Developing eco-industrial parks is among important programmes within the Switzerland’s cooperation and development framework for Vietnam, Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Beatrice Maser Mallor said at a seminar in Hanoi on June 12.

Illustrative photo (Source: VNA)

The Ambassador reiterated the Swiss Government’s commitment to assisting Vietnam in switching to a greener economy.

The seminar was held to look at the outcome of an initiative on developing eco-IPs towards sustainable IPs in Vietnam which has been implemented since 2014 by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). 

The project had a total investment of 5 million USD sourced by non-refundable aid from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Swiss Government. 

It was piloted at Khanh Phu and Gian Khau IPs in the northern province of Ninh Binh, Hoa Khanh IP in the central city of Da Nang and Tra Noc 1 and Tra Noc 2 IPs in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

Participating companies were provided with technology and clean production solutions to save energy, water, and costs of raw materials, as well as ensure chemical safety and wastewater management.

As a result, they have so far saved over 22,000 MWh of electricity, 600,000 m3 of clean water, 140TJ of fossil fuel, and nearly 3,600 tonnes of chemical and waste, equivalent to over 6.5 million USD each year.

Tran Duy Dong, Director of the Ministry’s Department for Local and Regional Economy, praised positive impacts brought about by the project.

He said the initiative has led to the issuance of regulations on eco-IPs as part of the Government’s Decree 82 on the management of industrial and economic zones, which took effect in July last year. The decree was the first legal document in Vietnam that regulates the shifting from normal industrial parks to eco-ones.

Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, said the initiative is in line with the UN’s strategic plan in Vietnam for 2017-2021, which prioritises climate adaptation capacity and partnerships for a sustainable and inclusive economic growth model.

UNIDO representative in Vietnam Le Thi Thanh Thao stressed the success of the project will create a foundation for the replication of the eco-industrial park model across Vietnam in the future, contributing to protecting the environment and attracting quality investment, particularly from the private sector.