Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha (Photo: VNA) The Vietnamese official said that the forum, along with the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) and other events such as UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15), is taking place in the context when the earth is facing the most serious ever challenges due to the climate, environment, natural ecology and COVID-19 crisis.
This is the result of an unsustainable growth model of humankind, which is affecting all countries and nations, the minister stressed.
According to him, the living space of people is associated with nature and the health of nature is the health of people. However, humans are destroying nature in many forms, from exploitation to overexploitation that is unsustainable and irresponsible in the long run to serve economic purposes.
Minister Ha held that it’s time to put the recovery of the nature and ecologies at the top place in political, diplomatic and economic agendas, considering it as the criterion and moral standard in the behaviour towards the nature from highest leaders to all people at grassroots level. These matters should be the basis for all undertakings, decisions and actions, he affirmed.
Vietnam defines that sustainable development should be based on the foundation of balanced natural ecosystems and the respect for the rules of nature, he stressed.
Minister Ha called on all countries to reach consensus in mindset and perspectives on issues related to the climate change crisis and ecosystem collapse.
Along with policy tools and laws on the environment, issues related to climate change and natural resources management and environmental protection should be made indispensable and decisive criteria in economic policies.
Jointly held by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the fourth Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific included a high-level dialogue on strengthening actions for nature to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific, and discussions on reports from senior officials of countries.
At the forum, the ministers and authorities gave opinions on a draft report of the Senior Officials Meeting of the Fourth Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific as well as a draft document on outcomes of the Ministerial Segment of the forum regarding policy viewpoints and commitments following the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly theme of “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific”./.
| The Vietnam Environment Administration under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has compiled 15 draft regulations on environment-related standards which will be promulgated this year as a foundation for the implementation of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection that takes effect from the beginning of 2022. It includes five sets of standards on environmental quality, four on waste, and six on imported scrap as raw materials for production. According to Vo Tuan Nhan, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, the standards are built based on a new approach, which will act as a driving force for businesses to modernise technology and help the country develop sustainably. The ministry aims to issue 31 sets of national technical standards related to the environment during the period 2020-2022, with 25 sets of standards replacing the current 48, and six new ones as stipulated in the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection./. |
VNA
