Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) — Predictions on the intensityand impacts of environmental issues on various socio-economic aspects must behighlighted in the draft documents to be submitted to the 13th National PartyCongress, said deputy head of the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) NguyenHung Thinh.
Feedback from experts on the Party Congress documentsemphasise the harmonisation of socio-economic development andenvironmental protection. To do this, environmental protection goals “must beat the core of the socio-economic growth target and determines the country’ssustainable development,” according to the VEA.
As environmental issues are affecting various aspects of thesocio-economy, it will take a long time to recover from the impacts ofpollution as a result of industrialisation and modernisation.
In many documents, Vietnam has highlighted the determinationof “not sacrificing environmental protection for economic development”.
Among socio-economic targets in the 2021-25 period, one ofthe notable goals is to have 100 percent of polluting facilities treatingtheir waste and emissions. This target seems to be hard to achieve and thecountry needs to focus all resources to meet the goal as currently only 66.4percent of the facilities are able to address the problem, experts from VEA said.
Thinh said the national development orientations forthe 2021-30 period mentioned in the draft Party Congress documents focuson land management but there are no solutions for pollution management as wellas environmental protection and response.
Besides completing a legal framework for the mid- andlong-term, Vietnam needs to have an appropriate and effective management modelas well as materials, resources and finance to effectively respond toclimate change, he said.
He urged more solutions on investing in andpromoting renewable energy technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissionsand climate change.
“We should call for private investment in treating urbansolid waste to reduce the State budget on the work,” he said.
Some comments suggest preferential policies for productionestablishments or people who take environmental protection measures.
Thinh said in the next five years, the practical solution torespond effectively to climate change and prevent natural disasters is topromote solutions on resource management.
He recommended investment and comprehensive planning of wastetreatment infrastructure concentrated in big cities, using recyclingtechnologies, energy recovery and electricity generation./.
