United efforts to preserve green heart of Con Co Island

Early in the morning on Con Co Island, as the first boats arrive at the harbour, groups of visitors make their way ashore. Their luggage contains cameras, wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen and a sense of excitement as they prepare to explore the beauty of this frontline island.

Although small on the map, Con Co occupies a particularly important position in the East Sea/South China Sea. Situated in a strategic location exposed to the open sea, the island is home to pristine forests, unique volcanic rock formations and a rich marine ecosystem featuring coral reefs, seagrass beds and numerous rare marine species. These natural assets are increasingly attracting nature lovers and travellers seeking an unspoilt coastal destination.

However, alongside the growth of tourism and marine activities, environmental pressures have become increasingly apparent. Plastic bottles, plastic bags and single-use items may appear harmless, yet they can remain in the natural environment for hundreds of years. Carried ashore by ocean currents, they become trapped in coral reefs, threaten marine life and gradually damage the island's fragile ecosystem.

Protecting the sea is therefore no longer solely the responsibility of environmental agencies or local authorities. It is a shared responsibility for everyone who sets foot on the island. Every plastic cup brought from the mainland and every plastic bag left behind on the beach can become a burden on the marine environment for years to come.

Recognising this reality, the People's Committee of the Con Co Special Administrative Area has launched the campaign "Con Co protects the sea, we protect our awareness", aiming to transform awareness into action and encourage small changes in daily habits that collectively help preserve the island's marine environment.

One of the campaign's distinguishing features is its practical approach. Rather than merely raising awareness about the harmful effects of plastic waste, it encourages concrete actions that residents and visitors can adopt immediately upon arriving on the island. Bringing reusable water bottles, using cloth bags, reducing the use of single-use plastics and disposing of waste properly are all simple actions that can deliver lasting environmental benefits.

The campaign forms part of Sub-project No. 4, "Reducing the impact of plastic waste on the Con Co marine protected area," under the programme "Implementing nature-based solutions in forestry and the environment, including landscape-based forest management and restoration, marine conservation and livelihood improvement for communities" in Quang Tri Province. The programme is jointly implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature in Viet Nam (WWF Viet Nam) and the People's Committee of the Con Co Special Administrative Area. Through the project, the partners aim to develop a low-plastic community and tourist destination, raise public awareness and promote practical actions to protect marine ecosystems.

Pham Thanh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the Con Co Special Administrative Area, said that the local authority would continue to work closely with provincial agencies and international organisations, particularly WWF Viet Nam, to improve waste management solutions, strengthen public communication, upgrade environmental infrastructure, develop plastic waste reduction and recycling initiatives, and promote green and sustainable tourism.

"Today's event is not simply an environmental awareness campaign. It is an opportunity for government agencies, organisations, businesses, the armed forces, mass organisations, local residents and visitors to demonstrate their shared determination to make Con Co a green, clean, civilised and sustainable destination," Mr Tuan emphasised.

In keeping with this spirit, the campaign extends beyond the coastline to residential areas, accommodation facilities and digital platforms. Communication activities will be carried out alongside beach clean-up events, waste-for-gifts exchange programmes, community outreach campaigns and initiatives encouraging tourism businesses to reduce their use of single-use plastic products.

Many coastal localities across the country have demonstrated that when communities change their consumption habits, the amount of plastic waste generated can be significantly reduced. For an island as small as Con Co, the impact of these changes is even more visible. Every reusable water bottle carried by a visitor means one fewer plastic bottle discarded. Every cloth bag used replaces another plastic bag that would otherwise end up in the environment. When multiplied by thousands of people, these small actions can create substantial change.

Not only the island's residents but also every visitor plays an important role in this journey. They come not only to admire the beauty of Con Co, but also to help determine whether that beauty will remain intact for future generations of travellers. A photograph capturing the island's crystal-clear sea becomes even more meaningful when no litter is left behind in the frame.

In recent years, green tourism has gradually become a global trend, and transforming Con Co into a low-plastic tourism destination offers a sustainable path for the island's future development. Above all, this journey requires the perseverance of local authorities, the commitment of businesses, the support of the community and, most importantly, the awareness of every individual. Only through collective action can the sea's natural beauty be preserved in its entirety.

Day after day, the sea continues to embrace Con Co Island with its gentle waves. In return, what the sea asks of people is not grand gestures, but respect expressed through small everyday actions. By keeping a beach clean, picking up a piece of litter or refusing a single-use plastic item, each person is not only protecting today's environment but also helping safeguard a precious part of the nation's green sovereignty for generations to come.