The issuance of a national plan to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change and the completion of maps of the Vietnam-Laos borderline are among outstanding events relating to natural resources and environment in 2016.
MoNRE Minister Tran Hong Ha (sitting, first, left) attends the Global Green Growth Forum in Denmark in June 2016
The list is compiled by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) as follows:
1. An action programme of the Party delegation to and the Party Committee of the MoNRE was issued to execute the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress. It aims for fundamental improvements in the exploitation and use of natural resources, and control of environmental pollution while working towards a green economy, and proactively responding to climate change.
2. The Government’s teleconference on environmental protection on August 31, 2016 and the Prime Minister’s issuance of Directive 25/CT-TTg, on some urgent tasks and solutions on environmental protection. The directive, based on the outcomes of the teleconference, devises new approaches along with concrete and breakthrough solutions and tasks to thoroughly deal with existing environmental problems. The Prime Minister’s consistent viewpoint, as shown in this directive, is not to exchange the environment for economic growth, and that economic development must be associated with environmental protection.
3. The first-ever master plan on a national natural resources and environment monitoring network was approved for 2016-2025, with a vision to 2030, by the PM on January 12, 2016.
4. A planning on the network of the MoNRE’s public service institutions by 2020, with a vision to 2030, was approved by the PM on November 25, 2016. It is an important legal foundation for organising those institutions in a lean and synchronous manner.
5. Vietnam participated in the Global Green Growth Forum (3GF). The MoNRE signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with 3GF, becoming the first ASEAN member nation to take part in the forum. The forum was a chance for Vietnam to promote green growth through connecting different spheres, especially public-private partnership. Meanwhile, 3GF’s experience in mobilising financial and human resources for green growth activities around the world can also help Vietnam in climate change response and green growth promotion.
6. The land use master plan until 2020 and the national land use plan for 2016-2020 were approved at the 11th session of the 13th National Assembly on April 9, 2016. Accordingly, land use criteria until 2020 were aligned with targets and tasks in socio-economic development, defence and security in the new period.
7. The signing and ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change, and the issuance of an implementation plan for this deal. The Government approved the historic Paris Agreement and the national plan to implement it on October 28, 2016, right on the threshold of COP22 in Morocco.
8. The discovery of copper and uranium ore in Dak Ruong commune of Kon Plong district, the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum. The reserves of those minerals are estimated at 108,925 tonnes and 241.7 tonnes, respectively. This discovery holds a good prospect of more uranium reserves in Kon Tum, as well as the Central Highlands region.
9. The completion of a set of maps of the Vietnam-Laos borderline at the 1:50,000 scale. This set of maps is attached to the protocol on Vietnam-Laos borderline and border markers and the agreement on regulations on border and border gate management, which were inked between the two countries in March 2016. It helps to provide a solid foundation for building the countries’ shared boundary into a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and long-term stability.
10. The MoNRE conducted management and steering activities on an electronic environment. The work aims to promote administrative reforms and an e-Government.
VNA