Workshop highlights media’s role in sustainable production

Vinh Phuc (VNA) – The mass media has a crucial role in raising public awareness of sustainable production and consumption, heard a workshop in northern Vinh Phuc province on April 7.

The event was jointly held by the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNDP), and the EU-sponsored Switch Asia Programme.

At the workshop, media representatives were updated on sustainable manufacturing activities and consumption in Vietnam as well as international experience regarding the role of mass media in the field.

VEA Deputy General Director Mai Thanh Dung said Vietnam has promulgated a number of relevant documents, but limitations remain in enforcement, mainly due to social lack of awareness of this issue.

He pointed to the high consumption of materials and energy in manufacturing activities along with unreasonable exploitation and usage of natural resources, resulting in highly polluted ecological environment.

Le Hoang Lan from the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment suggested a number of measures to promote cleaner production, including support policies such as green public procurement and ecological labeling.

Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Industry and Trade Nguyen Huy Hoan said the tasks in the immediate future will be improving the legal framework in the field while promoting economic restructuring towards sustainability, changing consumers’ behaviours, reducing waste and increasing recycling.

Participants agreed it is necessary to open training courses for reporters specialising in environment and science technology as well as launch press contests and diversify communication campaigns to raise public awareness of environmental protection.-VNA