Accelerate implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals

At the National Conference on Sustainable Development 2019 on September 12, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that during the 30 years of renovation, Vietnam has simultaneously implemented many solutions to promote sustainable development and achieved many important achievements such as stable macroeconomic conditions, economic growth maintained at a high level, and better quality of growth. 

The Prime Minister has asked localities to pay special attention to the implementation of social development goals, especially in education, health, human development, environmental protection, and cultural identity preservation;

Integrate and speed up the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially target No.13 on timely and effective response against climate change and natural disasters, and target No. 14 on conservation, and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources before 2030.

Vietnam's human development index in the upper-middle group

Vietnam's Human Development Index (HDI) in 2017 was 0.694, belonging to the high average group of the total 189 countries.

Vietnam's Human Development Index (HDI) in 2017 was 0.694, belonging to the high average group of the total 189 countries. Vietnam actively and effectively participated in global environmental protection initiatives. However, the Prime Minister noted that these results did not match the potential and advantages of the country. Productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy need to be improved.

Inefficient exploitation and use of natural resources, which causes environmental pollution and affects the balance of ecosystems, still occurs in many places. Reviewing these achievements, positive aspects and shortcomings and limitations, we can see that in the past decade, we have made encouraging changes, and there has been much progres in sustainable development. However, many tasks need to be done to make the next decade more sustainable.

The Prime Minister suggested that there should be high consensus on awareness and action at all levels, sectors and the whole society on sustainable development. This is the responsibility of the entire Party, the entire people, the political system and all members of society. It is necessary for Vietnam to concentrate policies and resources for sustainable development.

The Prime Minister emphasized that we had too many development strategy documents for different goals in the same period. Therefore, the implementation is still ineffective and we are unable to concentrate resources, including human resources, to perform all of these strategies well.

Take action with the international community on the Paris agreement on climate change response

The Prime Minister said that such specific initiatives and actions will turn Vietnam’s green and sustainable growth guidelines and objectives into reality.

He asked ministries and localities to make the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development the focus and throughout content in the socio-economic strategy for the period of 2021-2030, with specific plans and tasks. It is necessary to accelerate the process of restructuring and perfecting economic institutions in the direction of better use of natural resources, saving energy, improving economic competitiveness, innovating technology, and adapting to climate change, reducing poverty, and ensuring sustainable economic development.

Other tasks include: working with the international community to bring the Paris agreement on climate change response into reality; Integrating and speeding up the implementation of the United Nations SDGs, especially the goal No.13 on responding promptly, effectively to climate change and natural disasters, and goal No. 14 on conserving and sustainably using ocean, sea and marine resources for sustainable development before 2030.

It is also necessary to synchronize national strategies of green growth, climate change adaptation, sustainable poverty reduction, and the circular economy and sharing economy for sustainable development.

The Prime Minister recently approved the Project to promote the sharing economic model. Accordingly, the Government advocates consumer production models that help take advantage of social resources, and cut costs and barriers for entry and exit from the market, building a competitive and equal business environment.

He especially praised drastic measures of many localities, particularly Hanoi, with the program of planting one million new trees in the period of 2016 - 2018 and another 600,000 trees by 2020, assigning targets on planting trees to each district in the city; Quang Ninh Province has implemented a program to put an end to the use of disposable plastic products in Ha Long Bay; Cu Lao Cham, Hoi An, Quang Nam province have not used plastic bags for 10 years.

The Prime Minister also highly appreciated the initiative of the Vietnam Packaging Recycling Alliance and the Saigon Co.op supermarket chain for not using plastic bags for consumption.

He said that such specific initiatives and actions will turn Vietnam’s green and sustainable growth guidelines and objectives into reality.

With more than 30 localities that have no plans to implement the national plan and the Prime Minister's Directive on sustainable development, the Prime Minister asked them to pay special attention to the implementation of social development goals, especially those on education, healthcare, human development, environmental protection, and preservation of cultural identity.

Tran Hang