A workshop was held in Ho Chi Minh City on September 15, discussing policies for and measures to develop eco-industrial parks in Vietnam.

The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

As heard at the workshop, between 2015 and 2019, the MPI, UNIDO, SECO, and other sponsors worked together to pilot models of eco-industrial parks in Ninh Binh, Da Nang and Can Tho. As a result, over 70 businesses have implemented more than 900 energy saving and cleaner production solutions, saving 76 billion VND (3.21 million USD) and cutting 32 kilotons of CO2 annually.

In the 2020-2023 period, the Swiss Government is continuing to help three industrial parks in Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong and Dong Nai convert into eco-industrial parks in accordance to an international framework. This will serve as a premise to multiply the model across the country.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc said that the eco-industrial park model can play a positive role in the national sustainable development strategy only when it is multiplied nationwide and is supported in terms of policy, technology, finance, information and a close connection mechanism between domestic agencies and international organisations.

She highlighted the need for more guidelines on technical regulations and standards by ministries and sectors as well as technical guidance from domestic and international experts, especially for industrial symbiosis networks and circular economy solutions.

It is also necessary to issue preferential policies on finance for eco-industrial parks, Ngoc added.

Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan said the southern economic hub is committed to working closely with the MPI and UNIDO in implementing a project on the implementation of eco-industrial parks in Vietnam according to the approach from the Global Eco-Industrial Park Programme.

The over 1.8 million USD project aims to improve the economic, environmental and social efficiency of the industry and include regulations on eco-industrial park development in relevant mechanisms and policies.

Swiss Consul General Werner Bardill in HCM City hoped that more and more industrial parks in Vietnam will participate in the transformation process to achieve sustainable growth and improve their competitiveness in the time to come./.