodiversity is under serious threat; some parts of the region are projected to lose up to 98% of their remaining forests in the next nine years. It’s also thought to be the world’s most threatened region for mammals. Tiếp tục đọc “Southeast Asia is in the grip of a biodiversity crisis”

Thailand: The rich world’s new dumpsite for e-waste

Royal Thai Police raid Wai Mei Dat. Gaylord boxes and Super Sacks filled with imported e-waste. Photo Copyright The Nation, Thailand Portal. May 22, 2018. [baselactionnetwork / Flickr]

Thailand has become one of the largest dumpsites for electronic waste from developed countries since China’s January ban on the import of plastic waste. EURACTIV’s partner Le Journal de l’environnement reports. Tiếp tục đọc “Thailand: The rich world’s new dumpsite for e-waste”

Will Thailand’s New Power Development Plan Change the Mekong Status Quo?

Stimson

Thailand is moving ahead with a scheduled update to the national Power Development Plan. A slew of contradictory news reports indicate a lively internal debate over the how big of a pivot Thailand will make towards domestic renewable energy and away from power imports from neighboring Laos and Myanmar. The Power Development Plan (PDP), which is revised approximately every three years, should be released in September 2018. The release is timely as prices of alternative technologies like wind and solar power are at record lows and continuing to fall. Given the ongoing need for power sector expansion, Thailand and other countries in the Mekong region are well positioned to take advantage of these low prices if the right policies are set.
Tiếp tục đọc “Will Thailand’s New Power Development Plan Change the Mekong Status Quo?”