01/04/2016
On 22 May 2015 in Ha Noi, the Viet Nam Environment Administration (VEA) in collaboration with the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) and CropLife Viet Nam organized the celebration of the International Day of Biodiversity 2015 with the topic “Biodiversity for Sustainable Development”.
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| Deputy Director General of VEA Nguyen The Dong handed the awards to VACNE |
Speaking at the celebration, Deputy Director General of VEA, Dr. Nguyen The Dong informed that Viet Nam is recognized as one of 16 countries having the most diverse biodiversity in the world, with about 7,500 species, 16,428 flora and algae species, 10,300 terrestrial species, 3,500 freshwater species and more than 11,000 marine species. Particularly, in recent 2 decades, many new flora and fauna species have been discovered, including rare and precious species and Orchidaceae family.
Aware of the importance of biodiversity, the Government of Viet Nam has actively participated in and implemented many international agreements and conventions on biodiversity such as Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar); Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)…; Cartagena Protocol on Biodiversity; Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization; Inter-governmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES); Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP). At the same time, legal framework and legal documents have been promulgated including Guiding documents of the Law on Biodiversity, particularly, the Law on Biodiversity 2008. As a result, biodiversity conservation has gained some considerable achievements; some ecosystems have been rehabilitated; many new scientific-important species and genetic sources have been discovered and bred.
In the future, Viet Nam will focus on finalizing the legal system on biodiversity; promoting the enforcement of the Law on Biodiversity; promoting the implementation of the National Strategy on Biodiversity to 2020, Vision to 2030; strengthening and developing state management agencies on biodiversity conservation at central and local levels; promoting socialization, and enhancing international cooperation on biodiversity conservation.
On this occasion, on behalf of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Deputy Director General of VEA, Nguyen The Dong handed awards to the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE) and some individuals of VACNE for the initiative of heritage tree conservation, contributing to biodiversity conservation.
In addition, there are some side event activities such as exhibition of heritage trees, publication of thematic materials on biodiversity and display of materials and publications on biodiversity, etc.
Within the celebration framework, the VEA collaborated with the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) and VACNE to organize a talk show on biodiversity conservation for sustainable development to discuss and agree on cooperative activities among management agencies and communities on biodiversity conservation. Accordingly, participants agreed that functional agencies need to collaborate towards enhancing the role of communities in policy making, particularly in studying solutions for biodiversity conservation; promoting communication and dissemination, awareness raising on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development to all stakeholders in the society; collaborating to develop the database, legal corridor, cooperation agreement among relevant stakeholders… to avoid overlaps and conflicts in strategies, laws, decrees on biodiversity conservation.
Long Hoang
