01/04/2016
Year 2014 witnessed dynamic and big challenges to state management of environmental protection. Due to difficulties of the whole economy, limited business revenues and reducing individual incomes, investment in environmental protection was not paid due attention. Environmental expenditure did not meet with the requirement of yearly increasing as stated in Polit Bureau’s Resolution 41/NQ-TW for implementing environmental protection projects.
However, thanks to traditional work culture and efforts by its leaders and staff members, Vietnam Environment Administration has proactively overcome difficulties and accomplished task programs. Environmental inspection and supervision were strengthened. Development and issuance of legal documents generally met deadlines. Pollution control, waste management and biodiversity made good progress. Some main achievements have been as follows:
First, year 2014 marked VEA’s success in developing institutions and regulations on environmental protection. Law on Environmental Protection (LEP) was approved at the 7th session of the 23rd National Assembly and took effect on 1 January 2015. LEP 2014 comprises 20 chapters and 170 articles. Compared with LEP 2005, LEP 2014 defines more clearly roles and responsibilities of the Government, MONRE, relevant ministries and people’s committees at all levels. In particular, it specifies responsibilities in leading development of legal documents; environmental protection inspection and supervision; legalizing new environmental policies and orientations; expanding and detailing some environmental protection issues; and addressing overlaps and conflicts with other laws to ensure consistency in legal systems. Other achievements include developing and completing decrees providing guidance on LEP implementation.
Second, environmental protection inspection and supervision were continuingly strengthened with focuses on the ministry’s common objective in 2014 of “strengthening enforcement, boosting inspection and supervision of the whole sector”. VEA organized 14 inspection teams to inspect 814 facilities, 6 inter-sector inspection teams to 52 facilities belonging to Decisions 64/2003/QD-TTg and 1788/QD-TTg; 4 supervision teams to 46 projects under Decision 58/2008/QD-TTg on the management of budgets supporting handling serious polluting facilities. In addition, it was also conducted some sudden inspections. Punishments were made to 302 facilities and 42 serious polluters with the total fine of over 62 billion dong. Operation ceasing was instructed for 37 serious polluting entities.
The inspection and supervision have addressed complex violation cases, and requested the violators to pay fines, compensated for damages and take measures to restore environmental conditions. They also have helped indentify and addressed shortcomings and obstacled in environmental mechanisms, policies and regulations. Strict measures to enforce the law have helped speed up the process of handling seriously polluting facilities.
Third, environmental objectives in socioeconomic development plan 2014 were met. The rate of completing treatment of seriously polluting facilities kept increasing. By the end of 2014, the rate reached 87.47% (384/439 facilities), exceeding the objective of 84% set by the National Assembly. The percentage of industrial parks and export processing zones installing waste treatment facilities has increased. So far, 148 of 194 industrial parks have met this requirement, reaching 76.3% (7 more parks compared with year 2013); 19 industrial parks (10%) in the process of installing treatment plants. Only 13.7% of the parks operating before LEP 2005 has not had waste treatment plants.
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| In 2015, environmental inspection and supervision will continue being focused |
Fourth, implementation of master plans for environmental protection in river basins made good progress in 2014. Water quality in rivers, canals and channels in some big urban areas of Ho Chi Minh, Bien Hoa (Dong Nai), Thu Dau Mot (Binh Duong) has increased. Mechanisms and policies of environmental protection in river basins have been upgraded from central to local levels. Regulations on environmental protection in river basins have been paid due attention by provinces. MONRE has established Environmental Protection Sub - Department in river basins of Cau, Nhue - Day and Dong Nai under VEA. It also submitted to Prime Minister for approving environmental protection planning by 2020 for Nhue - Day river basin.
Fifth, biodiversity has witnessed considerable progress in invasive alien species management; development and approval of national and local biodiversity planning; developing and submitting to government for approval of the joining Kuala Lumpur Protocol and Nagoya Protocol; organizing ceremony of recognizing Ramsar site of Con Dao; developing and submitting to Ramsar Secretariat two applications of Ramsar sites for U Minh Thuong NP and Lang Sen Wetland Protected Area.
Sixth, quality of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports has increased. In 2014, 14 SEA reports, 187 EIA reports and 37 detailed environmental protection plans were appraised. Supervision of the operation was made at 70 projects and certificates of accomplishments of environmental works were issued for 57 projects. Through SEA and EIA had appraised, most of the master plans were required to revise to meet sustainable development requirements. There were Projects required to increase environmental protection measures. Some projects were requested to suspend due to failing to meet with environmental requirements.
To review last year performance, environmental management has made positive progress thanks to great contribution by VEA staff members. 2015 is an important year, as it decides the accomplishments of objectives of the period 2011 - 2015 and is the first year of implementation of LEP 2014 and its guiding decrees. It is also the 3rd year of Party Central Committee’s Resolution 24-NQ/TW dated 3/6/2013 on proactively responding to climate change, strengthening natural resource management and environmental protection; Government’s Resolution 35/NQ-CP dated 18/3/2013 on urgent environmental measures; National Strategy on Environmental Protection by 2020, vision by 2030. Therefore, VEA shall keep up with success and be determined to overcome challenges to achieve environmental objectives, focusing on implementing the LEP 2014, strengthening inspection and supervision and handling violations. Some main tasks are as follows:
The first task is to implement LEP; disseminate the contents of LEP and its associated decrees, issue guiding circulars; submit to Government for revising and add some new articles to Decree 179/2013/ND-CP dated 14/11/ 2013 on punishing administrative violations in environmental protection; coordinating with Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Public Affairs in developing and issuing an inter-ministerial circular on mechanism for inter-agency cooperation in controlling scarp importing activities; reviewing, updating and developing technical environmental regulations in compliance with the LEP and the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations.
The second task is to enhance inspections and supervisions of environmental compliance in economic zones, industrial zones, industrial clusters and craft villages, mineral resources mining and transporting; improve capacity, implement comprehensively and effectively pollution prevention and control measures; publicize environmental violations; strictly handle environmental violations; determinedly prevent environmental hot spots; speed up the process of handling seriously polluting enterprises by 2020, in particular with those who have missed deadlines; review and update lists of seriously polluting facilities; inspect and ensure usage effectiveness of state budgets for pollution remediation.
The third task is to cooperate with Ministry of Home Affairs in providing guidance for upgrading local environmental authorities; increasing administrative reforms in environmental protection, especially in permit issuance.
The fourth tasks is to continue implementing environmental protection programs and projects nationwide; enhance activities and increase roles of river basin environmental protection subdepartments; implement comprehensive measures for pollution control and prevention; increase capacity in waste management; develope and submit to Prime Minister for approval a target program on pollution remediation and environmental improvement period 2016 - 2020.
The fifth task is to continue improving quality of appraisal of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), environmental deposit applications of mineral mining projects; at an early stage, focus on regulations of “one stop shop” in receiving, appraise and approve of applications; train for increasing capacity in SEA and EIA making and appraising; and increasing supervisions and verifications of completion of environmental works as requested in EIA appraisals.
The sixth task is to implement National Strategy on Biodiversity till 2020 and National Master Plan for Biodiversity; complete regulations managing on natural protected areas; develope mechanism for accessing to gene sources and benefit sharing; and issue pricing units for payment for environmental services.
The seventh task is to organize successfully big environmental events in 2015: The 4th National Environmental Congress and side events, The 13rd ASEAN Environmental Minister Official Meeting and The 5th East Asia Environmental Minister Meeting.
With comprehensive and successful implementation of the above mentioned measures, environmental protection will witness considerable progress, contributing to success of industrialization and modernization.
Prof. Dr. Bui Cach Tuyen
Deputy Minister
Cum Director General of Vietnam Environment Administration
