The journey is long and thorny, requiring more effort.

Having the opportunity to "witness" new industrial parks (IPs) clearly shows how strong the wave of developing green IPs and ecological IPs in Vietnam is.

Wind turbine project at DEEP C Hai Phong. (Photo: Linh Chi)

Readers are invited to read part 1 here.

The field trip for the press on the topic of “Converting traditional industrial parks to ecological industrial parks” on August 21 by the Ministry of Planning and Investment took us to visit three industrial parks: An Phat (Hai Duong), Nam Cau Kien and Deep-C (Hai Phong) - typical examples that have been actively converting to green, towards the ecological industrial park model.

Pioneering Industrial Parks

Coming to An Phat Industrial Park, Hai Duong, Mr. Pham Van Tuan, Deputy General Director of An Phat Holdings Group said that building sustainable, environmentally friendly industrial parks according to environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards has become a top priority in the Group's long-term development strategy.

This is not only a factor that helps An Phat Holdings' industrial parks attract "green" FDI capital that is pouring into Vietnam, but also contributes positively to the process of realizing the Government's commitment to bring net emissions to 0 (Net Zero) by 2050.

According to experts, if industrial real estate investors want to form industrial parks according to ESG standards, they must rebuild from scratch, and cannot easily convert from existing industrial parks. Therefore, right from the beginning of project implementation, An Phat Holdings' Board of Directors has set out a clear development strategy, which is to turn industrial parks into model industrial parks and pioneers in Hai Duong in applying ESG standards in industrial park management and development.

To ensure environmental criteria, Mr. Tuan said, An Phat Holdings requires factories to be built in a green and clean direction, with waste treatment systems, exhaust gas and water sources that meet standards, without affecting the lives of people and the ecosystem around the industrial park. In particular, An Phat Holdings encourages and supports businesses to build green buildings, using renewable energy to save electricity.

The Group carries out its social responsibilities through local education, health and welfare development programs. In particular, the Group's two industrial park projects create tens of thousands of jobs for local workers, contributing to reducing unemployment rates in neighboring provinces while improving the quality of life of the people.

“Regarding management criteria, we promote the provision of a synchronous, high-quality infrastructure system and one-stop service with a series of comprehensive support solutions such as financial procedures, business registration, customs declaration, transportation services, dormitories, industrial meals, helping businesses feel secure in their investments…”, Mr. Tuan said.

Production line of completely biodegradable biological products at An Phat Holdings factory. (Source: An Phat Holdings)

Meanwhile, with the active role of the investor, Shinec Joint Stock Company, Nam Cau Kien Industrial Park has become a pilot ecological industrial park model in Hai Phong City. In April 2024, the ESG Sustainable Development Report by PwC - one of the four largest auditing firms in the world - certified the superiority of the ecological model in this industrial park.

Here, more than 1 million trees have been planted, accounting for 33% of the industrial park's land area. The automatic emission monitoring system continuously transmits information to the Hai Phong Department of Natural Resources and Environment (24/24 hours) all days of the week.

"What we take from the land, we return to the land. Not only inspiring investors in the industrial park, we want to bring this model to invest in other provinces" - Mr. Pham Hong Diep, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Shinec Joint Stock Company, Investor of Nam Cau Kien Industrial Park, Hai Phong.

In addition, 81.4 kWh of electricity was generated from the rooftop solar power project and used in the operation of the Nam Cau Kien Industrial Park. 25% of the wastewater in the industrial park after treatment is reused for watering plants, cleaning roads, reducing the amount discharged into the environment, saving 6 billion VND per year in clean water costs.

In addition, 65% of the ecosystem in the industrial park was restored after thoroughly applying the ecological model in Nam Cau Kien. The model was replicated by Shinec nationwide, with a total land fund of up to 3,500 hectares.

Mr. Pham Hong Diep, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Shinec Joint Stock Company, Investor of Nam Cau Kien Industrial Park, Hai Phong shared with reporters that, currently, in the trend of sustainable development, Shinec is promoting the saving of clean water resources, building industrial value chains...

“In all industrial parks, there is domestic waste. According to regulations, there must be a unit outside the industrial park to take this domestic waste for treatment, but we have invested in a Japanese organic waste decomposition machine for treatment. We strive to achieve ‘zero waste’ in the industrial park by the end of 2024, with 100% of the waste being treated.

We take something from the land, we give it back to the land. Not only inspiring investors in the industrial park, we want to bring this model to invest in other provinces", Mr. Diep confided.

As for Deep C Industrial Park, it stands out with its renewable energy system (rooftop solar power, wind power); social service complex in the industrial park. The ecological works here all rely on nature to respond to climate change.

Mr. Bruno Jaspaert, General Director of DEEP C Industrial Park in Hai Phong, emphasized that the current development principles of the Industrial Park are all aimed at ensuring that businesses want to invest because we provide access to ESG-related services, carbon certificates, and effective investment initiatives in terms of both profit and social responsibility.

Centralized wastewater treatment plant seen from above in Nam Cau Kien. (Source: Forbes Vietnam)

Not a “flowery” journey

However, the journey to an eco-industrial park is not a “flower-filled” journey. Mr. Bruno Jaspaert affirmed that building an eco-industrial park is not only difficult, requiring perseverance, effort and time, but also finance.

Besides, although being formed and strongly developing in Vietnam, ecological industrial parks still have too many new things.

“Currently, there are no incentives for eco-industrial parks. The difference between normal investment and sustainable investment is the issue of time, and the journey of sustainable investment will take more time.

Therefore, we hope that the Vietnamese government can consider extending the time for infrastructure investors to successfully build an ecological industrial park to 70 years instead of 50 years as currently regulated," said the CEO of DEEP C Industrial Park.

"Building an ecological industrial park is not only difficult, requiring perseverance, effort and time, but also finance."

Mr. Bruno Jaspaert, General Director of DEEP C Industrial Park, Hai Phong

Ms. Vuong Thi Minh Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Economic Zones Management (Ministry of Planning and Investment) said that the difficulties that businesses face in converting to an ecological industrial model are reusing waste; accessing financial resources, credit, and incentives.

“Eco-industrial parks require large investment capital and strong commitment from infrastructure investors. Therefore, there needs to be appropriate support and incentive policies to motivate businesses to implement a sustainable development model,” she said.

Need more breakthrough solutions, suitable for new trends

In the future, to realize the goal of sustainable development, Ms. Vuong Thi Minh Hieu commented that industrial parks in the coming time need to have breakthrough solutions, suitable for new trends, focusing on key points such as:

Firstly, boldly pioneer in changing the development direction of new industrial park models. Accordingly, focus on promoting the development of ecological industrial park models, green industrial parks, in which it is necessary to plan the formation of Technology and Innovation zones, aiming to build a "Sillicon Valley of Vietnam".

Second, take science, technology and innovation as the pillars for future development.

Third, attract selective investment, proactively contact and closely follow the world's leading corporations in industries and fields that Vietnam prioritizes.

Fourth, develop production, industry and services based on the principle of saving and effectively using land resources, associated with regional development linkages, forming industry clusters; limit the development of industrial parks on agricultural land with stable productivity (especially rice land) and in areas where compensation and site clearance are difficult.

Fifth, economic development goes hand in hand with social infrastructure development; ensuring environmental sustainability; planning and implementing solutions for building housing and service works, public utilities for workers in industrial parks and economic zones (EZs); perfecting the industrial-urban-service ecosystem, ensuring sustainable development of industrial parks and EZs.

Sixth, strengthen inspection and supervision of the implementation of legal regulations on environmental protection and construction of wastewater treatment plants; strongly reform administrative procedures, effectively implement one-stop procedures at the Management Board of Industrial Parks and Economic Zones, promptly support and remove difficulties for investors in industrial parks and economic zones.

Seventh, enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of local industrial parks and economic zones through: improving infrastructure (transportation, seaports, airports, logistics services) and enhancing scientific and technological research and innovation.

Looking back on the country's development over the past 35 years, Ms. Vuong Thi Minh Hieu is confident that the model of industrial parks and economic zones has, is and will continue to play an increasingly important role and position, as a driving force for growth and the process of industrialization and modernization of the country; a channel to attract domestic and foreign investment resources, contributing to improving the business environment and enhancing competitiveness, ensuring sustainable development.

Therefore, in the coming time, according to information from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry will continue to closely coordinate with localities, creating the most favorable conditions for industrial parks and economic zones across the country to develop quickly, sustainably and effectively, especially for new industrial park models such as ecological industrial parks.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/xay-dung-khu-cong-nghiep-sinh-thai-ky-cuoi-hanh-trinh-dai-chong-gai-can-them-nhieu-no-luc-283519.html