Wind turbines in coastal central Binh Thuan province's Tuy Phong district (Source: VNA)Green growth is important for Vietnam's economy despite difficulties with institutional reform and limited resources, said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.
Hai called on ministries, sectors, agencies, organisations and individuals to make green projects more attractive at a workshop held in Hanoi on September 15.
The national strategy on green growth until 2050, which identifies three key tasks – reducing greenhouse gas emission, promoting clean and renewable energy and practicing environmentally-friendly production, lifestyles and consumption was approved in 2012 by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
"Policies and actions are needed to implement these strategies, communications and education to raise awareness of the importance of green growth," Hai said.
Legal framework and policies for green growth must be in line with the country's economic restructuring, Hai said, adding that institutional reform must include support policies to encourage innovative technology.
According to the ministry of planning and investment, in the last three years 16 provinces and cities launched green growth action plans. Enterprises started restructuring, innovating technology and eyeing green projects or large scale organic agriculture projects.
Pham Hoang Mai, director of the department of science, education, natural resources and environment said that Vietnam needs around 30 billion USD to carry out the national strategy for green growth by 2020, with 70 percent of this figure needed from non-government resources.
Nearly 200 workshop participants discussed issues including the relationship between economic development and the environment, sustainable growth policies; measures to implement the strategy on green growth and green production models.
According to reports Vietnam's major environmental problems include 7.5 million ha of land affected by desertification, 30,000ha of land affected by salinity, and 300,000ha of land suffering from severe drought each year, among others.
A quarter of economic zones and export processing zones nationwide don't have concentrated waste water treatment systems. Solid waste in almost 60 percent of communes in rural areas is dumped instead of being systematically collected and treated.
Pollution sources are increasing in terms of number, scale and negative impacts on the environment.
The reports presented at the workshop also urged for improved legal framework and policies to make foundations for addressing environmental problems.
Nhan dan newspaper editor-in-chief Thuan Huu said good communication can pave the way for the success of the green growth strategy.
It was necessary to introduce and promote good models of green production as a way to improve public awareness on green growth.
He said that enterprises were becoming more interested in greener and cleaner production and taking social responsibility.-VNA
