Natural resources-environment sector urged to better fulfil its tasks in 2022

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment held a conference in Hanoi on December 31 to review the work in 2021 and deploy tasks for 2022, in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh presents the Prime Minister’s Certificate of Merit to leaders of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh presents the Prime Minister’s Certificate of Merit to leaders of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

In 2021, the whole sector focused on implementing tasks, solutions, and roadmap for solid waste treatment and recycling, and plastic waste management. The rate of daily-life solid waste collected and treated in urban areas was about 94.71 percent (higher than the target of 89 percent assigned by the National Assembly), and about 83 percent in rural areas.

Currently, many localities have implemented the model of burning waste to generate electricity instead of burying and are implementing eight projects, with a treatment capacity of 11,100 tonnes a day, generating 157MW, while the rate of treated hazardous waste reached 85 percent. There are currently 117 hazardous waste treatment facilities nationwide that have been licensed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh on behalf of the Government and the Prime Minister acknowledged and lauded efforts made by officials, civil servants, public employees and workers of the natural resources-environment sector in overcoming all difficulties to successfully complete the tasks in 2021.

An overview of the conference.

Regarding the direction and tasks for 2022 and the coming years, the Deputy PM suggested that the Ministry continue to pay attention to directing and preparing to ensure the quality of the project summarising Resolution No.19-NQ/TW on continuing to renew policies and laws on land to submit to the Politburo and the Party Central Committee on schedule, and at the same time prepare to develop a proposal to amend the Land Law to be submitted to the National Assembly in 2022.

The new legal regulations on land will untie the knots, create motivation, as well as utilise untapped potentials towards accelerating the industrialisation and modernisation of the country in the coming period, he said.

The Deputy PM also noted that the Ministry should step up the investigation and assessment of mineral reserves, especially strategic and important minerals at sea and on land. In the immediate future, in 2022, it should closely coordinate with the Ministry of Transport to survey and evaluate reserves of common minerals used as building materials for the construction of national key projects, and focus on the early implementation and completion of the marine and coastal spatial planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050.

On this occasion, the State, Prime Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment awarded the first, second and third class Labour Medals, emulation flags and certificates of merit to individuals and collectives who recorded outstanding achievements in the field of natural resources and environment.