16/05/2018
As a unit performing the function of advising and performing state management tasks on nature conservation and biodiversity (biodiversity) nationwide, in the past time, the Department of Biodiversity Conservation has continued to implement the Law on Biodiversity and its guiding documents, closely following the orientations and tasks of the Party Central Committee's Resolution No.24-NQ/TW on pro-actively responding to climate change and strengthening the management of resources and environmental protection; Resolution No.35/NQ-CP by the Government on some urgent issues in environmental protection; National Strategy on Biodiversity up to 2020, vision to 2030 and others.
Some achievements in the state management on biodiversity
Completion of legal documents development task
The development of legal documents to create a legal framework for biodiversity conservation has been paid good attention to and promoted, especially the documents on the implementation of the Law on Biodiversity. According to the statistics, from 2012 up to now, there have been more than 20 legal documents guiding the implementation of the Law, of which development is led by the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and submitted to competent authorities for promulgation to contribute to creating a legal framework for comprehensive management on biodiversity issues.
These legal documents include Decree on management of endangered, valuable and rare species prioritized for protection (Decree No. 160/2013/ND-CP dated 2/11/2013 of the Government); Decree on management of biological safety of genetically modified organisms, genetic specimens and products of genetically modified organisms, and state management of biological safety of genetically modified organisms (Decree No.69/2010/ND-CP dated 21/6/2010, Decree 108/2011/ND-CP dated 30/4/2011 of the Government); Decree on access to genetic resources and benefit sharing from the use of genetic resources (Decree No. 59/2017/NĐ-CP dated 12/5/2017 of the Government); National Strategy on Biodiversity up to 2020 with a vision to 2030 (Prime Minister's Decision No. 1250/QD-TTg dated 31/7/2013); Master plan for biodiversity conservation of the whole country up to 2020 with orientation to 2030 (Decision No. 45/QD-TTg dated 8/1/2014 by the Prime Minister).
In addition, many technical guidelines are issued timely to meet the needs of management in practice that arise locally such as: Guide on provincial biodiversity conservation planning; Technical guidance on classification of wetlands; Technical guidance on biodiversity survey and development of biodiversity reports; Guide the registration forms, certificates and reports of biodiversity conservation facilities; Guide on the organization and operation of the appraisal councils for wild animals and wild plants on the List of endangered, valuable and rare species prioritized for protection.
Capacity building to guide the implementation and promotion of communication and awareness raising
In parallel with the development of legal documents, capacity building for implementation, communication, and awareness raising on the implementation of laws on nature conservation and biodiversity has been strengthened. Every year, the Department organizes activities on communication and awareness raising with many events, seminars, trainings on different subjects; guides the localities to organize activities to commemorate the International Day of Biodiversity on May 22nd and World Wetlands Day on February 2nd.
In addition, the Department develops, publishes training materials, publications and disseminates reference materials related to biosafety of genetically modified organisms, access to genetic resources and benefit sharing; at the same time, organizes training courses and provides lectures on the contents of the Government's Decree No.155/2016/ND-CP dated 18/11/2016 on sanctioning administrative violations in environmental protection related to biodiversity conservation for officials of provincial departments of natural resources and environment, and other sectoral organisations in the provinces.
The Department also advised on the selection, nomination and organization of the Congratulatory Ceremony of the title of ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes for Prof. Đặng Huy Huỳnh - The first scientist of Việt Nam honored to receive the title, and advised to support the proposal of Bái Tử Long Nature Reserve to be an ASEAN Heritage Park (AHP). These 2 events were selected by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) as 2 of the top 10 events in 2017.
Enforcement of legislation on biodiversity is emphasized
In the past time, the inspection work in combination with guiding and supporting the implementation of legislations on biodiversity conservation and inspection has been deployed in the localities, in protected areas and conservation facilities nationwide. This activity has played a very important role in guiding and assisting the target groups in enforcing laws on conservation and at the same time, contributing to detecting shortcomings in the law enforcement process to propose direction for more appropriate adjustment.
International cooperation, scientific research and development of biodiversity database to support the state management on conservation is accelerated
This is a noticeable function of the Department of Biodiversity Conservation. The Department has always fulfilled its role as the focal point and advising body to the leaders at all levels on the implementation of international commitments in the field of biodiversity: The Ramsar Convention, the Biodiversity Convention, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity; The Nagoya - Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, ASEAN Center for Biodiversity, Ramsar Regional Center - East Asia (RRC), Global Tiger Initiative, Flyway Partnership, Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)...
The Department has worked closely with national and international organizations, and actively participated in many international forums such as CropLife Asia, Helvetas, United Nations Development Program on Trade and Development, Fund Biodiversity is a long-term partner of many national and international organizations in biodiversity conservation such as: CropLife Asia, Helvetas, UNCTAD, GBIF, WWF, IUCN, USAID...; organizes capacity building and awareness raising in the field of biosafety of genetically modified organisms, access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing, bio-trade, management of protected areas and exchange of biodiversity information. In addition, the Department has been actively implementing many ODA projects, including non-refundable ODA projects (grant aid) from the Global Environment Facility, JICA, and loan projects funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Over the past time, the Department has implemented a number of scientific and technological projects, contributing to building a scientific foundation for biodiversity conservation. The main research directions are: conservation and development of ecosystems; species conservation, supplementary financial mechanisms for conservation. Many projects have been highly appreciated by the acceptance council. There are research topics such as: Study the scientific and practical basis of legal obligations and compensation in the field of biosafety of genetically modified organisms; Theories and practices on biodiversity offsets in Việt Nam... On the other hand, the development of biodiversity databases is gradually being strengthened. Tools for baseline survey, development of reports, and development of the National Biodiversity Database (NBDS) were disseminated and guided for implementation www.nbds.vea.gov.vn .
Advising and proposing ideas on the handling of practical management issues
This is a very important activity in the advisory function of the Department: Reviewing and evaluating the system of captive wildlife sanctuaries, and the actual deployment in granting permits for biodiversity conservation facilities in localities in order to propose solutions for effective management of conservation facilities in the coming time; Monitoring and supervising the exportation and importation of endangered, valuable and rare species prioritized for protection and their products; Consulting on biodiversity conservation for tourism planning issues at Sơn Trà Peninsula, environmental incidents in four central provinces, submergence of Vĩnh Tân Thermal Power Plant in Ninh Thuận province and other activities related to the conservation of species.
Orientations for development in the coming time
In an effort to continue affirming its role and position in the context of nationwide promotion and strengthening of state management on environmental protection, in general and biodiversity conservation, in particular, the Department of Biodiversity Conservation identifies our operational direction in the coming time as follows:
General direction
- To promote the elaboration, finalization and submission for promulgation of legal documents on biodiversity conservation and the effective implementation of the Biodiversity Law, the relevant guiding documents for implementation of the Law; especially the identification of specific approach, objectives, mechanisms for management and conservation of nature and biodiversity in relation to the new Forestry Law, Fisheries Law, which were enacted together with the current Biodiversity Law.
- Coordinate closely with ministries, central and local departments, political and social organizations; and international organizations on the implementation of activities related to biodiversity conservation.
- Strengthen law enforcement capacity to conserve biodiversity in protected areas, prioritizing wetlands of international importance (Ramsar areas), ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP), Biosphere Reserves and Protected Areas, which are planned and established under the Biodiversity Law.
- Continue to attach importance to the inspection, guidance and support for the implementation of legal documents on biodiversity conservation for the protected areas.
- Enhance Vietnam's position in the implementation of international conventions on nature conservation and biodiversity; Promote international cooperation and mobilize all resources for investment in biodiversity conservation in Việt Nam.
Specific activity orientations
- Closely coordinate with the concerned units in finalizing the Decision defining the functions and tasks of the Department; Promptly stabilize the organization, personnel in the new situation; Finalize the job placement scheme; Closely coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and concerned ministries in elaborating legal documents and other coordinated contents in the state management on biodiversity; Review the results of the implementation of the Biodiversity Law and propose adjustments and amendments to the Law in the new context and after 10 years of implementation.
- Continue to elaborate, amend and guide the implementation of documents on management of wetland protected area sand biodiversity corridors; Legal documents on management of endangered, and valuable and rare species prioritized for conservation; Control of invasive alien species, management mechanisms for conservation facilities; management of genetically modified organisms and traditional knowledge relating to genetic resources, management of access to genetic resources under the Biodiversity Law; and policies for support and management of small- scale conservation facilities with community participation.
- To build, improve and develop a national database to meet the management and forecasting needs, including monitoring programs, baseline surveys, and a thorough reporting system from central to local levels and protected areas.
- Promote the research and application of new financial instruments, economic tools (PES, TEEB, BBOP, biodiversity conservation fund, biodiversity offsets...), new approaches (ecosystem approach, co-management approach, community participatory management...) to improve the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation.
- Develop tools to guide the assessment of impacts on biodiversity in environmental impact assessment and climate change impact assessment.
- To promote and expand the development of models of conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems, restoration of degraded natural ecosystems and enhancement of management efficiency of protected areas.
- To well perform the focal point role for international conventions on biodiversity, such as: The Ramsar Convention, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing, The Nagoya - Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the focal point of cooperation between the ASEAN Center for Aquaculture (ACB), Ramsar Regional Center - East Asia (RRC), and coordinating in implementation of Global Tiger Initiative.
Delegates planting trees in the coastal accretion of Thụy Xuân commune, Thái Thụy district, Thái Bình province in response to the 2017 Wetlands Day
Workshop on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for community livelihood development
Dr. Phạm Anh Cường - Director
Dr. Nguyễn Xuân Dũng
Department of Biodiversity Conservation
Vietnam Environment Administration
(Source: Vietnam Environment Administration Magazine, English Edition I-2018)
