HANOI (AFP): As a child, Nguy Thi Khanh used to lie in the grass in her Vietnamese village and watch toxic emissions from nearby coal plants float past like clouds. Khanh has watched with dread as the communist country of 95 million struggled to balance breakneck economic growth with environmental sustainability. Our generation has more resources than you will," she says of her motivation to drive change, despite the risks. The nation's annual GDP has risen by six percent annually since 2015 but it has come at a heavy cost. Rapid industrialisation has contributed to a steady rise in air and water pollution across the country, while mountains of plastic waste choke landfills and waterways.

Source: The Star March 02, 2020 03:45 UTC