“Blue Sail” label hung on a ship (Source: vov.vn) Quang Ninh (VNA) – The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on September 13 granted the “Blue Sail” certificate to two tourism ships operating on Ha Long Bay of the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh. The recognition is part of a JICA-funded project to boost green growth in Quang Ninh’s Ha Long Bay through the implementation of sustainable environmental protection and tourism development policies. The 29 criteria for “Blue Sail” label focus on preventing and reducing noise and air pollution, cutting waste and wastewater discharge, and protecting bio-diversity. After an assessment, the project’s evaluation council decided to grant the “Blue Sail” certificate and label to Au Co ship of the Bhaya Limited Company, and Secret Ha Long ship of the Bien Ngoc Limited Company. Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dang Huy Hau said the province … [Read more...] about JICA helps boost green growth on Ha Long Bay
Green growth on roof shingles
Solar rooftop a major driver of green growth
Rooftop solar power installations, be they on private homes or industrial buildings, are on the rise in Vietnam “Solar power in Vietnam has become hotter than ever,” said Nguyen Quang Minh, deputy chairman of the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam (ERAV). Minh said ERAV has taken steps to shape a policy for both small roof-top solar power installations with a net-metering mechanism in households and for large roof-top installations at industrial zones. The boom started when the Vietnamese government’s Decree No.11/2017/QD-TTg on mechanisms for encouraging the development of solar power in Vietnam was released a year ago. Heating up the market The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) recently released impressive figures indicating that the total output of solar power projects approved to be added to the Power Development Plan VII is quite large. The ministry approved more than 70 new projects to be put into operation before June 2019, with the total … [Read more...] about Solar rooftop a major driver of green growth
VN cities plan for urban green growth
With the urban green growth development plan to 2030 recently approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Viet Nam is hastening the transformation of its urban economic growth model towards green growth and climate change adaptation. Nguyen Tuong Van, director of the Urban Development Agency under the Ministry of Construction, said that more studies on urban development strategies and technical infrastructure to meet green growth demand and climate change adaptation would be carried out for adjustments in urban planning. Van said that the development of urban green growth aimed to enhance living quality, save energy and reduce emissions which would help boost economic growth and at the same time ease impacts on the environment towards sustainable development. Under the plan approved on January 19, 23 cities and towns would be the first to pilot the development of urban green growth. These locations included Bac Kan, Yen Bai, Phu Ly, Sa Pa, Ha Long, Sam Son, Hue, Hoi An, Tam Ky, Vung … [Read more...] about VN cities plan for urban green growth
Vietnam commits to green growth: Deputy PM
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam takes the matter of saving energy and resources and protecting the environment serious, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said while receiving Director-General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Frank Rijsberman in Hanoi on January 23. Green growth is a need and a must of all nations in the world, Dung said, affirming that Vietnam is accelerating economic restructuring, and reforming its growth model in an intensive, cost-effective, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly manner. “Vietnam does not wait until being rich to care about green development,” the Deputy PM reiterated. He stressed the need for a legal framework and joint efforts of all people for green growth, adding that the work needs huge resources which are beyond affordability of developing nations. Dung acknowledged and spoke highly of the assistance the GGGI has provided for Vietnam in developing and implementing its … [Read more...] about Vietnam commits to green growth: Deputy PM
Incentives needed for SMEs to join green growth projects
According to Hong, while SMEs account for 98% out of over 500,000 operational enterprises, not many are interested in sustainable development because they think green projects have higher costs and thus require big investment, which is SMEs’ weak point. However, with improved living condition and deep integration into the international economy, consumers have increasingly stricter requirements for products, Hong said, adding that implementing green growth projects will help SMEs save resources and shift to creativity. Meanwhile, Adam Ward, Country Representative of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) said Vietnam is slow at implementing the National Strategy for Green Growth. He attributed the delay to the lack of knowledge of sustainable growth among Vietnamese firms. He said the SMEDF is collaborating with the GGGI and relevant bodies to develop a handbook on green credit access for SMEs, which will guide them on conditions and procedures to receive credit support for … [Read more...] about Incentives needed for SMEs to join green growth projects
Conference confers private investment in implementation of green growth
The conference confers private investment in implementation of Vietnam's green growth strategies - Photo: VNA The discussion of the topic aims to provide updates on the current status of national policies and initiatives for calling private investment in green growth, and outlined obstacles and challenges for the private sector, thus making recommendations to boost the green growth in the region. Theo VNA … [Read more...] about Conference confers private investment in implementation of green growth
Green Growth Drives Development
Green business development is one of new, effective and sustainable business development directions, heard the Workshop on “Encouraging the Small and Medium Enterprises to Develop towards Green Growth” held by the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) in Hanoi. Old technologies Mr Trinh Duc Chieu, Deputy Director of Enterprise Development and Reform Bureau, CIEM, said, green growth means enterprises increase their use of clean and efficient resources and strengthen their resilience to climate change. At present, the industry consumes up to 43 per cent of total energy consumed. However, low efficiency results to low business performance and environmental impacts. Solutions He analysed that, in a flat world, as digital technology thrones, Vietnamese companies must change to keep up with global trends. New conditions necessitate them not to use only prices to compete but necessarily shift to sustainable competition. Foreign partners always … [Read more...] about Green Growth Drives Development
Southern region leads in green growth action plans
The southern region is leading the country in promulgating action plans to promote green growth, an expert said at a review conference on the implementation of the Vietnam Green Growth Strategy held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 14. illustrative photo Le Duc Chung, a senior expert of the project, noted that 12 out of the 17 cities and provinces in the southern region have built action plans to realise the strategy – which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions via “greening” production and adopting “green” lifestyles.Other experts at the event recognised positive changes brought by the green growth strategy in localities in the south, including cities and provinces in the southeastern and southwestern regions.After five years of implementation, the strategy is on the right track with positive outcomes recorded, Chung said, adding that Dong Nai is a leading locality in the field.Deputy director of Dong Nai’s Department of Planning and … [Read more...] about Southern region leads in green growth action plans
Green-growth plans in North lacks lustre
HÀ NỘI — Only nine out of 25 provinces in the northern region have developed a green-growth strategy. Another two provinces are in the process of approving the innovations. This was announced by Lê Đức Chung, a senior expert in the Ministry of Planning and Investment at a conference this week to review mid-term implementation of the national green growth strategy for 2014-2020 (VGG), which embraces three pillars - to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, "greening" production, and adopting "green" lifestyles and consumption. According to Chung’s study, most of the provincial strategies are self-funded, or have no support from foreign partners specialising in this areas (USAID, UNDP, etc.) or the planning ministry. Therefore, they lack essential components, such as a greenhouse-gas inventory and a MACC (marginal abatement cost curve) – a way to illustrate low-carbon alternatives to business-as-usual economics. In Việt Nam, a developing … [Read more...] about Green-growth plans in North lacks lustre
Green growth strategy implementation in northern Vietnam reviewed
The two-day event was organised by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the Macroeconomic Reforms/Green Growth Programme – part of Vietnam-Germany development cooperation, and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). Jin Young Kim, director for the GGGI’s Asia-Pacific, said Vietnam has made great strides since it issued the ambitious national strategy. Successful outcomes and creative solutions to overcome many challenges over the last period will help augment efforts to carry out the strategy in the time ahead. The Vietnam Green Growth Strategy, approved in September 2012, requests ministries, sectors and localities to proactively build their own action plans on green growth. The MPI was assigned to coordinate with other ministries, sectors and localities to implement action plans. More than 30 provinces and eight ministries have issued their respective action plans on green growth while some localities are working to devise their plans. Le Duc Chung, a … [Read more...] about Green growth strategy implementation in northern Vietnam reviewed