07/12/2017
The collaboration programme during 2004 - 2011 and 2012 - 2016 between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee has mobilized the strength of the entire nation in managing and using wisely natural resources and environmental protection and responding to climate change. Collaboration activities have been thoroughly instructed from central to local levels and have achieved many important results. On the occasion of the Rooster Year 2017, the Environment Magazine has an interview with the Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Le Ba Trinh on the outcomes of this programme.
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| Mr. Lê Bá Trình - Vice Chairman Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee |
Reporter: Can you tell us some main outcomes of the collaboration programme during 2012 - 2016 as well as the contents of the collaboration programme in the period of 2016 - 2020 between MONRE and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee?
Mr. Lê Bá Trình: After five years of implementation of the collaboration programme No.20 between the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and MONRE, in general, the program has achieved the proposed tasks.
Since 2012, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee at all levels have regularly collaborated with member organizations and the Natural Resources and Environment Sector to develop and expand models and pilots of local communities in environmental protection, with the topics on “Environmentally self-protection residential area”, “Residential area harmoniously implementing poverty reduction and environmental protection”; develop new models of residential areas preventing and responding to climate change, sea level rise, wise exploration and usage of resources, biodiversity conservation and development. At the same time, the program promotes the roles typical and esteemed individuals in communities (retired staff, community head, religious dignitary...) which contribute to mobilize citizen in actively participating in self-management of the environment.
In addition to the budget supported by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee to develop pilot models, Provincial Departments of Natural Resources and Environment have provided additional budget for the Fatherland front units at residential areas to implement their tasks. Many provinces have conditions to purchase facilities for waste collection, organize dissemination activities, make information boards, slogans, organize preliminary and final reward meetings…which have contributed significantly to achieving environmental criteria of localities that meet the new rural standards.
Inheriting and promoting the results of the collaboration program 2012 - 2016, the collaboration program 2016 - 2020 focuses on main tasks: dissemination, mobilization and awareness raising of each individual, each household, residential community, religious organizations, enterprises and manufacturing entities and commercial entities to strictly implement viewpoints, policies and legislations of the Party and the State on appropriately use and management and natural resources and environmental protection, response to climate change. Continuing to develop new models and expand typical pilots of residential areas and religious organizations in environmental protection and response to climate change. Mobilizing citizens to promote the ownership and actively and spontaneously participate in developing and implementing agreements, conventions of residential communities towards environmental protection; collaborating to supervise, monitor and socially criticize for the implementation of policies and legislations on natural resources management and use... Of which, focusing on monitoring the treatment of industrial wastes, agricultural wastes and domestic wastes of households and residential areas...; compiling materials, organizing trainings, enhancing awareness and professional qualifications...
Reporter: After five years of implementation, what are the lessons learnt for the new period?
Mr. Lê Bá Trình: After five years of implementation, there are some lessons learnt from the collaboration program including:
First, if the locality strictly implements environmental protection as an emulation standard in the campaign “the whole nation unify to develop cultural lifestyle at residential areas” (now the campaign “the whole nation unify to develop new rural, civilized urban areas”) combines environmental protection with the development of cultural communes and towns; new rural commune, civilized urban areas, review and appreciate cultural families and cultural residential areas annually, the environment in that area is ensured.
Second, in order to well implement collaboration contents and tasks, it is important to regularly provide materials, organize trainings for staff of the Fatherland Front, unions at all levels particularly Fatherland Front Units in residential areas; inspect, guide, review and expand the typical models and pilots on environmental protection in localities.
Third, the instruction and establishment of the models play important roles in developing the campaign/movement; of which should focus on selecting key contents to change behavior and actions of officials and citizens; promote the roles of religious dignitary, respected people and self-management of the residential area.
Fourth, due to typical organizational characteristics of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the natural resources and environment sector, specific results can only be achieved in localities that are flexible and innovative in collaboration and implementation of the tasks.
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| Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà and Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee Trần Thanh Mẫn signed the collaboration program |
Reporter: Last year, the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels implemented the collaboration program between the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, MONRE and religions on environmental protection and response to climate change, can you tell us the effectiveness of this program?
Mr. Lê Bá Trình: At the conference “Promoting the roles of religions in environmental protection and response to climate change” organized in Hue in December 2015, the collaboration program among the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, MONRE and religions signed with 40 religious organizations and 14 religions nationwide. The central steering committee that consists of leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, MONRE and the head of 14 religions was established to implement the program.
Based on that, since then there are 45/63 provinces and cities nationwide sign the collaboration program. The Central Steering Committee has developed pilot models to have religions participated in environmental protection and response to climate change in three regions: Ho Chi Minh City (South); Thua Thien - Hue (Central) and Hanoi (North). In localities, each religion implements the collaboration program in a specific and innovative manner. Through the implementation of the program, dignitaries, religious followers and religious organizations have actively promoted the roles and responsibilities together with the nation to implement environmental protection and response to climate change.
Reporter: What are specific activities of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to create substantial changes to the entire nation on environmental protection and appropriate use of natural resources in 2017?
Mr. Lê Bá Trình: Based on the collaboration program between the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and MONRE, in 2017 the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee at all levels will implement many tasks to mobilize different groups to participate in environmental protection and response to climate change, focusing on following activities:
Promoting the dissemination and propaganda of viewpoints, policies and legislations on environmental protection and response to climate change, contributing to enhance awareness, responsibility and agree on actions to implement this task in all citizen groups.
Continuing to implement models of residential areas on environmental protection and response to climate change to be appropriate with conditions of each region, location, urban area, rural area, and areas having ethnic minority people and religious followers. Of which, focusing on tasks to adjust and change behavior and actions in manufacturing processes, trading, and daily activities such as: burying dead people using advanced, scientific and environmentally friendly methods. The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee collaborates with the natural resources and environment sector to monitor environmental pollution incidents that are causing anger in society such as: waste from industrial production, agricultural production, domestic activities of households and residential areas… to contribute to promote sectors, levels, and the whole society to effectively implement environmental protection and respond to climate change■
Reporter: Thank you!
Phạm Đình Tuyên
(Implemented)
