Environmental protection is the responsibility of the whole political system and the entire society. (Source: baotainguyenmoitruong)

Environmental protection in Vietnamese law

The 13^th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) stated that resource management work, environmental protection and adaption to climate change have gradually been respected, the first step to achieving a positive result. The policy system and law regarding these topics have been completed and effectively implemented.

The Vietnamese government issued the environmental protection law three times in the years 2005, 2014 and 2020, together with some decrees for penalties on violations relating to the environmental protection, integrated resource management and environmental protection of seas and islands.

The revised law on environmental protection 2020 has set up some rules regarding environmental protection that includes the policy of implementation, checking, and monitoring environmental activities of organizations, local communities, households and individuals along with policies on establishing a culture of environmental protection, prioritizing awareness raising, education on environmental protection and the consequences for illegal acts that oppose the environmental laws.

In addition, on 13 April, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh signed the decision that approved the National Strategy for Environmental Protection to 2030, with a vision until 2050.

The strategy was approved with the view that environmental protection is the responsibility of the whole political system, of the entire society, including local governments, businesses, communities and citizens who play important roles.

Environmental protection should focus on people’s health as the top goal, considering pollution prevention and control as top priorities, paying utmost concentration to solving urgent environmental issues, getting over pollution and recession, improving the environmental quality, preserving natural biodiversity and contributing to the response to climate change.

The Party and the government are determined to strengthen international cooperation in resource management, environmental protection, dealing with climate change in a way of complying with international conventions that Vietnam signed or joined; exchanging experiences in environmental protection with foreign partners.

công ước quốc tế mà nước ta đã ký kết, tham gia; tiếp thu, vận dụng những kinh nghiệm quốc tế trong bảo vệ môi trường.

Transition into circular economy

Vietnam's stance and position have been regularly summarized, supplemented and perfected at every National Congress of the Party, in relevance with the country and the world's development context.

In Vietnam, the linear economic development model is no longer suitable in the context of increasingly depleted resources and low environmental quality.

The circular economy is a growth principle that can be applied to utilize natural resources in the most effective way. (Source: baochinhphu)

A direction for development that was suggested is the circular economy. This issue was brought up in the Environmental Protection law in 2020. At the same time, the Prime Minister also issued Decision 687/QĐ-TTg 2022 on approval of the circular economy development project in Vietnam.

The 10 January 2022 Decree number 08/2022/NĐ-CP of the government regulated details on some rules set by the environmental protection laws that have specified criteria, roadmap, and mechanism to facilitate the development of the circular economy.

According to Tran Hong Ha, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, the shift to a circular economy is a new trend, a new mindset in today’s times.

This is also an initiative for Vietnam to implement commitments to global issues such as climate change, heading towards the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, striving towards a decade of natural ecosystem recovery, carrying out the goal of reducing methane emissions and restoring forest resources.

The circular economy is a growth principle that can be applied to utilize natural resources in the most effective way. To develop a circular economy is also a way for Vietnam to solve environmental issues. The circular economy will lead to the replacement of fossil energy usage with renewable energy.

In the situation of Vietnam currently, circular economy development is the right path that the country is taking and it will eventually lead to a more stable and successful economic model.