Bui Xuan Cuong, Deputy Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, made the remarks at a workshop entitled “Environment, Water and Water Treatment” held in Hanoi on April 14 as part of the 12th Vietnam-France decentralised cooperation conference.
Cuong emphasised the importance of environmental protection and sustainable development, which are among topics of Vietnam's national development policies and decisions.
Vietnam is now adopting a proactive approach which priotises prevention, control and restoration of environmental ecosystems, he said, adding that the country has some 90 bilateral partners, and participates in more than 100 multilateral frameworks on natural resources, environment, and climate.
Environmental protection between Vietnam and France is a highlight in bilateral cooperation, according to Cuong.
The Vietnam-France joint statement issued during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to France in November 2021 affirmed the two countries' commitment to promoting sustainable growth.
Many Vietnamese localities have actively cooperated with their neighbouring regions in environmental protection, river basin pollution control, and inter-provincial water sources use, Cuong said, noting that numerous cooperation models have been established to protect biodiversity corridors and buffer zones in nature reserves.
HCM City's development priorities include promoting high-value industries using renewable energy and environmentally friendly technologies in various sectors such as industry, agriculture, and services, he said.
Various topics were mulled over at the workshop, including environmental protection, air quality improvement, climate change mitigation, waste reduction and recycling, and circular economy.
In his speech entitled “Plastic Waste Management in Hanoi” Mai Trong Thai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, highlighted the city's regulations to reduce plastic waste, including a plan to control plastic waste and bags by 2025.
In the near future, Hanoi authorities will propose the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issue new regulations on environmental protection techniques for solid waste management.
Thai said that financial incentives should be offered to promote the recovery, recycling, and reuse of plastic waste. The city will continue to devise a plan to prepare the necessary resources, financial institutions, and policies to implement waste separation at source, he added.
