Addressing a plenary session of the 10th NationalEnvironment Conference in Hanoi which drew 600 delegates, Thanh pointed to great challenges in the current environmental protection, including severe environmental pollution in many places and thedegradation of biodiversity.
He asked the environment sector to continue diversifying resources for environmental protection activities, while paying more attentionto the environmental factor in the value structure of goods and services, strengtheningthe law enforcement in environmental activities, and increasing the use ofmechanisms, tools and State management measures for environmental protection.
He also asked ministries, sectors and localities to, right after the conference, promptly build and implement specific action programmes and plans, whilemultiplying good models in the field to make positive changes and obviousoutcomes in the work.
According to Minister of Environment Tran Hong Ha, theconference, which is held every five years, is taking place in a special contextwhere green recovery is a global trend and green and circular economy is beingpromoted in Vietnam.
He highlighted strong changes in the environmentalprotection work, from policies to actions. Environmental issues are always placedat the center of the agenda, development programmes, strategies, master plansand plans of the country with the highest goal of protecting people's health,ensuring the quality of the living environment, and preserving biodiversity andecosystems, he said.
However, he pointed to a number of current environmentalproblems, including unreasonable exploitation of environmental resources.
At the session, participants focused on defining changes,challenges and orientations for the environmental protection in the nextperiod, highlighting Vietnam’s efforts in engaging in global environmentalissues, measures to promote green economy and ecological industrial parks, andthe promotion of businesses’ role in environmental protection. They also sharedexperience in safeguarding the environment.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ResidentRepresentative in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen asserted that the conference takesplace at an important time when Vietnam is realising commitments announced at the26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).
The UNDP representative advised Vietnam to speed up theproduction of renewable energy, improving productivity, and protecting labourersand vulnerable groups. Vietnam should design an innovative and dedicatedclimate finance strategy to facilitate green finance flows from all investmentand development sources, she said, adding that it needs a more systematicand cohesive circular economy approach to support low-carbon and climate-resilienteconomic development.
Wiesen stressed that nature-based development is Vietnam'ssustainable path. She also recommended the country needs to strive for aninclusive transformation that puts the people and social justice at the centreof all policies.
The official pledged the UNDP and the UN are always willing to supportthe Vietnamese Government in its transition to a green, carbon-neutral,circular and climate-resilient economy.
On the sidelines of the conference, an exhibition has beenheld from August 4-5, spotlighting achievements in State management overenvironmental protection, and another displaying modern, environmentallyfriendly production models and technologies, advanced waste treatmenttechnologies in various fields./.