Quyết định 965/QD-BTNMT

DECISION

INTRODUCING THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT ACTION PROGRAM FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL GREEN GROWTH STRATEGY FOR THE PERIOD 2015-2020 WITH VISION TO 2030

THE MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 21/2013/ND-CP dated March 4, 2013 on defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1393/QD-TTg dated September 25, 2012 on ratifying the national green growth strategy;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 403/QD-TTg dated March 20, 2014 on ratifying the national action plan for green growth for the period 2014 – 2020; the Decision No. 1659/QD-BTNMT of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment dated August 11, 2014 on introducing the action plan of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for implementation of the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 403/QD-TTg on ratifying the national action plan for green growth for the period 2014 – 2020;  

At the request of the Director of Vietnam Environment Administration and the Director of the Department of Planning,

HEREBY DECIDES

Article 1. To issue together with this Decision the natural resources and environment action program for implementation of the national green growth strategy for the period 2015-2020 with vision to 2030.

Article 2. This Decision shall enter into force from the signature date.

Article 3. The Director of the Vietnam Environment Administration, the Director of the Department of Planning, and Heads of related entities, shall be held responsible for enforcing this Decision./.

THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT ACTION PROGRAM

FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL GREEN GROWTH STRATEGY FOR THE PERIOD 2015-2020 WITH VISION TO 2030 (Issued together with the Decision No. 965/QD-BTNMT of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment dated April 23, 2015)

With the aim of succeed in implementing the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1393/QD-TTg dated September 25, 2012 on ratifying the national green growth strategy, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment adopts the natural resources and environment action program with the following contents: 

I. OBJECTIVES, REQUIREMENTS

1. Objectives

a) Effectively implement objectives set out in the national green growth strategy, assist in the restructuring and further improvement of economic institutions to  reach the objective of greenizing existing industries and encouraging development of economic sectors that take into account natural resources efficiency along with high added value and environmental protection;

b) Make a significant contribution towards accomplishing the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emission intensity and more effectively respond to climate changes;

c) Play a part in preventing and suppressing the increasing tendency for environmental pollution, natural resources degradation and biodiversity decline; improve the quality of living environment, strive for the environmentally-friendly lifestyle to provide basic conditions for the green economy with assurance that a low level of waste substances and carbon dioxide are discharged.

II. ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN

1. Control, prevent and reduce creation of pollution sources, and restore polluted areas to the previous condition.

a) Stimulate inspection and examination of compliance with legal regulations on environmental protection at economic zones, industrial zones, industrial complexes, trade villages, river basins, and of mineral extraction, transportation and processing activities.

b) Improve the effectiveness of environmental impact assessments, especially for investment projects that use obsolete and possibly environment-polluting technologies, machinery, equipment and devices; expeditiously check and confirm whether construction projects are being executed and measures to protect environment are applied in conformity with specific requirements set out in environmental impact assessment reports. 

c) Concentrate resources on effective development of the environmental protection proposal within the territory of Cau and Nhue – Day river basins and Dong Nai river system, and the plan to radically deal with serious environmental protection facilities by 2020 in accordance with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1788/QD-TTg dated October 1, 2013, and of the master plan to protect trade village environment by 2020 with vision to 2030 in accordance with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 577/QD-TTg dated April 11, 2013.

d) Expedite the construction progress and request the Prime Minister to introduce the national action plan for air pollution control by 2020, the program for expeditious reduction in and classification of solid wastes at the source, reuse and recycling of solid wastes by 2020, and the target program for remediation and improvement of seriously polluted environment for the period 2016 – 2020;

dd) Develop and execute the general proposal for environmental protection at Mekong river basins, the proposal for management and control of environmental pollution at urban areas by 2020 in conformity with requirements specified in the national environmental protection strategy;

e) Provide more technical supports in order to improve the efficiency in waste collection, disposal and recycling in order to make a significant contribution towards preventing environmental pollution surges that occur at trade villages, especially at recycling trade villages;

f) Research and apply solutions and tools to environmental, waste discharge auditing and emission quota management to provide for management, control and minimum reduction of generation of polluting sources.

2. Improve the competence in response to climate changes and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

a) Concentrate resources on development and implementation of the national climate change strategy approved by the Prime Minister in the Decision No. 2139/QD-TTg dated December 5, 2011 and the climate change action plan for the period 2012 - 2020 approved by the Prime Minister in the Decision No. 1474/QD-TTg dated October 5, 2012;

b) Speed up the progress of establishment of the system for monitoring the climate change and sea-level rise in order to meet the demand for drawing of flood maps, catastrophic risk maps and climatic risk maps under the scenario of climate change and sea-level rise; 

c) Set up and update the database to assist in the periodic checking of greenhouse gas emissions; tighten the cooperation with other industries to regularly monitor emissions and manage efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

d) Stimulate and develop activities which aim at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to national conditions, and create the system for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions in Vietnam;

dd) Provide technical instructions and assistance for implementing enterprises so that they will be allowed to check and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in their production system;

e) Perfect a set of criteria for determining priority projects which prove themselves to cope well with climate change; allow for a set of criteria for assessing efficiency in responses to climate changes; establish processes and procedures for appraisal and approval as well as supervision of assessment of climate change response projects.

3. Encourage and assist in a surge of ecological product manufacturing industries and environmental services

a) Speed up the progress of drafting and requesting the Prime Minister to issue the Decree on amending and supplementing the Government’s Decree No. 04/2009/ND-CP dated January 14, 2009 on priority and assistance policies for environmental protection activities in order to make a significant contribution to promoting the development of several industries and sectors relating to supply of environment-friendly products and commodities as well as recycled products;

b) Concentrate resources on effective development of the proposal for controlling environmental pollution caused by using non-biodegradable plastic bags in daily human activities in accordance with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 582/QD-TTg dated April 11, 2013 in order to play a significant role in influencing and forming habits of consumption of eco-friendly products;

c) Continuously establish and issue the standards for ecological label-affixed products. Types of products and services to which ecological labels will be affixed by 2020 include building materials, foods and agricultural products, transport, energy, textile, wood furniture and medical equipment;

d) Conduct researches into enforcement of rules and regulations on public green spending to be applied to the administration of natural resources and environment;  

dd) Provide guidance and assistance for development of networks of technical counseling organizations, non-governmental organizations operating within the scope of natural resources and environment management in order to promote the green growth.

4. Exploit natural resources in an efficient and sustainable manner

a) Intensify the inspection, checking and evaluation of potentials, reserves and economic values and changing tendencies of national natural resources with particular attention paid to mineral, water and marine resources;  

b) Stimulate the monitoring and supervision regarding the quantity, quality, water source, exploitation of water resources, discharge of wastewater into water sources; impose strict sanctions on facilities surface and underground water exploitation facilities that commit violations against laws;

c) Research and organize activities to carry out the pilot application of granting of quotas for surface and underground water exploitations in specific regions; 

d) Integrate environmental requirements into the plan for land use and land use transformation in order to minimize environmental impacts by virtue of such transformation;

dd) Adopt and implement instructions for integration of environmental protections into the scheme for mineral exploration, extraction and processing.

5. Preserve ecological diversity and develop the natural capital

a) Set up the biodiversity monitoring system and render ecological services; provide for biodiversity monitoring directives and biodiversity databases and ecological services;

b) Evaluate the current state of biodiversity by taking into account criteria for establishing natural reserves as prescribed by the Law on Biodiversity and other related laws;

c) Investigate, evaluate and map out ecological zones, and identify high-biodiversity ecological zones, ecologically degraded and sensitive zones;

d) Establish the biodiversity corridor in connection with the forest ecosystem and substantial areas to serve the purpose of conserving the biodiversity;

dd) Check and evaluate the current state of the plan and proposal for use of flood plain areas, and provide instructions for local authorities to prepare and implement solutions to preservation and skillful use of flood plains;

e) Conduct researches into application of the mechanism for payments for ecosystem services with a view to protecting and developing the natural ecosystem in a sustainable fashion;

g) Create tools for evaluation of economic value generated from biodiversity issues and ecosystem services, and apply solutions to sustainable development of biodiversity resources;

h) Check and set up the database on natural capital and gradually establish the green account system through the valuation of natural capital.

III. IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES

1. Communicate and raise awareness and encourage assistance in fulfillment of green growth objectives

a) Organize activities aimed at communicating, educating organizations, enterprises, individuals and communities on and raising their awareness of roles and importance of green growth;

b) Communicate, advertise and raise community’s awareness of benefits of ecological label-affixed products, and of eco-friendly products to consumers, communities and enterprises;

c) Stimulate emulative movements, contests and inventions regarding environment, and commend and reward organizations or individuals who have been seen excellent at performing environmental protection tasks.

d) Encourage and provide assistance for communities to develop model cities which are of environmental sustainability, model eco-villages and model at-the-source waste classification by employing the 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) method.

2. Further improve legislation and enhance the competence in implementation of green growth policies

a) Establish the green growth policy framework applicable to the natural resources and environment administration for the period 2016-2020, and focus on sectors such as water resources, land use, minerals, environmental protection, biodiversity and climate change.

b) Set up the environmental protection plan at the national level and levels of centrally-affiliated cities and provinces in order to meet requirements stipulated by the Law on Environmental Protection and ensure conformance to the national environmental protection strategy; 

c) Speed up the progress of drafting and requesting the Prime Minister to ratify the general plan for natural resources and environment monitoring networks for the period 2016-2025 with vision to 2030;

d) Continue to review, modify and set new national technical standards and regulations applied to environmental issues; create local technical regulations on environment as stipulated by the Law on Environmental Protection;

dd) Integrate details about water resources exploitation into the scheme for development of industries, sectors and especially those consuming a large amount of water to ensure conformance to the scheme for water resources search and exploitation;

e) Integrate national policies into international action plans for land anti-degradation and sustainable land use.

3. Promote and diversify investments in the green growth

a) Research into and propose an increase in the rate of recurrent state spending on environmental protection in order to strive to account for 2% of total state expenditure by 2020, and capitalize on the roles and duties of natural resources and environmental authorities in allocation and supervision of state spending sources for environmental protection;

b) Collaborate with the Ministry of Finance in researching and proposing any amendment to the Law on Environment Protection Tax with a view to expanding entities subject to taxes, review, evaluate and suggest any adjustment to the environmental protection fee to ensure conformity to environmental protection requirements and socio-economic conditions of the nation.

c) Enhance the capability and reinforce activities for the purpose of upholding the roles of Vietnam environment protection fund, and establish the mechanism for mobilizing domestic and foreign capital, and provide priority policies for programs and projects pertaining to the green growth; 

d) Set up and organize activities to implement the scheme for mobilizing resources to carry out the environmental protection work to meet requirements specified in the national environmental protection strategy.

dd) Stimulate the application of private public partnership (PPP) model under the administration of natural resources and environment authorities with particular attention paid to projects for investments in development of waste collection, transportation and treatment system under the clean development mechanism, and ecosystem investment and exploitation projects as well as water supply service projects.

4. Promote the international green growth cooperation

a) Stimulate international cooperation in training and improving professional skills of human resources to assist in implementation of the green growth policies;

b) Place more emphasis on scientific research cooperations and exchange of information about formulation and implementation of key objectives defined in the national green growth strategy;  

c) Improve international cooperation in using, managing and protecting water sources commonly shared between Vietnam and neighboring countries;

d) Intensify the international cooperation and capitalize on aids provided by international organizations, countries in the region or in the globe to implement the national strategy and action plan for green growth.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION

1. Introduce the list of priority activities in the implementation of the action program provided for by natural resources and environment authorities for the period 2015 – 2020 in the attached Annex.

2. Heads of affiliations of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Director of Natural Resources and Environment in centrally-affiliated cities and provinces shall assume the following responsibilities:

a) Put forward the plan for implementation of each entity’s program; specify objectives and roles of such program in the annual working agenda of that entity; make arrangement for implementation of assigned priority activities;  

b) Proactively and further cooperate with related entities, where resources are concentrated on implementation of the program;

c) Send the performance report on the strategy and action program to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (the Department of Planning) for the purpose of being integrated into the final report sent to the Minister ahead of October 30 every year.

3. The Department of Planning shall preside over, cooperate with the Vietnam Environment Administration, Department of Finance, and Department of Science and Technology, in preparing a general application of related entities for annual budget structuring and demands in order to fulfill duties defined in the program for submission to the Minister so that (s)he will approve, track, expedite and check the implementation of the national green growth strategy and the action program of natural resources and environment authorities, and shall annually aggregate and report on the result of such implementation./.

ANNEX

LIST OF PRIORITY ACTIVITIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PROGRAM PROVIDED FOR BY NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT AUTHORITIES FOR THE PERIOD 2015 – 2020

(Issued together with the Decision No. 965/QD-BTNMT of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment dated April 23, 2015)