StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Environmental Issues Impacting Vietnam - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Through the research conducted by David Dean on the aquaculture of Vietnam, the rapid growth in the production of shrimp, catfish, and lobster is reported to generate detrimental consequences both to the general ecosystem and to humans…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER99% of users find it useful
Environmental Issues Impacting Vietnam
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Environmental Issues Impacting Vietnam"

?The Problematic Industry of Aquaculture Through the research conducted by David Dean on the aquaculture of Vietnam, the rapid growth in the production of shrimp, catfish, and lobster is reported to generate detrimental consequences both to the general ecosystem and to humans who take advantage of its resources. As such, aqua-cultural methods bring about nutrient loading of the so-called “grow-out” system in which the food leftovers of the aquatic creatures accumulate in the water causing turbidity, eutrophication, and sedimentation. Hazardous levels of dissolved phosphorus and nitrogen from excrements as well as the pharmaceutical and chemical substances used for developing aquaculture further pollute the body of water and are taken in by the fish which, by food chain, are eaten by men.[1] Additionally, when fish become stressed through grow-out settings in an aquaculture, disease and parasites emerge in transmission between organisms and those that escape inefficient net operations threaten to reduce genetic diversity. Because intensive farming is carried out in culturing shrimp, lobster, and catfish, the clearing of natural habits such as mangrove forests is designed to establish more farms and meet the demands of production in vast numbers. This, nevertheless, has led eventually to the salinization of aquifers and soils, making the freshwater reserves more saline and thus, not conducive for use in crops, human consumption, and certain industrial functions as they suffer from low freshwater quality and amount. Pertinent environmental agencies (government and non-government) account for recycling of carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, and other wastewater nutrients into useful feed supplements and fertilizers. This way, loading of nutrients in an aquaculture may be monitored in order for the aquatic environment to remain in equilibrium with the materials that sustain it. Devastation of Forests by Aggressive Human Exploitation The exploitative approach of deforestation constitutes another issue which designates Vietnam at the height of environmental calamity. According to Do Thanh Hai of the Forest Protection and Management Division, “The illegal exploitation of forests is most common in natural forests, nature reserves and national parks in northern Dien Bien, Bac Kan, Yen Bai, and Lang Son provinces.” There were about 2,400 reported illegal cases of timber trafficking which indicates how substantial the rate of deforestation is as executed by poachers who have had the backing of some local residents despite the presence of the opposing indigenous minorities. [2] Like the rest of the world that has encountered the undesirable impact of denuding forests, Vietnam similarly experiences how the negative aspects of the practice reflect in unhealthy soil composition and lower capacity to resist floods and runoffs that erode soils to abnormal extent. It would take the Vietnamese a great deal of having to remedy global warming since massive logging implies higher concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, given that only a few number of trees are available to absorb of such gases as carbon dioxide (CO2) to sustain their photosynthetic requirements. At anytime, concerned citizens of Vietnam may opt to complain or bring to public notice any poachers / illegal loggers caught in the act. Though no significant efforts have been documented in reference to nationwide protest against deforestation, the Vietnamese may consider engaging more into campaigns that are ‘pro’ to conservation and preservation of forests. They can also think about being actively engaged in tree-planting activities at feasible regions of the country. Large companies that require timber as the main working component or raw material of their business must be encouraged to seek other alternatives so as to minimize the frequent cutting down of trees. Environmental Damage Brought by the Mid-20th Century War Moreover, the environmental ruins of the Indochina war during the period 1962 – 71 left Vietnam with haunting perils of radiation and defoliants employed by military forces. The aftermath of war yielded mutations and birth defects of the modern times along with barren lands that lay waste and may be used no longer for agricultural cultivation due to long-term effects of bombing and spraying of severely concentrated herbicides over the 1/7th portion of South Vietnam. Back then, the impact of the U.S.-governed war explosions and extensive defoliation by Agent Orange were leaching of nutrients and expedite occurrence of soil erosion. [3] On this ground, it may be readily inferred that deforestation and associated acts could not go on any further as such would only aggravate the current manifestations of war-inflicted environment. Through the findings of the American journalist, Elizabeth Kemf, Kemf confesses: “More forests have been lost in Vietnam since the US/Vietnam war ended in 1975 than during it – Because of post-war lumbering operations (the rebuilding of 10 million homes, schools, hospitals, roads and irrigation systems), the relentless collection of firewood, forest fires and centuries-old methods of slash-and-burn agriculture, Vietnam loses around 200,000 hectares of forest each year – Some 40% of the country is now considered wasteland.”[4] By the Article 5 of the Land Law of Vietnam (1993), land users are provided the opportunity to make investments on improving reclaimed wastelands.[5] People who possess the land may then decide to take the necessary measures of employing labor force and scientific or technological means of finding resolution to cure the barren land and restore economic productivity in it. Air Pollution Air pollution in Vietnam, being evaluated as among the world’s worst cases of atmospheric contamination, serves as the fourth environmental issue which needs to be addressed with a sense of urgency. Tuoi Tre reports that “Smoke and dust created by trucks are the main factors leading to the decline in air quality in Vietnam, especially in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh” via EPI (Environmental Performance Index) survey. Vietnam’s atmosphere which is heavily polluted with noxious gases, carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulates, as well as basic aromatic compounds is found to have brought about health deterioration.[6] Columnist Luisetta Mudie  notes “In 2007 the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that an average of 16,000 deaths a year in Vietnam are now caused by air pollution, with thousands of people now confirmed to be suffering from pulmonary disease.” Other organisms of the ecosystem are also affected as their biological systems weaken upon absorption or natural diffusion of contaminated air-borne molecules whereas building structures corrode via the acid rain produced by chemical reaction of air pollutants with the precipitated water. Majority of Vietnamese civilians have sought protection from polluted air by wearing gas masks whereas some others take the initiative of riding vehicles free of belching smokes or those that meet standard emissions. Taking advantage of the popular media, the people of Vietnam attempt to direct the government’s attention toward enforcing the use of cleaner fuels and sanction for motorists who stray from compliance herein. Certain international and local environmentalists have compellingly encouraged the Hanoi community to level up control measures for regulating industrial emissions and insist the pertinent agencies of the government to clarify responsibilities concerning environmental protection. The Rigid Challenges of Treating Urban and Industrial Wastes From very recent, Vietnam’s pace in terms of urbanization and industrialization depicts enhanced growth in the nation’s economy yet this drastic change entails an ordeal of treating wastes which increase in direct proportion to the continuous development of industries and urban areas. It is estimated that Vietnam generates waste quantities that exceed 15 million tons originating from commercial establishments, domestic units, municipalities, hospitals, and manufacturing firms.[7] Existing treatment facilities are assessed to demonstrate inefficiencies and limited potentials to cover the work of diminishing at least the environmental impact of combined wastes. Hence, this fifth concern regarding the must for adequate waste management in the midst of rising economic competitiveness calls for another serious attention. When untreated wastes build up, human lives and environment fall on an enormous risk of obtaining illnesses made by the possible spread of disease and lack of proper sanitation especially among the poor. A better scheme for segregating wastes and classifying practical methods of treatment appropriate for each waste type (solid, liquid, and mixed) must be realized in this situation. Managing wastes requires high setup and maintenance costs yet Vietnam was found to have responded with positive initiative on addressing waste management through “a sound legal framework, an aggressive investment plan, and an emphasis on improving local services” as listed via waste-viet.com site. Citizens of a larger local population may think of coming up with individual means of collecting and disposing of garbage. While recycling materials to reduce the amount of dumped wastes still counts as a helpful part of solution, the feasibility of improvising simple and affordable treatment utilities similar to activated sludge system or biological contactors may locate the much-needed remedy. Works Cited [1] Dean, David. “Aquaculture in Vietnam: From Small-Scale Integration to Intensive Production.” 2012. Web. 22 Oct 2012. http://envstudies.brown.edu/theses/archive20102011/DavidDeanThesis.pdf. [2] VIETNAMNET BRIDGE. “Vietnam: Forest Destruction Due to Rampant Exploitation.” Forest Carbon ASIA. 14 Nov 2011. Web. 22 Oct 2012. http://www.forestcarbonasia.org/in-the-media/vietnam-deforestation-due-to-rampant-illegal-forest-exploitation/. [3] Kiernan, Mike. “The Environmental Impact of the Vietnam War.” MOTHER EARTH NEWS. 2012. Web. 23 Oct 2012. http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-community/vietnam-war-zmaz72soztak.aspx. [4] GLW. “Vietnam: War and the Environment.” 14 Jul 1993. Web. 23 Oct 2012. http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/6044. [5] Anson, Binh Ph.D. “Feasibility Study on Vietnam Land Management System.” Land Law of Vietnam 1993. Oct 1993. Web. 25 Oct 2012. http://coombs.anu.edu.au/~vern/luat/english/Law-land-law.txt. Tre, Tuoi. “Vietnam Air Pollution Among the Worst in the World.” 2 May 2012. Web. 23 Oct 2012. http://www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/features/vietnam-air-pollution-among-the-worst-in-the-world-1.70439. [6] “Vietnam Pollution Threatens Health.” Radio Free Asia. 1 Apr 2009. Web. 27 Oct 2012. http://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/pollution-04012009110733.html. [7] Solid Waste, Vietnam Environment Monitor 2004. “Effective Waste Management for Vietnam.” 13 Apr 2010. Web. 25 Oct 2012. http://www.waste-viet.com/en/waste-management-vt/. Mudie, Luisetta. “Vietnam Pollution Threatens Health.” Healthcare Today. 3 Apr 2009. Web. 27 Oct 2012. http://www.healthcare-today.co.uk/content.php?contentId=10861. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Environmental Issues Impacting Vietnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words”, n.d.)
Environmental Issues Impacting Vietnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1459143-5-environmental-issues-impacting-vietnam
(Environmental Issues Impacting Vietnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
Environmental Issues Impacting Vietnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words. https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1459143-5-environmental-issues-impacting-vietnam.
“Environmental Issues Impacting Vietnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1459143-5-environmental-issues-impacting-vietnam.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Environmental Issues Impacting Vietnam

Social and Environmental Accounting

In their sustainability and environmental reporting, the companies also describe their current policies towards social and environmental issues.... Topic:  Social and environmental Accounting Introduction Many stakeholders require social and environmental accounting.... Overtime, the users of the financial information have considerably increased ranging from social to political, environmental to ethical.... These stakeholders are; local communities, environmental groups such as Friends of Earth and Greenpeace, media, political and other pressure groups....
13 Pages (3250 words) Assignment

Coffee Industry in Vietnam

vietnam has become one of the largest coffee growing countries in the international coffee market since it has established its prominence as an important place in the world coffee market through the introduction of Boun Ma thout as the principal and significant point of coffee exchange.... vietnam has come to succeed on coffee production after 1990s when World Bank, France's Agence Francaise de Development, and other international aid agencies jointly aided vietnam helping surpass Colombia and rank its position after Brazil....
4 Pages (1000 words) Case Study

The Effectiveness of International Agreements in Conducting Environmental Policies

One striking feature of these environmental problems is being global in nature.... environmental science has coined the term, “transboundary” to refer to both environmental problems and solution which cross borders (David Humphreys 201).... The term is specifically used for the environmental policy of protected areas, in which “a viable population of an endangered species, or provide sufficient land area for a vulnerable ecosystem, in a way that simply might not be possible by national level action alone” (David Humphreys)....
16 Pages (4000 words) Essay

Corporate social responsibility

CSR is “[a] concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis” (European Commission, in Nehme & Wee, 2008:131).... However, the concept of responsibility of entities in power over their workers or natural environment, existed even at the time of the Code of… murabi in ancient Babylon thousands of years ago, which made it the obligation of noblemen to “protect” slaves (Nehme & Wee, 2008; Esposito, 2009:108)....
18 Pages (4500 words) Essay

Chapter questions

uestion 10 Low income countries like Brazil, Egypt or vietnam have lower environmental standards than high income countries like the German, Japan or the United States.... Low income countries focus more on economic issues and pay little attention to pollution which degrades their environmental standards.... Most of the time they intentionally lower their standards especially the environmental standards just to attract multinational countries....
1 Pages (250 words) Assignment

The Legal Policy In The Gas And Oil Industry

The major issues that arise during the selection of contract in this regard include the share of the distribution of profit between the government and companies participating in the contractual agreement and the cost structure that the involved parties need to be accepted.... Thus, the proper selection of a specific contractual agreement will not only assist the respective governments of the nations to eradicate the issues but also impact the overall growth of the economy at large....
16 Pages (4000 words) Essay

TESCO: Environmental Audit

The survival and wellbeing of the society and the future generations hinges on various environmental issues including pollution of water and air, treatment of water and effluents, proper disposal of the industrial wastes considering the likely imbalances caused due to these environmental threats.... (OECD, 2005)  These standards inter alia cover environmental issues and a number of companies worldwide adopt such standards.... From this work "TESCO: environmental Audit", it is clear about the microenvironment related to the company and the macro environment as prevailing in Qatar from the company's as well as the country's perspectives....
8 Pages (2000 words) Case Study

Green Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility

hellip; In the past few years, the environmental issues have received significant attention from the people and companies are coming forward to create the awareness among the people.... They are: Loyal eco-friendly customers: They believe that one must have environmental awareness in order to protect the earth that is why they feel that it is their duty to contribute effectively to conserving the environment....
17 Pages (4250 words) Assignment
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us