Regarding the issue of forest protection and development in Lao Cai province towards the goal of carbon neutrality, reporters of TN&MT Newspaper had an interview with Mr. Trinh Xuan Truong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee.
PV: As we know, trees play a very important role in carbon neutrality. To achieve the goal of carbon neutrality and realize the Government's commitment to bring net emissions to "0", how has the work of forest protection and development in Lao Cai province been implemented, sir?
Mr. Trinh Xuan Truong: Implementing the Government's commitment and the project, plan and guidance of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, on May 30, 2022, Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 595/VPUBND-TNMT on updating the implementation status of Vietnam's commitments at the COP26 Conference.
Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee has reviewed and updated data and submitted for promulgation the Lao Cai Provincial Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, ensuring compliance with the Government's goals.
Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee is also assigning the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to consider piloting the payment for carbon absorption and storage services from forests for forest areas that meet the conditions; Carbon credit sales plan suitable to the province's conditions, Vietnam's and the world's roadmap to promote the development of forest economy according to Decree No. 06/2022/ND-CP dated January 7, 2022 of the Government.
Based on the characteristics of the province, Lao Cai has identified that planting trees, afforestation and increasing forest cover are important factors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and neutralize carbon. Therefore, Lao Cai province has issued many plans for planting trees, protecting and developing forests, such as: Project No. 01 of Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee on developing agriculture, forestry, and arranging population to build new rural areas in the period of 2020 - 2025; Project on planting one billion trees in Lao Cai province; Project on developing production forests in the period of 2021 - 2025;... aiming to increase forest cover.
PV: Could you please tell us some results of forest protection and development in the province in the goal of carbon neutrality?
Mr. Trinh Xuan Truong: For Lao Cai, according to the scenario calculated by experts in the REDD+ Report: Phase 2021 - 2030, the Nationally Determined Emission Reduction Plan will result in a total emission reduction of 1.32 million tons of carbon, and with international support, it will be 3.70 million tons. With the above assumption, Lao Cai will have 3.7 million tons of commercial carbon, equivalent to 18.5 million USD from selling forest carbon.
As a mountainous and border province with a forested forestry land area of 414,930 hectares (according to the Lao Cai Provincial Statistical Yearbook 2022), in recent times, Lao Cai has effectively implemented the work of reviewing and planning 3 types of forests in accordance with the planning and land use plan and promptly monitoring and updating forest developments, fluctuations in forest resources and forestry land. Establishing management and protection of the entire existing forest area, strictly managing natural forest areas.
At the same time, strengthen inspection and control of key areas and border areas with high risk of forest encroachment. To date, Lao Cai province has approved the Sustainable Forest Management Plan of 12 forest owners with an area of over 200,000 hectares.
Regarding afforestation, in the period of 2021 - 2023, the whole Lao Cai province planted 19,832.84 hectares of forest, of which: in 2021, 9,579.9 hectares were planted, in 2022, 8,075.84 hectares were planted, and by July 2023, 2,247.1 hectares were planted.
Issue a plan to implement the Project "Planting one billion trees in the period of 2021 - 2025" in Lao Cai province. Up to now, 6,113,357 trees have been planted.
Regarding forest cover, it is estimated to reach 56.91% in 2021, 57.7% in 2022 and 58% in 2023. With the current forest cover, we are confident that Lao Cai can become carbon neutral and help Vietnam fulfill its commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
PV: What are the difficulties and challenges that Lao Cai faces in forest protection and development, sir?
Mr. Trinh Xuan Truong: In addition to the achievements in economy, society, water security, environmental security... Lao Cai's forest protection and development work is facing some difficulties such as: resources for forest protection and development are still limited and not timely, affecting the quality and progress of implementation according to the set goals and plans; affecting the effectiveness of propaganda and mobilization of people in forest protection and development...
Some provisions of the forestry law are not specific, causing difficulties in implementation. People's income from forestry has improved but is not high, people cannot live entirely on forestry, especially in the highlands and ethnic minority areas in Lao Cai province. There are still overlapping and disputes between households and individuals with forestry companies and forest management boards.
PV: To achieve the goal of protecting and developing forests towards carbon neutrality with the highest efficiency, what solutions, plans, recommendations and proposals does Lao Cai province have, sir?
Mr. Trinh Xuan Truong: Lao Cai will continue to implement projects to protect and develop forests. Complete land allocation, forest allocation, forest leasing associated with the issuance of forest land use right certificates, ensuring conditions for organizations to implement sustainable forest management, protection and development. Enhance forest governance capacity for forest owners through the establishment of a forest resource monitoring and evaluation system.
Developing forestry production in a sustainable direction, focusing on forest management and protection, biodiversity conservation, water resource protection, increasing aquatic resources, ensuring socio-economic and environmental goals...
In addition, Lao Cai hopes that the Government will complete the legal framework for implementing forest carbon transfer and exchange; soon allow provinces with large forest areas and sufficient conditions to establish a pilot project for forest carbon credit trading; guide the implementation of the National Target Program for the Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas and the Target Program for Sustainable Forestry Development for the 2021-2025 period so that localities have a basis for implementation.
Regarding the provisions of Decree 06/2022/ND-CP, it is proposed to consider adjusting in the direction of expanding the domestic pilot until the end of 2027 in a number of localities with potential for transfer and commercial exchange of emission reduction results, carbon credits...
PV: Thank you very much!
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