It is necessary to make environmental protection a pillar on par with economic and social development.

Institutions are an important foundation for sustainable growth.

Photo caption — Delegate Nguyen Quang Huan. Photo: Viet Duc/VNA

Analyzing this content, delegate Nguyen Quang Huan (Ho Chi Minh City) noted that we need to have a definition as well as provide a specific set of criteria for green economy , circular economy and accompanying institutions for implementation. According to the delegate, if in 2026 we can complete the institutional shortcomings, sustainable economic growth for the next 20 years will be completely feasible.

Offering solutions to implement growth according to the green economic and circular economic models, delegate Nguyen Quang Huan said that it is necessary to bring in behavioral economics for the implementation to be smooth, because behavioral economics, together with traditional economics, will explain the reasons why the economic model must be transformed.

According to the delegate, in the past time, we have been communicating about digital transformation, but to be truly effective, we need to demonstrate to people the nature of digital transformation as well as help them see the effectiveness of applying information technology to production and business activities.

The delegate emphasized that behavioral science is the foundation for orienting economic activities, so it is necessary to build and develop this subject in universities; at the same time, he said that it is necessary to soon find solutions to effectively transform the growth model, quickly developing behavioral economics in parallel with economic development.

Assessing the 5 years of implementing the Law on Environmental Protection, delegates said that although there has been much progress, the period of law-making has not yet strongly developed the green economy, so it is outdated and needs to be revised.

" The world is developing very quickly, Vietnam is also developing quickly, even awareness has changed a lot," the delegate emphasized and said that the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection also mentioned green economy and circular economy, but it only stopped at the concept level and there is no official scientific subject to research this field.

According to the delegate, there are currently more than 600 sets of ESG criteria (environmental, social and corporate governance standards in the business operation process) in the world, but Vietnam still does not have a set of localized ESG criteria. Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW dated May 4, 2025 of the Politburo on private economic development stipulates that any enterprise using ESG will receive 20% interest rate support, but currently no enterprise dares to admit that it is qualified. Therefore, it is very necessary to provide a set of specific criteria for enterprises developing in the direction of green economy and circular economy. Delegate Huan said that it is necessary to build a foundation for green economy development, otherwise it will just stop at slogans and slogans.

Environment becomes a pillar of national development

Recently, the Prime Minister approved the Vietnam Environmental Industry Development Program for the 2025-2030 period, identifying this as a pillar economic sector in the green growth process. The Government's issuance of this program clearly demonstrates its efforts to institutionalize the Party and State's major policies on sustainable development, green transformation and circular economy.

According to delegate Nguyen Ngoc Son (Hai Phong), the new approach has considered the environmental industry as an economic sector with added value, contributing directly to the national GDP. When the Government focuses on developing the environmental industry, it also means transforming the mindset of "pollution treatment" to "environmental economics", turning waste into resources, creating a new value chain in production.

Many localities and industrial zones have proactively implemented the circular economy model, utilizing waste from one enterprise as input materials for another, forming a closed production, recycling, and reuse chain. Initial results show that this direction not only reduces environmental pressure, but also opens up new economic opportunities for enterprises.

Delegate Nguyen Ngoc Son (Hai Phong) said that the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 has many contents that have been institutionalized in a modern direction, with an open approach, and that has helped the Government issue relevant Resolutions and regulations on green economy and circular economy.

The requirement of economic development with double-digit growth rate will pose a big challenge to the goal of sustainable development. Delegate Nguyen Ngoc Son emphasized that making environmental protection a pillar on par with economic and social development requires stronger participation of the entire political system, from the central to local levels, along with the responsibility of monitoring and recommending policies of National Assembly deputies.

Affirming that sustainable development associated with high growth is a difficult problem, requiring long-term vision and decisive action, delegates expect that the discussion session on the Report of the Supervisory Delegation and the draft Resolution of the National Assembly on the results of the thematic supervision "Implementation of policies and laws on environmental protection since the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 took effect" taking place at the Hall on October 28 will be an opportunity for delegates to contribute ideas and propose many breakthrough solutions, contributing to perfecting institutions and promoting green economic development in the coming period.

“Among the four important pillars of sustainable industrial development, environmental industry, circular economy and green economy, raising the level of the environment to become a pillar of national development is an urgent requirement,” affirmed delegate Nguyen Ngoc Son.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/chinh-phu-voi-nguoi-dan/can-thiet-dua-bao-ve-moi-truong-thanh-tru-cot-ngang-hang-voi-kinh-te-va-xa-hoi-20251027202111222.htm