The Deputy PM made the statement at a workshop discussing measures to implement the National Strategy for Green Growth held in Hanoi on September 15 by Nhan Dan Newspaper in co-ordination with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the State Bank of Vietnam, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Under the National Strategy for Green Growth with a vision extending until 2050 approved by the government, Vietnam defines three strategic tasks including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting clean and renewable energy; further developing ‘green’ production and lifestyles; and boosting sustainable consumption.
The Deputy PM said many specific policies and actions are required to achieve the targets set in the strategy with a focus on communications and education to raise people's awareness of the importance of green growth.
It is also necessary to renew and complete the legal framework in line with economic restructuring and institutional reforms in support of enterprises to innovate technology, he noted.
Deputy PM Hai also asked relevant ministries, sectors and localities to submit solutions to the government to attract more resources in the field as well as applying the public-private partnership (PPP) model in green growth projects and utilising all domestic and foreign resources for green growth.
Nearly 200 delegates at the workshop focused the discussions on issues such as the relations between economic development and the environment; policies on sustainable growth; measures to implement the strategy on green growth; green production models and experiences in addition to several other related issues.
Many speeches delivered at the workshop emphasised that Vietnam has to proactively deal with many environmental problems including 7.5 million ha of land which has been affected by desertification, 30,000ha of land affected by salinity, and 300,000ha of land suffering from severe drought conditions each year among others.
Pham Hoang Mai, director of the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment under the Ministry of Planning and Investment said that Vietnam needs around US$30 billion to carry out the National Strategy for Green Growth by 2020, which includes 70% from non-government resources.
