Vietnam has recorded good results in environmental activities as it ranked 85 th among 163 countries in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) with 59 points, said the World Bank in Vietnam .

In the Asian region, Vietnam stood behind the Philippines with 66 points, Thailand with 62 points and Laos with 60 points. However, its environmental performance was better than that of China , Indonesia , Papua New Guinea and Mongolia .

Vietnam scored high marks in the agroforestry sector thanks to its huge investment in reafforestation activities.

However, the country was not hailed for its environmental performance in the urbanisation and industrialisation process as air and water pollution is becoming serious in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding areas.

Increasing pressures on natural resources such as agricultural land, natural forests, aquatic resources and minerals are threatening the biodiversity of Vietnam , which boasts a large number of species.

According to the WB’s Vietnam Development Report 2011, Vietnam should pay attention to building mechanisms to encourage the effective use of natural resources to boost economic growth and the comprehensive management of natural resources towards a sustainable environment.

The EPI is a method of quantifying and benchmarking the environmental performance of a country’s environmental policies, covering both public health and ecosystem vitality./.