VietNamNet Bridge – Many companies in industrial zones claim they lack capital to introduce equipment to save energy and lessen emissions.

Many companies in industrial zones claim they lack capital to introduce equipment to save energy and lessen emissions. — Photo: VNA

This was revealed at a workshop in Ha Noi on Thursday by Nguyen Trong Nghia, from the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Office of Industry Environment and Sustainable Development.

At the workshop, supporting policies and solutions for low-carbon, industrial- zone development throughout the country were discussed.

It came at the end of a three-year pilot project to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, funded by Britain.

The project was conducted in two industrial zones in central Da Nang City from late 2012. It is set to be concluded late this month.

Tran Thu Hang, deputy head of the Office of Industry, Environment and sustainable development, said that authorised agencies should make policies creating good conditions for companies to access concession loans.

At first, relevant ministries, such as Ministry of Industry and Trade; Ministry of Planning and Investment; Ministry of Science and Technology; were advised to provide financial and technical support for companies in the two industrial zones in Da Nang, she said.

Then, the ministries should help other localities develop policies for low-carbon industrial zone, she said.

According to Nghia, the project has initially contributed to a reduction of 1,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide in the Da Nang Aquatic Product Service Industrial Zone. The reduction for the Lien Chieu Industrial Zone remains under calculation.

Nghia said that the project also calculated and predicted the amount of carbon dioxide discharged by the two industrial zones between 2010 and 2020.

Calculations showed that the Da Nang Aquatic Product Service Industrial Zone would discharge about 59,000 tonnes by 2020, nearly 20,000 tonnes higher than in 2014.

At the same time, about 41,600 tonnes would be discharged by the Lien Chieu Industrial Zone by 2020, about equal to 2013.

Action plans to reduce discharges for the two industrial zones by 2020 were provided under the project, he said.

The action plans hope to reduce about 15 per cent of the total carbon dioxide discharged by the Da Nang Aquatic Product Service Industrial Zone by 2020; and 5 per cent of the total CO2 discharged by the Lien Chieu Industrial Zone by 2020.

Nguyen Dinh Anh, deputy director of Da Nang Natural Resources and Environment Department said that this was an innovative project mobilising joint efforts between a central institute with local authorities and companies in climate change.

"With our limited human and financial resources and the need of information sharing, we are seeking further support to replicate this model in other industrial zones and to engage all companies in the city in the long run," he said.

Viet Nam has about 300 industrial zones.

VNS