Hanoi (VNA) - Policies for the implementation of the Vietnam Green GrowthUrban Development Plan to 2030 were detailed at a conference in Hanoi on July4.
In his speech at the event, Deputy Minister of Construction Phan Thi My Linh saidVietnam considers green growth the key to sustainable development andprosperity.
The Government issued the National Green Growth Strategy in 2012, and the NationalAction Plan on Green Growth for the 2012-2020 period in 2014.
These created an important foundation to transform the growth model towardsgreen growth, Linh said.
Urban development, with the role as impetus for the nation’s socio-economic growth,is a top priority in the plan, she added.
The Ministry of Construction has coordinated with partners to conduct researchand surveys, and learned from international experience to priority tasks.
Priority actions of the Vietnam Green Growth Urban Development Plan to 2030focus on adjustingurban planning and urban development programmes in the direction of greengrowth and climate change adaptation, drawing up plans, mobilizing resources,applying science and technology and investing in green growth urban development.
The plan is a commitment of the Government towards achieving the targets of theGreen Growth Strategy in terms of urban development, Linh stressed.
Twenty-three cities nationwide have been selected to pilot the plan, she said, addingthat the model will be expanded to more areas in the future.
According to the deputy minister, the ministry issued a circular stipulatinggreen growth urban building indicators related to economy, society, the environmentand institutions.
Bymonitoring these indicators, urban areas will identify issues that need to beaddressed annually and periodically, thus forming methods for managing andsupervising urban development.
This is the basis for proposing solutions for green growth urban development tosuit the conditions of each urban area, Linh said.
Adam Ward from the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) said urban areas arefacing many challenges, such as climate change causing urban flooding, trafficcongestion and waste management.
Thebuilding of green infrastructure systems in Vietnam is essential to increase theuse of renewable energy, he stressed, adding that the GGGI is working with theMinistry of Construction to develop green urban policies.
The GGGI will continue to work with the ministry to enhance the ability ofurban areas to access financial resources for infrastructure construction, and buildingpolicies related the recycling of waste into renewable energy, he said.
Held by the Ministry of Construction’s Department of Urban Development and theGGGI, this is the first conference among three of this kind that will be held Vietnam.
It is expected to improve the ability of managers of green growth urbandevelopment.
Duringthe event, managers, experts, scientists and representatives from enterprisesjoined discussions to build and manage green growth urban areas, part of effortsto realise Vietnam’s sustainable development goals.-VNA