📝 OP-ED: Vietnam steadfast in “green path” for sustainable future

Hanoi (VNA) – “We need sustainable development in harmony with nature to secure a clean living environment for present and future generations, instead of unlimited exploitation and possession of resources, unrestrained consumption and destruction of the environment.” This is one of the five “needs” defined by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in his article titled “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam.”

Sustainable development, with proper settlement of the relations between development and environment, is one of the true values of socialism and the goal that the Party, President Ho Chi Minh and the people of Vietnam have set and persistently pursued.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi, Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS) said that the path to socialism is closely attached to the path for sustainable national development in politics, society, culture and environment. This is a right strategic choice  ensuring economic efficiency in the long term.

Throughout the process of national construction and development, especially since the start of the “Doi Moi” (Renewal) cause, the system of viewpoints of the Party and State regarding environmental protection and sustainable development has shown coherence and consistency.

The viewpoints have been reviewed, supplemented and perfected through Party congresses to make them suitable to the national development situation in particular periods, while many resolutions and directives on environmental protection have been issued.

Efforts to protect global common house

Protecting the environment and securing sustainable development is a matter of interest of not only Vietnam but also all countries around the globe. Ensuring the sustainability in environment is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals that the UN set in September 2000. In September 2015, the UN adopted the Agenda 2030 with 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including the goal No. 13 on climate actions.
 
After five years of implementing the Agenda 2030, Vietnam has ranked 49th among 166 countries in the sustainable development index, leaping five positions from 2019. Vietnam is likely to complete five out of 17 SDGs in 2030, including the goal No. 13.

UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Vietnam Terence D. Jones affirmed that Vietnam is in the top group among the three groups of countries with fastest progress in implementing the SDGs.

Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam congratulated Vietnam for always being a pioneer in multilateral cooperation and a leading country in the people-core, inclusive growth and sustainable development policy in both regional and global levels. She complemented Vietnam’s commitments in increasing the ambition and engagement in global efforts against climate change.

For a green Vietnam

With a strategic vision, 60 years ago on November 28, 1959, President Ho Chi Minh wrote an article entitled “Tet trong cay” (Tree planting festival) for Nhan Dan (People) newspaper, which analysed the significant meaning and practical benefits of tree planting and forest expansion for the country as well as each family and person.

Responding to President Ho Chi Minh’s call, the people of Vietnam conducted the first tree planting festival in the Lunar New Year Festival in 1960. Since then, the festival has become a sound tradition of the nation.

On April 1, 2021, the Prime Minister issued decision No. 524/QD-TTg approving a project to plant 1 billion trees in the 2021-2025 period. By the end of 2021, 210 million trees had been planted, reaching 115 percent of the plan.

Socio-economic development in parallel with environmental protection and the economical and efficient use of energy has become a major trend and a vital requirement during the nation’s development path. Every Spring, all Vietnamese people in every corner of the nation have actively responded to the Tet trong cay, showing the responsibility and commitments of the present generation to the future generations, contributing to protecting the environment and building an evergreen and sustainable country./.