AssociateProfessor Dr. Nguyen The Chinh, deputy head of the Institute of Strategyand Policy in Natural Resources and Environment, states that greeneconomy and environmental protection are two different categories withdifferent connotations, but that they are tending towards each other toform a popular category – sustainable development – which is beingwidely applied in every field.
The ‘Agenda 21’ action plan onsustainable development was initiated at the 1992 UN Conference onEnvironment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sincethen, the world community has been making concerted efforts to bringthis programme into reality.
So far, the Vietnamese governmenthas passed more than 33 laws and 20 ordinances related to environmentalprotection including the Biodiversity Law, the Law on Forest Protectionand Development, the Land Law, the Law on Water Resources and theMinerals Law. These legal documents have been widely and deeplyimplemented across the country with a harmonious combination betweenenvironmental protection and socio-economic development.
Inaddition, many directives and resolutions have also been promulgated topromote environmental protection in line with each of the nation’sdevelopment periods.
Recently, the seventh plenum of the 11thParty Central Committee issued Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW on activelycoping with climate change, enhancing natural resource management andprotecting the environment, with a focus on shifting the growth modelattached to restructuring the economy towards green growth andsustainable development.
Regarding the environmental protectionissue, the resolution laid emphasis on developing the environmentaleconomy by fostering the environmental industry, environmentalprotection services and sewage recycling, and by promoting socialisationin environment protection, the use of renewable energies as well assustainable production and consumption.
In fact, the greeneconomy is still a relatively new concept in Vietnam, requiring studyand the popularisation of related knowledge to leaders, policymakers,enterprises and residents.
Green economy usually entails usingrenewable energy, building a low-carbon society, revitalising theecosystem and addressing livelihoods associated with environmentalrestoration.
The upgrade of Vietnam’s production technologies,most of which are outdated and consume excessive energy, in line with agreen economy will surely be a tough challenge for the country withoutthe financial and technological assistance of developed countries. Thedifficulty in mobilising capital has greatly hindered Vietnam’simplementation process towards a green economy.
According toexperts, the government should create favourable conditions forrenovating the growth model – giving priority to developing high-techindustries with low carbon emissions and environmentally friendlytechnologies, using economical energies and natural resources, andrestoring the ecological system.
Investment in technological andscientific research also needs to be increased, along with enhancedco-operation in fields relating to the connotations of a green economysuch as the use of renewable energy, resource-saving and energy-savingproduction technologies, greenhouse gas emission reduction technologies,and the reduction of environmental pollution.
Land use planningmust also be renovated in the direction of sparing enough land fundingfor afforestation, freshwater preservation and construction ofenvironmental infrastructure in accordance with international standards.
Expertsstress the need to create a high consensus among leaders, enterprisesand the people on green economy. It is also necessary to boostinternational co-operation in building a green economy in Vietnam.-VNA