Themed “Revitalisation: Collective Action for the Ocean”,this year’s day highlights the importance of coordination activities betweennations and organisations to revive degrading ocean and marine ecosystems, and preservemarine environment and natural resources for sustainable development goals.
Luu Anh Duc, deputy head of the Department of Science andInternational Cooperation under the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands,said the trend of blue sea economic development in the world helps promotethe common development of countries, including Vietnam.
According to him, the world considers the 21st century that of the ocean with new approaches which emphasise sustainableeconomic development and environmental protection to promote socio-economic growth,while adapting to climate change on a global scale.
Vietnam is one of the 12 biodiversity centres, and one of the 16countries owning the highest biodiversity globally with rare and preciousgenetic resources. However, the nation is facing degradation in biodiversityalong with other great challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, environmentaland water pollution, land degradation, and ocean plastic waste and the extremeeffects of climate change, requiring each individual to be more aware of theimportance of protecting the environment, and ensuring a harmoniousrelationship between man and nature.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Hasaid that with a high determination in action, Vietnam is stepping up economicrestructuring in association with the development of digital economy, blueeconomy and circulation economy to effectively use and preserve naturalresources and protect people’s living environment and health.
In May 2020, the Government issued Decision No. 647/QD-TTgapproving an international cooperation project on sustainable marine economic developmentof Vietnam to 2030. The project affirms that international collaborationon sustainable development of the marine economy must ensure the consistentimplementation of the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace,friendship, cooperation and development, diversification andmultilateralisation; as well as the legitimate rights and interests of theVietnamese nation and people./.