VietNamNet Bridge - Coal imports have been increasing rapidly as coal on the world market is priced more cheaply than the domestic product.

VietNamNet Bridge - Formosa Ha Tinh and Vedan Vietnam have asked for permission to import coal instead of doing it through Vinacomin, the nation’s biggest coal miner.

The business sector in Viet Nam has serious doubts about the impact of the historic COP21 global climate deal on the country’s environmental policies,

VietNamNet Bridge - If the 4MW hydropower plant is built as projected, more than 28 hectares of forest land in Xuan Nha Natural Reserve in Son La province will disappear, and 16.9 hectares of the special-use forest will be eliminated.

VietNamNet Bridge - If Vietnam continues exploiting 50 million tons of coal each year, the coal would run out after 15 years, not 50 years, as planned by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), experts say.

After 10 years of consideration, Vietnam still has not made a clear statement about whether it will join EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative). The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has been blamed for the delay.

VietNamNet Bridge - The proposal by the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin), the biggest coal miner in the country, to reduce the natural resources tax has faced strong opposition.

VietNamNet Bridge - Mineral exploiters reap major benefits, but local residents living near the mines suffer as ore exploitation has negative consequences.

VietNamNet Bridge - While customs agencies reported a sharp increase in coal imports, the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) reported a high inventory level of 10 million tons.

VietNamNet Bridge - A mining company has decided to give back to the state two iron ore mines with large reserves, an unprecedented move in the country. 

VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has asked for the government’s permission for the export of lump coal and dust coal in the 2016-2020 period.

VietNamNet Bridge -  Vietnam can exploit coal on the Red River basin on a trial basis with UCG technology (underground coal gasification), and If it is not successful, it should forget about the coal basin, scientists say.

The problem at Tan Rai bauxite pipeline lies in the technology and the low-quality of the pipeline. This is why it broke down four years after the factory opened.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Businesses under the industry and trade ministry have not attracted foreign strategic investors during their privatisation,

The Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) is going ahead with its plan to build its third third thermopower plant in Cam Pha City, despite warnings about environment pollution and protests from Quang Ninh residents.

Twelve investors have registered to build factories which make unburned bricks from cinders generated by coal thermal power plants in Binh Thuan province. Coal cinder generators are also considering packaging cinders for export.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Energy groups are quick to complain about the impact of exchange rate fluctuations, which they claim have caused huge losses for them. They have floated the possibility of adding those losses to their production costs.

VietNamNet Bridge - Coal exploiters have been warned they will have to pay higher environmental fee of up to VND14,000 per ton, an increase of VND4,000 per ton if the draft decree compiled by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) gets government’s approval.

The cost for exploiting one ton of coal is much higher than reported, because it must include both intangible and tangible consequences, including environmental pollution, water resources, miners’ health and possible impact on climate change.

VietNamNet Bridge - In the last three years,  Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has bought electricity from power generators at the average price of VND1,087.3 per kwh and sold it at VND1,622 per kwh on average.