NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY OF:

VIETNAM

HARI SRINIVASROOM: I -312 / 079 -565-7406

International Environmental Policy

Vietnam at a glance

• Capital: Hanoi• Total Area: 337,114 km2

• Population: 83 million (urban: 25%, rural: 75%).

• Density: 240 habitant/km2

• Humid tropical climate area• Coastal strip with Red river

delta (North) and Mekong delta (South)

• Almost its entire area is a patchwork of rice paddies.

Four Stages of the Vietnam War

• 1946 The first Vietnam War begins – France attempts to reassert its imperial

control over Vietnam– Vietnamese nationalists led by Ho Chi Minh

• 1954 Geneva Conference – Ends first Vietnam war and “temporarily”

divides the country at the 17th parallel– North Vietnam controlled by Ho Chi Minh

and communist supporters– South Vietnam controlled by Ngo Kinh Diem

and democratic supporters (US)

• 1955-1960 STAGE 1– US begins advisory role in Vietnam– Thousands of US military advisors

sent to train South Vietnamese army– Vietcong Guerilla attacks begin in south

• 1961-1964 STAGE 2– US begins counterinsurgency role in

Vietnam– Green Berets sent in and secrete military

operations begin– November 1, 1963 Diem assassinated in US

supported military coup– November 22, 1963 JFK assassinated– August, 1964 Gulf of Tonkin

• 1965-1968 STAGE 3– US begins combat role in Vietnam– First official combat troops arrive leading to

dramatic escalation of the war– January 30, 1968 “Tet Offensive” – March 16, 1968 “My Lai Massacre”

• 1968-1975 STAGE 4– “Vietnamization”– US troop strength decreases slowly– Bombing raids stepped up secretly

(Cambodia, Laos)

Impacts of the Vietnam War

There are two key results from the Vietnam war that impacted the country, for better or for worse:

It brought the country together, merging North Vietnam and South Vietnam in 1975, creating a socialist country

It set the background for the 1986 Doi Moi Policy – reform policy that made Vietnam a “socialist-oriented market economy”

1

2

Historical Timeline

Early Vietnam

Rapid Industrializationand

Urbanization

Doi Moi Policy

Informal Sector

VietnamWar

French Colonizatio

n

~1975 1986

1990~

~1975

Impacts on Environment

Severe pollution of air, water and soils

Industrial wastes dumped into rivers

No treatment of waste water before discharge into rivers

Lack of implementation of environmental laws and regulations

Industrializationand

Urbanization

1990~

Environmental Issues

Economic growth created a number o environmental challenges for the government

A decade of fast economic growth has lef to environmental neglect

Conflict is growing between the goal of continued high economic growth and the environment degradation affecting livelihoods, public health and sustainable development.

Emerging Problems

Vietnam’s population has increased more than 3 times since 1950 – a real pressure on resources.

The growth of urban centers has been accompanied with pollution from vehicles emissions (internal migration)

Inadequate wastewater treatment, causing serious health problems from bacteriological contamination.

Climate change presents risks for Vietnam, including the possibility of a sea level rise which might alter the seasonal flow through the Mekong Delta and salinate rice fields.

Emerging Problems

Economic

Activities

Industrial Enterprises

Agriculture and

Aquaculture

Economic growth and developmen

t

AirWaterSoilWastewaterEmissionsEtc.

Environmental Issues

Environmental problems now impacting economic growth: human health and well-being; polluting air, water and soils; reducing agricultural productivity; and depleting natural resources.

Good national environmental laws and regulations are not implemented properly at the local level

Growing decentralization but weak capacity and institutions at the local level can increase environmental and social problems

Wastewater and River Pollution

This is a canal connected to Vam Co Dong

river, (one of major river system in the South of

Vietnam) polluted by waste water from food

processing companies located by the river,

water is not running any more.

One of the most polluted canals (CoBac canal) in Soc Trang province (inMekong delta)

Urban Situation: Ho Chi Minh

Geographical location: iIt is situated in the South of Vietnam, at downstream section of the Dong Nai-Sai Gon river system.

Main economic activities: industry, commerce, services.

24 districts occupy 78.97% of the total area . 1.7 million people living in these districts , accounting to 32% of the City population

Total length of canals and rivers: 795.5 km.

Urban Situation: Ho Chi Minh

MAJOR POLLUTION

SOURCESIN HO CHI

MINH CITY

Transportation of 2,200,000 motocycles and 230,000 4-wheel vehicles (2.300 buses only)

Residential areas without adequate environmental infrastructure

28,753 medium/small scale industries within residential zones

14 IPs and EPZs

Construction activities

Framework for Environmental Management

Institutional arrangements

• In August 2002, the Government established a new Ministry in charge of environmental issues - Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE);

• People’s Committees (at city/provincial levels) implementing environmental management activities under the direction of MONRE and other relating ministries, with the support of Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE);

• Ho Chi Minh city DONRE has Environmental Management Division, Solid Waste Management Division are in charged for environmental protection activities; Environmental Protection Agency (HEPA- WW Fee collection Division (8 staffs) is in charge for wastewater fee collection duty.

History – Environmental Institutions

1970s State Committee for Science and Technology with Department of baseline survey and studies.

1983 Ministry of Science and Technology (MOSTE) with Dept. of environmental baseline & studies.

1984 MOST Dept. of Natural and Environment (in English) – 12 staff

1985 DNRE Five year national research program for environmental studies (20 projects).

1990 National Sustainable Development Conference – Proposal to establish MONRE

(Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment)

1993 Proposal to establish a Ministry of Environment and national environment council submitted to government

1994 MOSTE and National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) established.

1995-8 DOSTEs established at provincial level

2002 MONRE established at (NEPA divided into three organization with MONRE)

2003-5 64 DONREs established – 90% with environment divisions.

2003-5 333 District NRE divisions established, and 10,000 communal NRE staff.

(NRE: Natural Resources and Environment)

Legal Instruments in Vietnam

• “Laws” and “Codes” are passed by the National Assembly;

• “Resolutions” and “Ordinances” are passed by the Standing Committee of the National Assembly;

• “Government Decrees” are passed by the Prime Minister or the Vice Prime Minister;

• “Resolutions”, “Circulars”, “Directives” and “Ordinances” are passed by the relevant Minister; and

• “Regulations” are passed by local/provincial governments.

Environmental policy of Vietnam

• Law on Environmental Protection 2005.

• (1993: first general Law on Environmental Protection)

• National Strategy for environmental protection until 2010 with vision toward 2020 – signed by Prime Minister on 02/12/2003.

• Directive 41/CT-TW of the Politburo of Vietnam Communist Party 2005.

• Decree 67/2003/ND-CP on wastewater charge.

• Law of Water Resources 1999.

• Enforcement policies.

Environmental policy of Vietnam

• Further, specific laws and regulations to “protect” the environment –

• Ensuring clean water and environmental hygiene

• Environmental impact assessment

• Mineral Law

• Water Resource Law

• Environmental monitoring.

Vietnam National Green Growth Strategy (VGGS)

Approved on September 25th 2012 by the Prime Minister

Overall objective of the VGGS – (Low carbon Development Strategy) Green growth, as a means to achieve a low carbon economy and to enrich natural

capital, will become the principal direction in sustainable economic development; reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and increased capability to absorb greenhouse gas are gradually becoming essential indicators in social-economic development.

3 strategic tasks outlining the scope of the strategy Low Carbon Growth Greening of Production Greening of Lifestyles

Overall supervision through the National Committee on Climate Change which is headed by the Prime Minister

Green Growth Targets

The VGGS sets the following targets for GDP growth and GHG emission reductions:

For the year 2020:  GDP per capita is doubled compared to 2010 Reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by 1.5 to 2% per year Reduce intensity of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 8-10%  or double

the target with international support

For the year 2030: Reduce total GHG emissions by at least 1% per year without and 2% with

international support.  Environmental degradation is addressed and natural capital stocks have been

improved while the access and use of clean and green technology is significantly enhanced.

In 2050, Viet Nam has mainstreamed Green Economic Development

Green Growth/Economy

Looking for business

opportunities to solve eco problems

Creating new markets for

environmentally friendly

products and services

Negative environmental impacts and challenges

ECOLIFESTYLES

Short-term

Long-term

Green Growth Components

GREEN ECONOM

Y

Green Technology - producing less

waste, using less energy

Green Jobs – new skills and

qualifications for a emerging future

Green Marketing – using consumer

purchasing power to save the

environment

Green Lifestyles – 3Rs: use less, use it

again

Green Finance – new criteria for

loans and investment

Green Products – low impact on the environment, high

impact on the economy

Key Challenges

Moving from strategy development towards implementation: Developing mechanisms for provincial and sectoral target setting requires

tools/mechanisms Criteria for green growth projects/ programs.

Assess investment requirements Sources of finance (domestic vs. external) Assessing what market based mechanisms are appropriate Promote private sector involvement

Work on development partner coordination: A coordination framework has been developed but needs to be rolled out Development partners have converging approaches which hampers coordination

Limited understanding at local level. Despite significant identified win-win potential the upfront investment costs remain

significant for private sectors which demands new financing mechanism. Uncertainty on climate finance and green climate funds limits mid – to longer term

commitments.

Green Growth: Next Steps

Roll out the 10 priority programs (including the financing)Design the VGGS Implementation Plan, obtain approval and

roll out of the priority actions (second half of 2013) which includes low carbon policy instruments.

Coordinate interested Development partners based on aid effectiveness principles.

Building capacity for Climate Finance Task ForceAt provincial – and sectoral level, awareness and

understanding remains limited requires additional capacity building investments.

Develop an overall climate/green growth finance mechanism to start working towards directly assessing the Green Climate Fund.

Contact me …

Prof. Hari SrinivasRoom: I-312

Tel: 079-565-7406Email: hari.srinivas@kwansei.ac.jp

Class website:

http://www.gdrc.info/iep