Speaking with Dan Tri reporter, National Assembly Delegate Nguyen Quang Huan, member of the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment, commented that the "new era", the "era of national growth" has been gradually "penetrating" all sectors and fields, including the environment.
Chairing the 5th meeting of the National Steering Committee for the Implementation of Vietnam’s Commitments at COP26 (COP26 Steering Committee), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh – Head of the Steering Committee, emphasized that climate change is becoming more extreme, its developments are becoming more complex, its consequences are becoming more serious, and it takes a lot of effort and money to overcome it. Responding to climate change is an urgent task that no country can do alone.
The Prime Minister stated that digital transformation, green transformation, energy transformation, and greenhouse gas emission reduction are inevitable and irreversible trends. Therefore, greater efforts and determination are needed to better respond to climate change, including green development, clean energy transformation, and implementation of COP26 commitments.
“The strategies of the nation and those of businesses and investors must be in the same direction to create development momentum,” said the Prime Minister, emphasizing that the mechanism must be open, the infrastructure must be smooth, and management must be smart.
The Head of Government requested to mobilize all resources, the whole society, and the whole people to participate, in which connecting and mobilizing resources from international sources, green financial flows, technology transfer, knowledge, and experience from countries, international organizations, and investors are very important.
Information from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shows that positive and strong movements to implement COP26 commitments are spreading from the central government to localities and the business community.
Recently, the Government has submitted to the National Assembly for approval the National Marine Spatial Planning. The Prime Minister approved the Hydrogen Energy Development Strategy, the National Energy Development Strategy, the Vietnam Automobile Industry Development Strategy; the National Energy Master Plan; the National Action Plan to Implement the Glasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use; and the National Action Plan to Transform the Food System to Transparency, Responsibility, and Sustainability.
The project on sustainable development of one million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030; the project on implementing the Political Declaration on establishing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and announcing the Resource Mobilization Plan for implementing JETP at COP28; the project on improving forest quality to preserve forest ecosystems and prevent and combat natural disasters; the project on developing the multi-use value of forest ecosystems, etc. have also been issued.
Ministries and branches have also actively participated in implementing many tasks and solutions, from perfecting institutions and policies to implementing specific projects and achieving many results.
Typically, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has completed many mechanisms for the electricity sector and renewable energy development, actively implementing the 8th Power Plan. The Ministry has directed coal-fired power plants to develop and implement plans to switch to clean fuels; and worked with international partners to promote a fair energy transition.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment actively implements green growth activities, builds a green economic sector system; removes difficulties and obstacles for businesses, attracts and calls for investment in green transformation, and develops renewable energy.
The Ministry of Finance has completed the project on developing carbon markets, negotiating loans, and investing in implementing programs and projects to respond to climate change and energy transition. The Ministry also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on a 500 million Euro preferential loan with the European Investment Bank (EIB) for energy transition.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will take the lead in implementing international declarations on agriculture; piloting the transfer of greenhouse gas emission reduction results in the North Central, South Central and Central Highlands regions; and developing low-emission projects and increasing forest carbon absorption.
The Ministry of Transport is implementing an Action Program on green energy conversion and emission reduction in the transport sector for each sector: road, railway, inland waterway, maritime and aviation; and developing a mechanism and roadmap for the development of electric vehicles.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has developed and submitted for promulgation many legal documents to implement green transformation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; advised the Prime Minister to issue a Directive on strengthening carbon credit management...
Many large corporations, enterprises, and banks across the country are taking the lead in researching and developing new energy sources, implementing green transformation, digital transformation in management, operations, energy saving, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“Provinces and cities are continuing to organize and implement tasks and solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, gradually realizing the commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.
Localities have urged businesses to conduct greenhouse gas inventories, reduce emissions, develop waste-to-energy plants (Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Ha Nam, Binh Thuan, Phu Tho); develop energy-saving public lighting systems (Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Ben Tre).
Some large cities have widely developed electric bus routes and public bicycle networks," the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment informed.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Do Duc Duy said that reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the ozone layer, organizing carbon markets, and managing carbon credits are all issues of global concern. These are also new and difficult issues in the content of building markets and managing carbon credits.
Mr. Duy emphasized that the focus will be on developing new production forces, including digital transformation and green transformation. “Everything will be aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving zero net emissions,” said Minister Do Duc Duy.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is finalizing the draft Master Plan for the Ca, Tra Khuc, Vu Gia – Thu Bon, Kon – Ha Thanh and Ba River basins. The pilot project to restore “dead rivers” to restore water resources, create flows, improve ecological landscapes or the project to investigate, evaluate and propose a pilot plan to restore degraded, depleted and polluted water sources of the Bac Hung Hai, Nhue – Day and Ngu Huyen Khe rivers is also being actively developed and implemented.
There are currently 117 industrial and hazardous waste treatment facilities nationwide. Reports from localities show that the rate of hazardous waste collection and treatment has reached about 90%. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is submitting to the Prime Minister for approval the Project on developing the environmental biological industry until 2030. Industrial and hazardous waste management will be carried out through strict control of sources of generation, collection, storage, transportation and treatment.
In particular, the focus will be on monitoring facilities with high risks of causing environmental pollution. For example, in the Northern region, there are facilities in Nghi Son Economic Zone (Thanh Hoa province), Formos Ha Tinh Iron and Steel Company Limited, Nui Phao Mineral Exploitation and Processing Company Limited (Thai Nguyen), facilities in Tang Loong Industrial Park (Lao Cai), Phu Lam Industrial Cluster, Bac Ninh province; facilities in Man Xa - Van Mon Craft Village Industrial Cluster, Bac Ninh province.
In the Central Highlands region, attention will be paid to Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Joint Stock Company.
In addition, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will inspect the compliance with environmental protection laws at 86 establishments as prescribed; complete national technical regulations on the environment for imported scrap as raw materials for production; and develop national technical regulations on domestic solid waste landfills and domestic solid waste incinerators.
The goal is to ensure that 95% of domestic waste is collected and treated in urban areas; 40% of domestic waste is treated by incineration, electricity generation, and recycling instead of landfilling.
Professor, Dr. Dang Thi Kim Chi, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, assessed that environmental protection activities in recent years have created very clear changes from rural and mountainous areas to large cities across the country.
“That shows that we have had the right and appropriate policies and guidelines to increasingly better control sources of environmental pollution and have guidelines and measures to reduce pollution,” said Ms. Chi.
Dr. Hoang Duong Tung, Chairman of the Vietnam Clean Air Network (former Deputy Director General of the General Department of Environment) also shares the same view when he observed that "in recent years, everywhere we go, we talk about digital transformation and green transformation".
“The Net Zero commitment by 2050 clearly demonstrates Vietnam’s determination to transform, there is no other way. To survive and develop in this era, we must transform, most clearly by transforming green,” Mr. Tung stated his opinion.
The Law on Environmental Protection 2020 provides many directions to strengthen environmental protection, implement circular economy and green economy. To bring macro policies to reality with the highest efficiency, Mr. Tung hopes to have more detailed and specific instructions for localities to easily implement.
Assessing the upcoming difficulties, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said that participating in new-generation free trade agreements requires the implementation of environmental commitments. Therefore, there needs to be a roadmap to improve environmental standards and regulations; a roadmap to convert technology from outdated production facilities that pose a high risk of environmental pollution.
Not to mention the increase in waste, emissions, and wastewater, which creates great pressure on the environment, which will not decrease in the short term. "Vietnam's strong commitments in responding to climate change are highly appreciated by the international community, but at the same time, they also pose great challenges for the natural resources and environment sector in the coming time, requiring continued improvement of institutions and policies, and mobilization of international support in terms of financial resources, technology transfer, and management experience," the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment forecasts.
The Ministry will continue to monitor and control waste sources from production, business and service activities, areas with high waste sources in industrial parks, industrial clusters, craft villages and river basins. Air quality, especially in large cities, will also be more strictly controlled.
Environmental expert Dang Thi Kim Chi expressed that the policies and guidelines have been mentioned and updated promptly with the requirements of developing a green economy and a circular economy. However, Ms. Chi suggested that more attention should be paid to the characteristics of each locality and region.
“In mountainous areas, waste is not the same as waste in big cities. The technology we develop to treat waste must be different and must be suitable to local customs and practices to ensure effectiveness. Policies should not be too general,” Ms. Chi analyzed.
More importantly, according to Ms. Chi, is the human factor. Raising community awareness and the sense of responsibility of each citizen for environmental protection in urban areas will play a huge role in reducing pollution.
Sharing the same view, Dr. Hoang Duong Tung emphasized improving the quality of human resources and management in the environmental field.
“Green transformation and Net Zero are very new things. If there is no change in awareness and thinking of the implementing staff from the central to local levels, there will be hesitation and the desire to keep the old things. We must strengthen training and improve the management skills of the staff directly implementing. These are things that need to be done in the coming years. Once awareness is transformed, we will be successful,” Mr. Tung expressed.
He cited the example of Beijing (China) which once became the epicenter of air pollution, but thanks to the determination of leaders at all levels with the right policies and action programs, and the enthusiastic participation of businesses and the community, air quality has gradually improved.
“Can we have clean air when many production facilities disregard the law and continuously emit smoke and dust?”, he questioned, and assessed that Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City’s determination to implement green transportation, convert to green energy, and reduce carbon and methane emissions in the transportation sector is the right policy.
Hanoi has 17 industrial parks, over 1,300 craft villages, and more than 8 million vehicles. Every day, Hanoi consumes 8 million kWh of electricity and millions of liters of gasoline – becoming one of the many causes of air pollution.
To improve the environment in general and the air in particular, Director of the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment Le Thanh Nam said the city is implementing many solutions to renovate and treat pollution in lakes and rivers; convert energy to clean energy and develop smart urban areas.
Hanoi also develops green and smart transportation, invests in modern transportation infrastructure; develops public spaces and green spaces according to the satellite urban model and develops transportation infrastructure and solid waste treatment.
Incentive mechanisms will be applied by Hanoi to encourage investment in building high-tech waste treatment plants, reducing landfill area and environmental pollution.
“Basically, by 2025, 100% of household waste in the city will be burned to generate electricity using new technology. Developing dedicated routes for electric buses and low-emission vehicles, combined with the public transport system, is a key factor in regulating traffic and reducing emissions,” Mr. Nam hopes.
National Assembly Delegate Nguyen Quang Huan emphasized that rapid and sustainable economic development must be closely linked to environmental protection.
“I think we have to invest and develop digital technology in parallel with other countries in the world. Now, new opportunities are opening up for the development of artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things – things that change the way production is done.
We need to apply digital technology to all areas of social life, including the environment, to dramatically improve labor productivity. Based on the digital technology platform, we can make leaps and bounds, "reach out" faster, and catch up with the world," Mr. Huan predicted.
Content: The Kha
Design: Tuan Huy
Photo: Nhat Bac - Khuong Trung - Huu Nghi - Trinh Nguyen.
Dantri.com.vn
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/tu-dong-song-chet-den-thanh-pho-xanh-chuyen-doi-so-dang-lam-thay-doi-viet-nam-20241024113005759.htm
![[Photo] Paris "enchanted" by the blooming flower season](https://vstatic.vietnam.vn/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/3/21/e967dc548ff74f9ca8e89d72c3608825)
![[Photo] President Luong Cuong receives former Vietnam-Japan Special Ambassador Sugi Ryotaro](https://vstatic.vietnam.vn/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/3/20/db2d8cac29b64f5d8d2d0931c1e65ee9)
Comment (0)