03/04/2016
Recently, Viet Nam has received the attentions and supports of many agencies, organizations and governments, especially Japan’s in controlling and improving the quality of water environment. In the period of 2010 - 2013, Japanese Government has supported Viet Nam in technical implementation of the “Project for Strengthening Capacity of Water Environmental Management in Viet Nam” and there have been some encouraging results initially achieved. Based on achievements obtained in Phase I, Japan will continue to support Viet Nam to proceed with project Phase II (2015 - 2018). Currently, the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) is cooperating with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on planning project’s execution in 6 provinces belonging to Cau and Dong Nai river basins. Vietnam Environment Administration Magazine had an interview with Mr. Ichiro Adachi, JICA’s expert in Viet Nam on this issue.
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| Seminar “Preparatory state for implementing project Strenthening the capacity of water environment mangagement in river basin” |
* Sir, what activities of the project shall be focused in the current situation of Viet Nam?
Mr. Ichiro Adachi:This project’s main activities consist of 2 matters.One is to develop legal documents related to the river basin environmental management in Viet Nam. Another is to conduct pilot projects in target river basin areas. We understand that in Viet Nam, institutionalization is very important for advancing political issue.For advancing water environmental management in Viet Nam, the view point of “river basin” is set as main concept. In the project, one model coordination mechanism will be considered and developed. And this model will be set as legal document such as circular for expanding. For developing more functional and effective institutionalization, conducting pilot projects on target river basin area is designed. Main activity of pilot projects is to study actual water quality situation by the scientific method. JICA project can support and contribute to Department of Natural Resources and Environment’s activity in the province.
* What solutions do you think Viet Nam should adopt to promote water environmental protection in river basin, especially Cau River basin and Dong Nai River Basin
Mr. Ichiro Adachi:Based on the Japanese case, I want to emphasize one matter, as well as the most important point. People (including “government”, “enterprise” and “citizen”, etc.) should be really interested in “environment protection of river basins”. In Japan, as you know, in the 1960s and 1970s, a lot of river and river basin areas were polluted by discharges of industrial and domestic water. And, people have not paid as much as attention to the rivers. In the big cities, a lot of rivers and canals were reclaimed, for example, to roads). At first, the pollution control was priority matter, but in the 1990s of the 20th century, based on the concept of “the environment and the development”, the river protection policy was being gradually changed. Therefore, the distance between human and rivers has been considered. Accordingly, waste water plant constructions and environmental monitoring service activities are also very important, however, implementation of these contents entails vast expenses. I think that “concerns” and “needs” are very important matters.
Thu Hang
