Successes and shortcomings in the environmental management and protection in Vietnam over the past time were reported at a launching ceremony for National Sate of Environment 2010 in Hanoi on June 10.

The report was synthetised from five-year themed reports (2005-2010) with the focus on four main issues, including the assessment of the socio-economic situation and its impact on the environment and adverse impacts of environment pollution on the community’s health and economic development, said Pham Khoi Nguyen, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

The report also put forth proposals to fulfill targets on environment protection and sustainable development by 2020.

Addressing the ceremony, John Nielsen, Danish Ambassador to Vietnam , expressed his hopes that proposals laid down in the report would help Vietnam in ensuring sustainable development. Denmark has provided much assistance for Vietnam in building a legal framework in environment protection.

Vietnam has maintained an annual economic growth of 7.2 percent and ensured social welfare, the report says, adding that the country, however, has been facing numerous challenges including the severe environmental degradation and unexpected consequences of climate change.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment gave an array of recommendations to the National Assembly, the Government, ministries, sectors and localities to better environment protection. They include amending and supplementing the Law on Environment Protection, increasing spending on environment protection to 2 percent of the total annual state budget from the current 1 percent and consolidating the state management in environment protection from the central to grassroots levels./.